Moldovan government launches MPay e-payments service
The public library from the central Orhei town today hosted, in the presence of Prime Minister Iurie Leanca, the launch of a new information system, that will help citizens pay various online services, without any commission, the government’s communication and media relations department has reported.
Four practical public services payment applications were displayed within the event. Iurie Leanca was among the first beneficiaries, who donated 10 million lei to the Orhei-based boarding school for children with special needs, by making a money transfer via the MPay.
The MPay governmental e-payments service allows paying the services via several instruments: bank cards, payment terminals, e-banking systems and cash payments. Bank card holders will be able to operate electronic payments for public services via the webpage www.mpay.gov.md. In cash payments, the citizens with no access to the Internet can appeal to the desks of the connected banks, public institutions endowed with payment terminals or post offices.
Leanca stressed that, in this way, the government took another step in order to be closer to the citizens and make their lives easier. Thus, the service will be accessible both to residents of Moldova and those from the diaspora.
„In the digital century, the interaction between the authorities and citizens could take place successfully in the virtual area too. Thus, we get rid of corruption, win time and become efficient. At the same time, the quality of public services improves,” Leanca said.
Leanca underscored that the MPay programme was essential for one of those three priorities of the government, namely corruption diminishing.
„I believe that the e-governing instruments are the most efficient in fighting corruption. The computer cannot be bribed! Countries as Estonia, Singapore, Malta, Austria, which widely use modern technologies, have more performing administrations, with a low level of corruption, high living standards and happier citizens,” Leanca said.
The head of the E-Governing Centre, Stela Mocan, stressed that the MPay governmental electronic payment services provided the citizens with safety and comfort. She also said that, for public institutions, MPay meant transparency, efficiency, less bureaucracy and corruption diminution.
„We will continue to cooperate with the private sector in order to upgrade the public services’ quality by launching new projects based on up-to-date technologies and innovations,” Mocan said.
Via the Novateca programme and with the support of Bill&Melinda Gates Foundation, 60 public libraries have been endowed with computers, so that people, who do not have computers at home, could access public services by electronic means.
Presently, about 60 per cent of the Moldovan public services are paid in cash. MPay is implemented by the E-Governance Centre, Special Telecommunications Centre in cooperation with the Finance Ministry, National Bank of Moldova, payment operators: Moldova Agroindbank, Victoriabank, Moldindconbank, Banca de Economii, QIWI Moldova and Q Systems companies within the World Bank’s Governance e-Transformation project.
Adapted from moldpres