Nine new foreign investors will enter the Balti Free Economic Zone (ZELB) in the next two years with total investments of 100 million euros.
In an interview with Radio Free Europe, ZELB administrator Marin Ciobanu said that this would create 5,000 new jobs. He stressed that ZELB is currently negotiating with 16 large foreign companies, nine of which will open 99% new production facilities in Moldova. According to Marin Ciobanu, the global pandemic crisis has negatively affected many European manufacturers due to disrupted supply chains and logistics, which negatively affected final production. Therefore, many of them are reconsidering the supply chains towards transferring businesses from China closer to the European Union. In these conditions, Moldova, in particular, through its free economic zones, could provide them the opportunity to open production in our country. In particular, the Mărculești airport can be attractive for Lufthansa Cargo, which has over 300 air connections shipping cargo to more than 100 countries. Due to the fact that Mărculești, with an area of 285 hectares, is included in ZELB, Lufthansa Cargo can create a transshipment point there, saving on fuel costs since excise taxes and VAT are not applied in respect of ZELB residents. This could create over 500 jobs, as well as provide the local businesses with service orders for Mărculești. Speaking about the south of Moldova, Marin Ciobanu noted the production potential of the railway junction in Basarabeasca, where it would be possible to organize the production of components for the construction of wagons. This opportunity has already been discussed with the major European manufacturer Greenbrier. Speaking about the capital of Moldova, the ZELB administrator noted the desire of the large corporation, which owns almost 350 factories around the world with a turnover of 42 billion euros, to open two factories on the outskirts or in the suburbs of Chisinau. The production site is determined by the need to recruit the necessary number of qualified personnel the corporation requires, which is difficult to achieve in Moldova’s regions. The ZELB administrator mentioned the main problem that needs to be solved in order to attract investments and retain the labor force in Moldova: political will with a systematic approach, which, on the one hand, would be attractive to investors, on the other hand, would ensure the training of a qualified workforce: “The development of the economy must go in parallel with education, therefore, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Education should cooperate in order to synchronize the processes so that the demand for jobs dictates the training of personnel,” emphasized Marin Ciobanu. He stressed that Moldova is not yet ready to provide jobs for citizens working abroad, but the country has the opportunity to preserve the population while raising the qualifications of the workforce and creating new well-paid jobs. // 05.08.2021 - InfoMarket.
