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HASSAN AL-ATRASH REJECTS ACCUSATIONS THAT IMF IS IMPOSING
POLITICAL CONDITIONS TO DE-BLOCK FINANCING

Chisinau-13.02.2002/16:24:02/(BASA-economic) "The declarations of
some officials that the government implemented all the measures
agreed to with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) but that the
IMF did not give the money out of political considerations are
false", declared today to the press the Resident Representative of
the IMF in Chisinau, Hassan Al-Atrash.

On Monday, the Chairman of the Parliamentary group of the
Communists, Victor Stepaniuc, declared that after Moldova honored
at the beginning of November its commitments towards international
financial institutions, they started to put forward "some political
conditions".

Hassan Al-Atrash reaffirmed the fact that IMF is interested
exclusively in economic and financial policies and not the
government's political orientation.

"Notwithstanding our strong objections, the Government signed an
Agreement on gas deliveries that carried new state debt guarantees.
This agreement was signed two days before the documents on
Moldova's request for financial assistance were to be issued to the
IMF's Executive Board. The documents had already been approved by
the internal review committee and the IMF's management. We know
that the prime-minister believes that two lawyers could give three
points of view but it was clear from the gas agreement that a
state guarantee was involved. I regret that the prime-minister was
ill advised by those who recommended that he signs this Agreement",
also said Hassan Al-Atrash.

According to him the Government implemented most of the conditions
agreed to, some of which were difficult, such as pre-shipment
inspection. At the beginning of the month of November it could be
stated that most commitments had been respected but then the
government signed the agreement and "things fell apart".

He also answered the accusation that the IMF has changed the
goal-post. "The Fund has been consistent. We are not asking
anything that hadn't already been agreed to in August/September and
that was not in the Supplement to the Memorandum". As regards administrative 
territorial reform, the IMF Representative said that the forthcoming 
mission will discuss with the authorities how they intend to finance these 
reforms in 2002.

During a press-conference today the spokesman of the Russian
Federation Embassy in Chisinau, Mihail Yolkin, declared that though
the prime-minister Vasile Tarlev announced that there are four
possibilities for amending the Agreement on gas deliveries, th e
Moldovan Government did not come yet with any concrete draft
proposals. He underlined that Russia is ready to support
restructuring of foreign debt of Chisinau in the Paris Club and
could postpone bilateral payments for this year.


 HASSAN AL-ATRASH RESPINGE ACUZATIILE CA FMI AR PUNE
CHISINAULUI CONDITII POLITICE PENTRU DEBLOCAREA FINANTARII 

"Afirmatiile unor oficiali moldoveni potrivit carora conducerea de la Chisinau a indeplinit toate angajamentele sale fata de organismele financiare internationale, iar Fondul Monetar International (FMI) nu a alocat banii din considerente politice nu corespund realiltatii", a declarat astazi presei reprezentantul permanent la Chisinau al FMI, Hassan Al-Atrash.

Luni, presedintele grupului parlamentar al comunistilor, Victor Stepaniuc, a declarat dupa ce R.Moldova si-a onorat inca la inceputul lunii noiembrie angajamentele fata de organismele financiare internationale, acestea incearca sa puna "niste conditii politice". Stepaniuc a atribuit organismelor financiare internationale responsabilitatea pentru esecurile guvernarii comuniste din anul 2001, deoarece acestea "au venit cu sfaturi". (vezi ERM0158*)

Hassan Al-Atrash a reafirmat faptul ca FMI este interesata exclusiv de politicile promovate de guvernare, si nu de coloratura politica a acesteia. 

"Contrar ingrijoratilor pe care le-am expus, Guvernul a semnat Acordul privind livrarile de gaze cu Federatia Rusa, care implica asumarea unor noi garantii de stat. Acest lucru s-a intamplat cu 2 zile inainte ca priblema deblocarii finantarii externe pentru R.Moldova sa fi fost transmisa spre examinare la Consiliul Directorilor FMI. Decizia fusese deja aprobata de Comitetul de revizuire interna si conducerea Fondului. Stim ca premierul spune des ca la doi avocati sunt trei pareri, dar noua, chiar nefiind juristi, ne-a fost clar de la bun inceput ca este vorba despre o garantie de stat. Regret ca primul ministru a fost iformat gresit de cei care i-au recomandat sa semneze acest acord", a mai declarat Hassan Al-Atrash. 

Potrivit lui, Guvernul a indeplinit majoritatea conditiilor, unele chiar foarte dificile, cum ar fi inspectia inainte de expeditie. La inceputul lunii noiembrie se putea chiar spune ca toate angajamentele au fost respectate. Acest lucru nu a mai fost valabil insa pentru sfarsitul lunii noiembrie, cand Guvernul a semnat acordul cu gazele, "care a dat totul peste cap". 

Oficialul a respuns si acuzatiile potrivit carora FMI isi schimba condutiile pe parcurs. "Fondul este doar consecvent in respectarea Memorandumului semnat cu Guvernul moldovean, si care spune ca statul nu trebuie sa-si asume datorii noi". "Daca autoritatile se refera la faptul ca am inceput sa vorbim despre reforma administrativ-teritoriala, atunci trebuie sa amintim ca in Memorandum scrie ca cheluielile noi trebuie sa aiba o sursa de acoperire. Acume din acest punct de vedere studiem problema reformei administrativ-teritoriale", a mai adaugat Hassan Al-Atrash. 

In cadrul unei conferinte de presa sustinute astazi, purtatorul de cuvant al Ambasadei Federatiei Ruse la Chisinau, Mihail Iolkin a declarat ca desi premierul Vasile Tarlev a anuntat ca exista patru varinate de modificare a Acordului de livrare a gazelor, Guvernul moldovean nu a venit deocamdata cu nici un proiect concret. El a subliniat ca Rusia este gata sa sustina restructurarea datoriei externe a Chisinaului prin Clubul de la Paris si ar putea amana platile bilaterale pentru acest an.