Expert-Grup

COVID-19 Crisis: Moldova's Investment Priorities for Economic Recovery

Protecția socialăFriday, 22 May 20206759 views

Automatically translated summary. The full text is available in Romanian.

An opinion piece from Independent Think Tank “Expert-Grup” sets out the investment priorities and measures the Moldovan authorities could take to relaunch the national economy more effectively after the COVID-19 crisis, as forecasts point to a deep GDP contraction in 2020.

Forecasts for Moldova's 2020 GDP decline range from 3% (IMF) to 6–7% (President Dodon), and a fall of 5% to 10% cannot be ruled out. The author argues that the Government's focus on transport infrastructure and external borrowing is too narrow, and that funds should go to projects generating value added and compensating for lost foreign currency inflows.

Priorities include supporting exporters and import substitution, export-related infrastructure such as certification, storage and processing centres, and small businesses and start-ups with a simplified legal framework. The author also stresses education and research, digitalised public services and energy security, including the Chișinău-Vulcănești-Isaccea and Bălți-Suceava lines. Extensive road building is discouraged, except a bridge and customs post at Ungheni and an extra bridge over the Bâc in Chișinău. Programmes should be concrete, quantified and drawn up after broad consultation.

View the original in Romanian