Limba romana

IMF PRESUMES MOLDOVA HAS NOT YET LOST CHANCES TO GET
$40 MILLION BY END OF YEAR:

Chisinau, November 5 (INFOTAG). According to optimistic forecasts, Moldova
still has chances to receive by the end of this year about $40 million from
international financial institutions and donor countries, Mr. Hassan
Al-Atrash, IMF Resident Representative at Moldova, told INFOTAG.

In his words, over last couple of weeks the Moldovan authorities have done
much of what has been envisaged by a supplement to the Memorandum: the
government has signed with SGS an agreement on pre-shipment inspection, the
Parliament is considering the bills on insolvency (with a separate chapter
on enterprise restructuring) and on financial institutions, and has adopted
a Law on free economic zones.

Mr. Al-Atrash believes that if such a work tempo is preserved and the
Parliament adopts the above bills, the IMF Board may convene already in
December.

He also underlined that the Government has drafted a bill on 2002 State
Budget, which is remarkable for its "high social responsibility", and a bill
on the state social insurance budget. But if the Parliament changes them
drastically, there may be no Board sitting, although the Memorandum
supplement does not stipulate the adoption of these laws.

At best, the IMF may transfer $12 million to the National Bank within 3 days
after the Board sitting, the IMF Resident Representative said.

In his opinion, it is extremely important that the Government successfully
completes the SAC-III negotiations with the World Bank, which will allow to
receive the first $15 million tranche of the Third Structural Adjustment
Credit.

Besides, Hassan Al-Atrash presumes it is quite realistic to receive from the
World Bank $5 million under a supplement to SAC-II for support of the
country's payment balance.

As for the financial assistance from the European Union (EUR 10 million) and
from the Dutch Government (10 million guilders = $4 million), these can,
technically, arrive yet before the IMF Board sitting - however, only if the
IMF sends to them letters of confirmation that the IMF agreement conditions
have been duly met, said Mr. Al-Atrash.

He stressed that lending from the Dutch Government depends also on the
result of the Moldovan Government's negotiations with the World Bank about
the SAC-III arrangement.

: BUT WORLD BANK BELIEVES MOLDOVA MAY COUNT ON
MAXIMUM $5 MILLION

Chisinau, November 5 (INFOTAG). By the end of this year, Moldova may, at
best, receive $5 million under the supplement to the SAC-II program, reckons
Mr. Pieter Stek, World Bank Executive Director for Moldova.

At the Friday's news conference convened to cover his two-day visit to
Chisinau, he pointed out the success Moldova had achieved lately in meeting
the supplement to the Memorandum.

However, he said, too little time is left before the year-end, whereas
SAC-III is a very complicated program requiring thorough and time-consuming
negotiations. Therefore, it is unlikely that the SAC-III credits will come
to Moldova this year, he said.

Mr. Stek highlighted the need for continuing the drafting of a supplement to
the IMF Memorandum, because this will be crucial for launching talks on
restructuring the Moldovan debt to Paris Club members.

"The Government has the right for a choice - to receive money following the
IMF instructions, or renounce external lending: Moldova should demonstrate a
firm wish to restructure the debt, and should enter into negotiations with
the Paris Club", Pieter Stek said.

Negotiations with the Club are usually very laborious a procedure. The Club
passes decisions only unanimously. Mr, Stek believes Moldova should first
and foremost enlist Russia's support, as Russia is the republic's biggest
creditor.

He aid Moldova is very vulnerable for its burden of external debts, with
repayment figure in 2002 being $137 million. "We hope, all Paris Club
creditors, including Russia, will back Moldova", Pieter Stek said.

In his words, the tragic events of September 11 in the United States have
influenced negatively the possibilities of attracting foreign credits, as
competition at the international financial market has toughened.

"Therefore, Moldova should become better and more attractive than other
transition-economy countries. A healthy climate for business needs to be
created both for local and foreign investors", Pieter Stek said.
 

FMI CONSIDERA CA MOLDOVA INCA NU A PIERDUT SANSA DE A OBTINE PINA LA SFIRSITUL ANULUI 2001 CIRCA $40 MILIOANE...

"Potrivit unor prognoze optimiste, Republica Moldova ar putea obtine pina la sfirsitul anului 2001 sprijin financiar de la organisme financiare internationale si de la donatori in valoare de circa $40 mln.", a afirmat, intr-un interviu acordat reporterului agentiei INFOTAG, Hassan Al-Atrash, reprezentant permanent al FMI la Chisinau.
Potrivit afirmatiilor sale, in ultimele doua saptamini autoritatile Moldovei au realizat multe din actiunile schitate in completarile la Memorandum: guvernul a semnat cu SGS acordul privind inspectia dinainte de expeditie, in parlament se examineaza proiecte de lege privind incapacitatea de plata (cu un capitol aparte privind restructurarea intreprinderilor), privind institutiile financiare. In afara de aceasta, a fost adoptata Legea cu privire la zonele economice libere.

"Daca se vor mentine aceste ritmuri de activitate si parlamentul va adopta legile respective, speram ca sedinta Consiliului Directorilor FMI va avea loc chiar in luna decembrie", a afirmat Hassan Al-Atrash.

El a mai mentionat ca guvernul a elaborat proiectul de lege a bugetului pe anul 2002, "caracterizat printr-o inalta responsabilitate sociala", si proiectul de lege privind bugetul asigurarilor sociale de stat.

"Daca parlamentul va opera in aceste proiecte de lege modificari esentiale, sedinta ar putea sa nu aiba loc. Desi in anexa la Memorandum aceste legi nu erau stipulate", a mentionat Al-Atrash.

El a afirmat ca, "in cel mai bun caz, FMI ar putea transfera in contul Bancii Nationale a Moldovei o noua transa, de $12 mln., in decurs de trei zile dupa sedinta Consiliului Directorilor".

In opinia reprezentantului FMI, este extrem de important ca guvernul sa incheie cu succes negocierile cu Banca Mondiala asupra proiectului de ajustari structurale SAC-III. Acest lucru va da posibilitatea de a obtine prima transa a programului, de $15 mln.

In afara de aceasta, este pe deplin reala obtinerea de catre Republica Moldova de la BM a $5 mln. in cadrul anexei la programul SAC-II pentru sprijinirea balantei de plati a republicii.

"Cit priveste asistenta financiara din partea Uniunii Europene, in valoare de 10 mln. euro ($9 mln.), si a 10 mln. de guldeni ($4 mln.) din partea Guvernului Olandei, din punct de vedere tehnic, acesti bani ar putea ajunge inca pina la sedinta Consiliului Directorilor FMI. Insa acest lucru se va intimpla doar in cazul in care FMI le va expedia acestora o scrisoare de confirmare a indeplinirii conditiilor stipulate in acordul cu FMI", a mentionat Hassan Al-Atrash.

El a subliniat ca si finantarea din partea Guvernului Olandei "depinde de rezultatul negocierilor dintre Guvernul Moldovei si Banca Mondiala asupra programului SAC-III".

"Moldova ar putea obtine pina la sfirsitul anului in cel mai bun caz $5 mln. in cadrul anexei la programul Bancii Mondiale SAC-II", considera Pieter Stek, director executiv la BM pentru Moldova.

Precum informeaza agentia INFOTAG, vineri seara, in cadrul unei conferinte de presa sustinute la sfirsitul vizitei sale de doua zile la Chisinau, el a mentionat succesele pe care Moldova le-a inregistrat in ultima vreme pentru a indeplini conditiile anexei la Memorandum.

"Insa pina la sfirsitul anului a ramas prea putin timp, iar programul SAC-III este foarte complicat si necesita negocieri mai detaliate si indelungate. De aceea, este putin probabil ca creditele in cadrul programului SAC-III vor ajunge in Moldova in acest an", a mentionat Stek.

El a mentionat necesitatea continuarii muncii la anexa la Memorandumul incheiat cu FMI, deoarece de aceasta depinde inceputul negocierilor pentru restructurarea datoriei externe a republicii la Clubul creditorilor de la Paris.

"Guvernul are dreptul sa aleaga - sa obtina bani respectind instructiunile FMI, sau sa renunte la creditarea externa", a mentionat Stek.

Potrivit afirmatiilor sale, "Republica Moldova trebuie sa-si demonstreze dorinta de a obtine restructurarea datoriei si de a incepe negocierile la Clubul creditorilor de la Paris".

"Republica Moldova este foarte vulnerabila din cauza poverii datoriilor externe, din care urmeaza a fi achitate numai in anul 2002 in valoare de $137 mln. Speram ca Moldova va fi sprijinita la Clubul de la Paris de catre toti creditorii, inclusiv de Rusia", a afirmat Stek.

Potrivit afirmatiilor sale, evenimentele tragice din 11 septembrie din SUA au un impact negativ asupra posibilitatilor de atragere a unor noi credite externe. Concurenta pe piata financiara internationala s-a complicat foarte mult in acest plan.

"De aceea, Moldova ar trebui sa devina mai buna si mai atractiva decit alte tari cu economia in tranzitie. Este necesar sa se creeze un climat sanatos atit pentru afacerile propriilor intreprinzatori, cit si ale investitorilor straini", opineaza Pieter Stek.

El a subliniat ca "este necesar, inainte de toate, sa fie limitate imputernicirile organelor de control, deoarece intreprinzatorii se pling de numarul mare de controale, care ii impiedica sa activeze normal".

INFOTAG, 5 noiembrie 2001