Limba romana

IMF STANDS READY TO ASSIST IN PRIVATIZING MOLDTELECOM 
AND REDs

Chisinau, April 27 (INFOTAG). The International Monetary Fund
is ready to help Moldova privatize its national telephone
operator, Moldtelecom, and 2 northern electricity distribution
enterprises (REDs), stated Mr Richard Haas, Director of the IMF
European II Department, who is in Chisinau these days at the
head of an IMF mission.

At his meeting with Deputy Premier, Minister of Economy Andrei
Cucu, Richard Haas said the mission's task is to establish
contacts with the new Moldovan leadership and resume dialog with
this republic.

Cucu assured him that the new name of his ministry, from which
'and Reform' words have been cancelled, does not mean the
republic is suspending reforms.

The IMF mission discussed with the Moldovan leadership matters
of improving the national strategy of poverty reduction. The
sides have agreed that local governance officials,
non-governmental organizations and the society as a whole should
be attracted to drafting the document.

The same questions were discussed today at the mission's meeting
with Parliament Chairwoman Eugenia Ostapciuc, who stated the new
leadership would continue cooperation with international
financial institutions in conducting reforms.

According to her, a special attention will be paid to enterprise
activities in post-privatization period and to adopting some
legislative acts aimed at strengthening the social protection of
population.

Richard Haas stated the IMF's preparedness to render assistance
to the new leadership in maintaining the positive trends
achieved in the national economy last year. In about a month,
another IMF mission will come to Chisinau to offer a new
Memorandum on the financial and economic policy of the Republic
of Moldova.

The 2001 Budget expects to get a 100 million lei ($7.8 million)
revenue from privatization. Besides, the Budget's revenues side
contains a 500 million lei figure which the Government projects
to receive as external borrowings. So, 600 million lei has thus
to be obtained, or 18 percent of the whole 3.3 billion State
Budget.

If the 600 m. does not come, it will be very problematic for
Prime Minister Vasily Tarlev to preserve the budget deficit in
the parameters agreed on with the IMF -- 1.5 percent GDP (200
million lei).

FMI ESTE DISPUS SA SPRIJINE MOLDOVA LA PRIVATIZAREA
MOLDTELECOM-ULUI SI A INTREPRINDERILOR RETELELOR ELECTRICE
DE DISTRIBUTIE

Chisinau, 27 aprilie. (INFOTAG). Fondul Monetar International
este dispus sa ajute Moldova sa privatizeze operatorul national
de telefonie Moldtelecom SA si retelele electrice de distributie
din nordul republicii, a declarat Richard Haas, consilier in
Departamentul doi Europa al FMI, aflat la Chisinau in fruntea
unei misiuni a fondului.

Precum informeaza agentia INFOTAG, dl Haas a afirmat, in cadrul
unei intrevederi cu vicepremierul Andrei Cucu, ministru al
economiei, ca scopul vizitei misiunii este stabilirea unor
relatii si reluarea dialogului cu noua conducere a Moldovei.

Andrei Cucu a dat asigurari reprezentantului FMI ca excluderea
din denumirea ministerului a cuvintului "reformelor" nu inseamna
stoparea procesului de reforme in economia moldoveneasca.

Misiunea FMI a discutat cu conducerea Moldovei si chestiunile ce
tin de perfectionarea Strategiei nationale de eradicare a
saraciei. Partile au ajuns la concluzia ca la finalizarea
documentului urmeaza sa fie atrase organele de administratie
publica locala, organizatiile neguvernamentale si societatea in
ansamblu.

Aceleasi probleme au fost discutate si in timpul intrevederii
membrilor misiunii OSCE cu Eugenia Ostapciuc, presedintele
parlamentului, care a avut loc vineri. Speakerul a declarat ca
noua conducere a Moldovei va continua cooperarea cu organismele
financiare internationale in promovarea cursului reformelor
economice.

Potrivit Eugeniei Ostapciuc, se va acorda o atentie deosebita
activitatii intreprinderilor in perioada postprivatizare si
adoptarii unor acte legislative menite sa sporeasca protectia
sociala a populatiei.

Richard Haas a anuntat disponibilitatea FMI de a sprijini
conducerea Moldovei sa mentina tendintele pozitive inregistrate
in anul 2000 in economia tarii. El a comunicat ca dupa
incheierea formarii guvernului, aproximativ peste o luna, va
sosi la Chisinau o noua misiune a Fondului, pentru a propune
guvernului tarii un nou Memorandum privind politica
economico-financiara a Republicii Moldova.

INFOTAG precizeaza: Bugetul pe anul 2001 prevede obtinerea de la
privatizare a 100 mln. lei ($7,8 mln.). }n afara de aceasta,
articolul venituri prevede suma de 500 mln. lei, pe care
guvernul intentioneaza sa o obtina ca imprumuturi externe.
|inind seama de mijloacele de la privatizare, suma respectiva se
va cifra la 600 mln. lei, ceea ce constituie 18 la suta din
intregul buget, de 3,3 mlrd. lei. Lipsa acestor mijloace face
destul de problematica pentru guvernul Vasile Tarlev mentinerea
deficitului bugetar in parametrii pusi de acord cu FMI - 1,5 la
suta din PIB (280 mln. lei).