Corruption is diminishing at the State Tax Service and Customs Service, stated Lilia Carasciuc, Director of Transparency International Moldova (TIM), at the Thursday meeting of the Economic Press Club.

The discussions during the Club meeting focused on the “Reform in the Customs and Tax Services under the Preliminary Country Programme”. The reform of the two structures is one of the prerequisites for Moldova to obtain assistance under the Compact Programme financed by the USA.

According to the latest survey conducted by the TIM, business people stated that in 2007 corruption reduced by 30% against 2005, and the respondents representing establishments told that corruption reduced twice last year against 2005, Carasciuc specified.

Referring to the tax bodies, TIM director stated that the respondents stated that in 2007 60% of the tax service employees complied with the legal provisions during controls against 41% in 2005 and only 19% in 2002.

According to Deputy Director of Customs Service, Nicolae Batrincea, the customs authority is undertaking a number of steps aimed to reduce corruption in the customs structures. Inter alia, Batrincea named the equipment of customs with cameras by the end of this year. To this end, very soon we will call a tender for the procurement of video cameras, the official stated. Tatiana Loghin, the new head of the Principal State Tax Inspectorate, stated during the meeting that in order to reduce corruption and enhance efficiency of the tax bodies, by the end of the year they will implement the electronic system for submitting income statements for economic agents, and starting next year this system will be available for physical persons too.

In the same context, Loghin also said that a Taxpayer Assistance Centre is to be established within the State Tax Service, and after the Parliament passes the law on tax mediation, a tax mediation institute will be created within the tax bodies.

Recently Moldova has finalized the development of the country paper for assistance under the Compact Programme. The country paper covers four projects related to road rehabilitation, enhanced efficiency in the energy sector, transition to advanced farming, and development of primary healthcare assistance in the rural regions. The estimated cost of the Programme amounts to 518 mln USD. Moldova became eligible for the full Compact assistance on 8 November 2006. The Compact assistance shall be provided as grants in areas playing an important role in encouraging economic growth and poverty reduction.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation was instituted by the US Congress in 2004 at the initiative of President George W. Bush. It foresees provision of financial support to the states with low revenues per capita. The financial support is oriented to the infrastructure development, social projects, and consolidation of the market economy principles.

At present, Moldova benefits from MCC assistance in the amount of 24.7 mln USD under the Preliminary Country Programme. // BASA-Press



Publication date: 25 April 2008   

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