PRESIDENT SAYS THAT GOVERNMENT HAS ENOUGH TIME TO REVISE CONDITIONS OF IMF AGREEMENT

Moldova in fact has 5 months to revise the conditions of agreement with the International Monetary Fund, President Igor Dodon said after the Supreme Security Council sitting.

He said that the issue on revising the agreement, concluded in June, was started only in September-October, as the Fund Mission will not come to Moldova earlier.

“As for the direct implementation of measures, provided in the agreement, this depends on the Parliament and the Government. However, it must be noted that these measures, including the raising of the VAT for the HoReCa segment, are supposed to be introduced only in January 2020 and we have 5 months to renegotiate the agreement. Still, all this will depend on decision adopted by the Parliament at the next sitting”, the head of state said.

He also pointed that the participants at the Supreme Security Council sitting discussed the Chisinau Arena issue. President said that this project is necessary for Moldova and that the ruling coalition has a common position in this regard, adding that the works are planned to be concluded by October. However, Dodon stressed the need of investigating the circumstances of concluding the contract on public-private partnership in relation to building of the arena, saying it is damaging for the state budget.

“According to the contract, after concluding the building, the state will have to pay to the investor 33 million euros within 11 years. However, budget funds must be used for other strategic goals, thus we have to seek new sources of financing. This issue has already been discussed, including with external partners. Also, the previous authorities mortgaged 59 hectares of land only for 3 million euros. Criminal cases were started in this regard to clarify the situation”, the president said.