OREANDA-NEWS. March 23, 2012. Moldova's economy saw a 6.4-per-cent growth in 2011 against the year before, Prime Minister Vlad Filat said today at a news conference on the outcomes of the government's work in 2011.

Vlad Filat noted that the growth trend in the foreign trade activity continued in 2011. Thus, the exports increased by 44.1 per cent and the imports by 34.7 per cent. The prime minister stressed that these two indexes rose against a background of an increase in the industrial output by 7.4 per cent, agricultural production by 4.6 per cent and long-term investments in material assets by 9.3 per cent.

The prime minister said that the enlivenment recorded in the national economy told on employees' wages as well. Thus, the average salary stood at 3,707 lei in December 2011, up by 8.4 per cent against December 2010. At the same time, the number of employees went up to 1.173 million against 1.143 million in 2010.

Filat emphasized that in 2011, the government managed to keep the deficit of the national public budget at 2.4 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), due to the financial discipline and efforts taken to ensure continuously rising budgetary revenues. In 2011, the cabinet collected by 9.5 per cent more incomes to the national public budget against 2010. Also, the government continued promoting a cautious policy in the state debt sector. This debt was lowered from 26.3 per cent of GDP in 2010 to 23.2 per cent in 2011, the prime minister added.

Vlad Filat said these indexes will not bring radical changes in the social sector. Yet, they prove that Moldova overcame the economic crisis, ensured economic stability, increased social allocations and services, which helps secure decent living standards for the citizens, Filat added.