The agreement on a 60 million euros grant to be provided by the EU to Moldova to help the country manage the gas crisis is to be signed on December 15.
Deputy Director General of the Directorate General for the European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Katarina Mathernova said this at a joint briefing in Chisinau with the Prime Minister of Moldova Natalia Gavrilita. She noted that the document to provide Moldova with appropriate additional budget support will be signed within the framework of the Eastern Partnership summit on December 15 at Brussels. In addition, according to her, Moldova will be able to receive another 15 million euros to support socially vulnerable groups and for the consultants’ services starting from 2022. Katarina Mathernova noted the rapid dynamics of development in Moldova, stressing that there have been implemented a lot of reforms in our country over the past year, and Moldova’s authorities have a clear agenda of reforms that they are introducing, despite the crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, the energy crisis, and are fulfilling all their obligations. “As long as the Moldovan authorities continue to fulfill their obligations, the European Union will continue to provide financial assistance and will increase the size of the assistance,” said Katarina Mathernova. She also recalled that during the energy crisis, EU experts helped Moldova with expertise and advice, and for the first time in its history, our country was able to connect to the European gas market. “Thus, we have shown and proved that Moldova is important for the EU and enjoys its support, we are conducting a fruitful dialogue with the Moldovan authorities and will continue it further,” she said. Katarina Mathernova noted that the EU will continue to provide Moldova with financing to support various areas within the framework of the Economic Recovery Plan worth 600 million euros, and is also ready to provide it with a new package of macro-financial assistance after the country concludes a new Memorandum with the IMF. In turn, Natalia Gavrilita noted that Moldova has made progress in implementing reforms, unblocked external financing, receives funds from the EU within the framework of the Economic Recovery Plan, and agreed with the IMF a new program of economic reforms estimated at about $564 million, which will further increase confidence in Moldova and will help it get new funding. She recalled that within the framework of the Economic Recovery Plan, Moldova has already been provided with 36.4 million euros as budgetary support to help implement reforms in the field of health and the rule of law, for the reform of the police and for the fight against coronavirus, and now the procedure for enabling the country to receive the 60 million euros grant for the management of the gas crisis is being completed. “We are working with EU institutions and we managed to get admission to 210 million euros from the EIB and EBRD for road rehabilitation, to improve energy efficiency. There are many more funding agreements that all follow plans and arrangements. In a few months, citizens will see the implementation of specific projects. We will continue a fruitful dialogue with the EU in all areas of cooperation - in a bilateral format, within the framework of the associated trio and the Eastern Partnership. We will get access to resources; we will try to absorb them quickly, so that citizens can quickly feel the effects of the transformations. Our goal is clear - a strong, independent, prosperous Moldova, fully integrated into the EU, in the interests of citizens,” said Natalia Gavrilita. // 06.12.2021 – InfoMarket
