Authorities urge American companies to invest in Moldova

Moldova’s top leaders have urged the American companies to invest in the country.

Prime Minister Vlad Filat said on November 8 at the opening of a Moldo-American Investment Forum held in Chisinau that his presence at the event serves as a proof of the great importance attached by the Moldovan Government to the attraction of foreign investments and to the creation of a business-friendly environment.

«I hope that within the framework of the discussions we will outline new cooperation ways that will increase the number of investments in Moldova,» he said, noting that «it is not enough to implement reforms only. It is important to back them by sustainable economic growth,» he said.

The Premier also spoke about Moldova’s economic opportunities.

«Moldova has concluded Free Trade Agreements with the CIS states. At the same time, Moldova holds negotiations on the creation of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) with the EU, which is to be signed by late 2013. This speaks about the fact that the country has a great sale market and that economic agents can run profitable businesses here,» said the Premier.

He said that the experience of the Turkish economic agents that managed to create business associations and to successfully cooperate with Moldovan authorities is very valuable in this respect.

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar told the participants in the forum about the current economic situation in Moldova, as well as about investment opportunities and plans for the future, noting that today’s forum fits into the Action Plan of the Moldovan Government on Investment Attraction.

He spoke about projects of private-public partnerships and about assets that should be put up for privatization, especially about fields of high-interest, such as agro-industry, energy, infrastructure, IT, logistics and transport. Lazar also highlighted the possibilities to invest in industrial parks and in Free Entrepreneurship Zones.

«Of course, we are facing some problems, but we are doing our utmost to overcome them. We undertake measures in order to adjust the manpower training to the current needs of the Moldovan market,» he said.

US Ambassador to Moldova William H. Moser gave assurances that the USA will further support Moldova in the implementation of reforms for the country’s economic development.

At the same time, he spoke about the projects that are being implemented in Moldova with the USA’s support and that are meant to enhance the competitiveness of the national goods.

Romanian Ambassador to Moldova Marius Lazurca tacked the economic relations between Moldova and Romania, noting that the trade turnover between the two states will reach US$1 billion by the end of the year.

The Moldo-American Investment Forum will last till November 9. The event brings together American companies working in Moldova, American companies from neighboring countries, as well as foreign and Moldovan companies. A string of presentations on Moldova’s tax system, access to the Moldovan market, business development in Moldova for American companies working in Romania and on the experience of Horizon Capital Advisors in Moldova are organized within the framework of the event. Among the companies that will hold the presentations are Turcan Cazac, PricewaterhouseCoopers Moldova, Vernon David. Roundtables on IT-sector, energy efficiency and food sector are held within the framework of the forum. On the second day, participants will have the opportunity to visit the industrial park Tracom and a Free Entrepreneurship Zone.

The organizers of the business forum are the Moldovan Investment and Export Promotion Organization (MIEPO) in cooperation with the American Chamber of Commerce in Moldova. 

Adapted from Infotag