Limba romana

IMF RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE IN CHISINAU GIVES ASSESSMENT 
OF BRAGHIS GOVERNMENT'S PERFORMANCE

Chisinau-21.12.2000/12:26:16/(BASA-economic) The resident
representative of the International Monetary Fund in the Republic of
Moldova, Hassan Al-Atrash, stated that Braghis's government had done
a remarkable job in its first year, particularly, given that the
Republic of Moldova did not receive any external financing, and paid
about 120 million dollars in external debt.

While congratulating the Prime Minister on his one-year anniversary,
Hassan Al-Atrash mentioned that finalizing work on a new program
required much effort. But, importantly government policies were
consistently good throughout this year.

"In April, when the IMF again suspended its financial assistance, I
did not think that by year-end the economic situation would be as
good as it is today. I thought that a debt default was looming, that
there would be pressures on exchange rate, and th at inflation would
be much higher, and that the living standards would further
deteriorate. That it did not happen is a credit to the Government and
the National Bank ", said the IMF representative.

All the more remarkable is, according to Hassan Al-Atrash, the fact
that wage and pension arrears had gone down, that some progress was
made in structural reform process, that land privatization was
completed, that the land market started to develop, and that the
banking system started lending to real economy sector and
agriculture, for the first time in the last 9 years.

According to Mr. Al-Atrash, the Government had worked a lot, along
with IMF officials, to fulfill the conditions for resumption of
external lending to Moldova.

REZIDENTUL FMI LA CHISINAU DA APRECIERI ACTIVITATII 
GUVERNULUI BRAGHIS

Chisinau-21.12.2000/12:26:16/(BASA-economic) Rezidentul Fondului Monetar International in Republica Moldova, Hassan Al-Atrash, considera ca Guvernul Braghis a avut o activitate
remarcabila pe parcursul primului an de la investire, mai ales in conditiile in care a fost
lipsit de finantare externa, iar datoria care trebuia rambursata a fost de 120 de milioane de
dolari SUA.

Felicitandu-l pe premierul Braghis cu aniversarea unui an de la instalarea in functie, Hassan
Al-Atrash a apreciat ca desi au necesitat un efort mare, politicele Guvernului sunt politici bune.

"In aprilie cand a fost anuntata sistarea finantarii externe nu credeam ca situatia economica la
sfarsit de an va fi atat de buna cum este acum. Credeam ca in scurt timp va surveni un default,
ca vor fi presiuni asupra ratei de schimb, ca inflatia va fi mai mare, iar nivelul de viata a
populatiei se va inrautati si mai mult. Si faptul ca aceste lucruri nu s-au intamplat este
meritul Guvernului si a BNM", a spus reprezentantul FMI.

Si mai remarcabil, in opinia lui Hassan Al-Atrash, este si faptul ca au fost reduse restantele
la pensii si salarii, au fost obtinute unele succese in reformele structurale, s-a incheiat
privatizarea pamantului, s-a inceput dezvoltarea unei piete funciare, iar sistemul bancar a
inceput creditarea sectorului real si a agriculturii, pentru prima data in ultimii 9 ani.

Potrivit lui Al-Atrash, Guvernul a lucrat mult, de rand cu oficialii FMI, si pentru a indeplini
conditiile de deblocare a creditarii externe pentru Republica Moldova.