Morning review by the InfoMarket Economic News Agency based on the previous business day: key news, important economic indicators and upcoming events. Available by subscription: plus@infomarket.md // +373 79 119 100 // Every day at 7 a.m. - in your inbox.
Energy and Resources
• From September 1, the natural gas rate for residential consumers will increase by 40.7% - from 14.42 to 20.30 lei per cubic meter, including VAT. ANRE attributes the revision to the higher cost of gas purchases and approved a price 580 lei per 1,000 cubic meters below the amount requested by Energocom.
• The day-ahead electricity market set a record: 4,487.58 MWh was sold for delivery on August 22, about 40% of the country's consumption, at an average price of 2,427.08 lei/MWh. To cover demand on August 21, Energocom purchased 9,657 MWh, of which 70.43% came from bilateral imports and 27.46% from local renewable energy sources.
• Commissioning of the Vulcanesti-Chisinau power line has been postponed for several weeks due to a fault in a current transformer at the Chisinau substation; the equipment was sent to the manufacturer in Spain. Commercial operation will be possible only after repairs, acceptance procedures and testing are completed.
External Economy and Trade
• Railcars carrying Ukrainian grain will be allowed to transit Moldova only after confirmation of their acceptance by the port of Constanta. Moldovan Railways says Moldovan farmers retain priority: their rate for 528 km is 15.30 Swiss francs per metric ton, compared with 20.64 francs for Ukrainian transit.
Government Regulation
• The authorities are preparing to simplify the mechanism for reviewing investments significant to national security: the proposals include eliminating mandatory prior approval for the simple registration of a new enterprise, clarifying the sectors subject to review and introducing differentiated timeframes for low-risk investments.
• The draft tax policy for 2027 remains the subject of tough consultations with business. EBA is asking the authorities not to raise the corporate income tax rate for banks from 12% to 18% or the dividend tax from 6% to 8%, and also to review beer excise taxes and abandon the excise tax on non-alcoholic beverages containing sugar or sweeteners.
• The government will adjust its proposal for a 6% gambling tax so as not to drive players to illegal platforms; at the same time, the authorities intend to strengthen the blocking of illegal websites and may review restrictions on advertising by legal operators.
International Relations
• In recent years, Japan has provided Moldova with more than $140 million in assistance to modernize agriculture, healthcare, energy resilience and government institutions. The parties are now discussing the expansion of JICA projects in railway infrastructure and agriculture.
• Moldova and UNDP intend to expand cooperation on business infrastructure, the creation of new industrial parks and the preparation of investment projects. UNDP is currently implementing 34 projects in the country, covering about two-thirds of Moldova's communities.
Investment and Projects
• Feasibility studies have been completed for four new bridges across the Prut River: Stanca-Costesti, Bumbata-Leova, Falciu-Leca and Raducaneni-Barboeni. Three projects are in the final stage of obtaining approvals, while Stanca-Costesti has already moved to the approval stage.
Banks and Finance
• The NBM's foreign exchange reserves reached a new all-time high of 5.42 billion euros as of August 14, increasing by 227.14 million euros, or 4.4%, over the week. Since the beginning of the year, reserves have grown by 311.49 million euros, or 6.1%.
• New bank loans in July totaled 7.40 billion lei, down 11.1% from the previous month; legal entities accounted for 62.4%. New time deposits rose by 6.6% to 30.68 billion lei, with legal entities providing 71.6% of the total.
Agriculture
• The National Fund for Agricultural and Rural Development totals about 2.30 billion lei in 2026, including 628.80 million lei from the Moldova Growth Plan. The strategic program provides for annual support to increase to 5.30 billion lei by 2030 and to 18.90 billion lei over five years.
Business and Companies
• The government said it has no plans to change the special tax regime for Moldova IT Park. In 2025, MITP residents' revenue reached 18.90 billion lei, or more than $1 billion, up 24.3%, while the number of residents increased to 2,725 companies.
Social Economy
• Moldova is preparing to connect to the European Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information system (EESSI), which should speed up the granting of pensions and benefits for periods worked abroad. Connecting the national system over the next three years will require about 2.80 million lei.
Day in Figures
40.70% | increase in the natural gas rate for residential consumers from September 1. |
20.30 lei | new rate for 1 cubic meter of natural gas, including VAT. |
5.42 billion euros | NBM foreign exchange reserves as of August 14. |
4,487.58 MWh | record trading volume on the day-ahead electricity market. |
7.40 billion lei | volume of new bank loans in July. |
30.68 billion lei | volume of new bank time deposits in July. |
18.90 billion lei | revenue of Moldova IT Park residents in 2025. |
$140 million+ | assistance provided by Japan to Moldova in recent years. |
AGENDA
• On August 24 at 10:00, the Ministry of Infrastructure will hold public consultations at Government House on reforming the road toll system: the current road-use fee is proposed to be replaced with a vehicle tax and the use of the vignette system expanded.
• On August 26 at 10:00, the government will meet. The agenda includes amendments to the Single Programming Document for 2025-2027, measures to employ young professionals and a draft law on market surveillance of agricultural and forestry vehicles.
• Starting August 26, the NBM will issue two coins marking the 35th anniversary of Moldova's independence: a 100-lei silver commemorative coin with a mintage of 1.30 thousand and a 10-lei circulation coin with a mintage of 250 thousand.