People Web International

MOLDOVA - Because of the earthquake in Japan, the other part of the world, like Republic of Moldova might have lack of bread, tomato and other agricultural products.
 
The Japanese disaster affected the whole world.

All Moldavian people are very sorry for the Japanese people. More than that, despite its poverty, Moldova donated 1 million lei (about $83 333) for the Japanese Government.

The global economy has been affected because of the Japanese disaster. The price of oil decreased, the stock exchange markets have been shacked, the electronics markets have been attacked and the automobile industry, like Toyota stopped its activity for a while.

The Moldavian economy also will be affected in the near future. For the Republic of Moldova the situation is even more tragic than for Japan, which is one of the major donors.

Now the Japanese, they need help themselves.

The Moldavian farmers are the first, who will feel the consequences of the Japanese earthquake.

Till now, the Republic of Moldova has received (as a grant) more than seventy million dollars from Japan. The main goal of these grants was to develop the agricultural sector of Moldova.

Of course, the Japanese Government will suspend funding Moldavian projects now.

Thus, the termination of financing from Japanese Government will be felt by hundreds of farmers.

One of the largest and the most successful projects in Moldova, which was ruled with the help of Japan, is the project «2KR». Due to Japan Government, Moldavian farmers have received more than 4500 tractors and combines. The project «2KR» started in Moldova in 2001 and it’s working for ten years now. Probably, this project will continue to be efficient for a while, because some of the Japanese funds (donations) have been injected in a local fund named "Partner".

However, in the near future Moldova is no longer able to ask Japan for help, for ethical reasons.

It should be noted, that among other donations, the Japanese Government gave to Moldova a grant of 4.7 million dollars to equip a National Center of training in the field of agricultural with farm machinery and with mechanization equipment.

In addition, Japan has helped Moldavian villages to buy boilers for heating schools and hospitals. And the latest initiative of the Japanese Government was about the construction of a wholesale market in the suburb of Chisinau. In the near past, the Japanese Government promised to give Moldova another $ 50 million for the above project.

“Now, of course, they can not donate this amount to us” - said the Communications officer from the Ministry of Agriculture of Moldova. Also, the Ministry of Agriculture said that "before the Japanese people helped us, but now it's our turn to help them."

Moldavian farmers who received Japanese technology and equipment, decided to join their forces and to collect one million lei (another $83 333) for Japanese people.
The Minister of Agriculture of Moldova concluded:

"No other country can replace Japan as a main donor for the Republic of Moldova”.

(Photo source: http://praiseinternational.wordpress.com/2011/03/05/moldovan-village-pastors-in-poverty/)

-- by Vladislav Railean - PWI Reporter Moldova - moldova@peoplewebinternational.com

MOLDOVA - Eight officers of the National Army of Moldova will participate in the multinational military exercises named "Viking", which will take place in Sweden on 5-17 April 2011.
Moldovan soldiers will be included in a multinational brigade that will operate on the Swedish territory.

The goal of the training, which is simultaneously organized in eight countries, is to train military personnel, police and local authorities about the organization and implementation of peacekeeping operations in the crisis zones under UN auspices.

More than 1800 soldiers and 500 civilians who are enrolled in this military exercises will be located in Sweden, Germany, Austria, USA, Ireland, Georgia, Finland, and in one of the countries of African Union.

The head of the Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of Moldova, Mr. Alexander Josan said that the exercises are organized by the Program called "Partnership for Peace”.

The Republic of Moldova did join this Program in 1994, by signing a framework document. Thus, Moldova did become the 12-th country in the list.

Currently, in the “Partnership for Peace” Program are enrolled 26 countries from Western Europe, former Soviet republics from Caucasus and Central Asia and other countries from other regions.

-- by Vladislav Railean, PWI Regional Reporter Moldova - moldova@peoplewebinternational.com

MOLDOVA - In the first month of this year, more than one million of Moldovans who work abroad have transferred money to Moldova: about 71.78 million dollars. This amount is bigger as compared with the $ 8 million received in January, 2010.

Despite the fact, that Government is pretending that majority of remittances to come from Russia, according to the National Bank of Moldova, the above remittances represent:

49.4% American dollars, 40.9% Euros and only 9.7% Russian rubles.

However, the remittances from January 2011 decreased, compared with those from January 2008, when Moldovans sent to their relatives in Moldova nearly 90 million dollars. The decrease of remittances occurs, because the Moldovans who work abroad receive lower wages now.

For instance, the total amount of remittances in 2009 was $ 1.2 billion. If compared with an absolute record which was reached in 2008, when remittances were $ 1.6 billion, it can be concluded, that in 2010 all Moldovans from abroad earned on average with 25% less than in 2009.

Even so, the amount of remittances is very impressive, but still can not be transformed into useful investments for the local economy. The population of Moldova still doesn’t trust the local banks and the fiscal legislation is still ‘weak’ and don’t motivate citizens to start new businesses.

-- by Vladislav Railean, PWI Country Reporter Moldova - moldova@peoplewebinternational.com