On January 26, Government approved National Programme “Moldovan village”, frame-document outlining the development of rural localities in the next 10 years. The Document was launched on January 22 during a Republican Forum with the President, Prime Minister Speaker of the Parliament and another 1,500 public officers in attendance. President came up with the initiative on November 10, 2004, which is very much in line with 2005 being decreed the year of local communities. According to official sources, the document was also in line with the Poverty Reduction Strategy’s priorities and principles of sustainable development outlined in the Millennium Development goals. The budget allotted to the programme amounts to 45 billion Lei (3.6 billion USD), i.e. equal to 7 annual budgets of the Republic of Moldova. According to preliminary estimates it would take 160 million Lei (12 million USD) for the construction, modernisation and repairs of the water supply and sewage systems, 200–220 million Lei for the natural gas distribution networks, and 500 for environment protection.
Given the high cost of the program, economic growth registered in Moldova lately, but also mid-term and long-term economic forecasts, one may say that National Programme “Moldovan Village” would not be implemented unless there is a financial support from outside. As Republic of Moldova’s ability to attract foreign investments is quite limited at the moment, many economy watchers believe that the programme was rather inspired by electoral rather than other reasons.
During the same session Government decided to indemnify deposits in Banca de Economii made by persons born prior to 1936. Indexation shall be done under the Law on Indexation of Bank Deposits providing that 1 ruble shall be equalled to 1 Leu for the first thousand rubles, while for the rest 2.5 rubles — 1 Leu.
In addition Government approved the Regulation on the terms of setting, calculating and paying indemnities for temporary work disability and other social payments. Under the regulation, beneficiaries of the public social insurance system and unemployed while receiving unemployment aid are entitled to indemnities for temporary work disability. Beneficiaries of the public social insurance system are entitled to work disability indemnities in case of general illness or accidents not related to work, disease prevention, for recovering work abilities, pregnancy and caring for the sick child. Unemployed persons are entitled to indemnity only in case of general illness or disease prevention.
Finally, Government ruled on establishing Joint Cooperation Committee and Joint Administration Committee within the Neighbourhood Programme “Republic of Moldova — Romania” for 2004–2006, in view of consolidating the national institutional capacity to engage in cross-border cooperation.