OREANDA-NEWS. March 01, 2012. Deputy Prime Minister, Economics Minister Valeriu Lazar, who is also Moldova's governor at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), held a meeting with EBRD director for Moldova Julia Otto on 27 February. The two officials reviewed joint projects, according to the Economics Ministry's information and media communication service.

Julia Otto said that "the year 2011 was positive for Moldova", noting that the annual plan for 2012 has been recently approved, with investments ranging between 70 and 120 million euros. The plan "will comprise 11 concrete projects for diverse development sectors in Moldova", she said

For his part, Valeriu Lazar highly appreciated the EBRD's willingness to back Moldova, especially during this period of structural reforms in the national economy initiated by the cabinet. The deputy prime minister welcomed "the decisions to earmark concrete sums to develop the roads' infrastructure, the energy sector, the centralized water supply system and other projects that are so necessary for Moldova".

The sides listed among the goals set for 2012 and 2013 the restoration of the highways Chisinau-Ungheni, Hincesti-Lapusna and Comrat-Giurgiulesti, for which 23m euros was allocated.

Also, in March 2012, the EBRD leadership is to consider financing the state enterprise Moldelectrica to develop the energy sector, with investments estimated at 30 million euros and a grant of 8 million euros.