VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHCH #0039/01 0251120
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251120Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8803

UNCLAS CHISINAU 000039 
 
STATE FOR EUR/UMB, EUR/ACE, EEB/OMA 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EFIN EINV EREL ETRD MD
SUBJECT:  MOLDOVA'S 2010 STATE BUDGET 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
REF:  09 Chisinau 1003 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  The new four-party Alliance for 
European Integration (AIE)-led Parliament approved 
the 2010 state budget for the Government of 
Moldova (GOM) on December 23, 2009.  The GOM 
projects an increase in revenues, an increase in 
expenditures, and a deficit about 11 percent less 
than in the 2009 budget.  The budget includes 
realistic macroeconomic calculations for 2010, and 
tax increases on tobacco, alcohol and luxury items 
while granting relief to the agricultural sector 
for capital investments.  MPs from the Party of 
Communists (PCRM) boycotted the budget votes.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2010 BUDGET BIG PICTURE 
----------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) The Parliament approved the state budget on 
December 23, 2009 and the GOM made it public on 
December 29, 2009.  The 2010 budget forecasts 
revenues of Moldovan Lei (MDL) 15,318.34 million 
(roughly USD 1.22 billion).  This target is 17 
percent greater than 2009 revenues of MDL 13.1 
billion projected in the December 3, 2009, 
adjustments to the 2009 state budget (see reftel). 
The GOM projects expenditures to be MDL 19,454.52 
million (USD 1.55 billion), 9.6 percent greater 
than the final projection for 2009.  The budget 
deficit is projected to be MDL 4.1 billion (USD 
330 million), MDL 512 million less than the 2009 
deficit target. 
 
2010 BUDGET MACRO ASSUMPTIONS 
----------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) The budget is based on the following 
assumptions: 
 
-- Real annual GDP will recover from a nine 
percent decline in 2009 and grow 1.5 percent in 
¶2010. 
 
-- Average annual inflation will be five percent 
for 2010.  The previous PCRM-led GOM originally 
projected inflation to be 9.5 percent in 2009. 
The new GOM's revised 2009 estimate projected 
inflation to be 0.5 percent for 2009.   Actual 
inflation for 2009 was a record low of 0.4 
percent, the lowest inflation rate in Moldova 
since the country declared independence in 1991. 
 
-- The new GOM calculated the average exchange 
rate to be 12.53 MDL per USD for the 2010 budget. 
The previous GOM's original projection for 2009 
was 9.12 MDL per USD, but the exchange rate at the 
end of 2009 was 12.20 MDL per USD. 
 
-- The new GOM budget projects that export growth 
will increase by 12 percent and imports by 15 
percent in 2010, resulting in a negative trade 
balance of USD 2,225 million.  Exports declined by 
20 percent and imports over 30 percent in 2009. 
 
-- Real annual industrial growth will be three 
percent and agricultural growth two percent in 
¶2010. 
 
THE 2010 NATIONAL PUBLIC BUDGET 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Moldova's National Public Budget (NPB) 
consists of four separate budgets:  the state 
budget, the state social insurance budget, the 
mandatory medical insurance fund, and local 
budgets.  The GOM estimates an overall 2010 NPB of 
MDL 25 billion (USD 2 billion) and expenditures of 
MDL 29 billion (USD 2.3 billion).  The state 
budget revenue component represents over 61 
percent of the total NPB, followed by the social 
insurance budget at 23 percent of the total, local 
budgets at 10 percent, and the medical fund at 
around six percent. 
 
2010 REVENUE 
------------ 
¶5. (U) In 2010, the GOM projects that 86.5 percent 
of state budget revenues will come from domestic 
sources and 13.5 percent from the European Union. 
State revenues rely heavily on indirect taxes such 
as VAT, excise taxes and customs duties.  These 
taxes provide approximately 72 percent of total 
budget revenues.  Direct taxes - income and 
corporate - have never been a major source of 
revenues in Moldova; their total contribution will 
be less than one percent of total revenues in 
¶2010.  (Note:  A new corporate tax law with a zero 
rate on reinvested profit came into effect January 
1, 2008, considerably reducing the revenue the GOM 
collected from this source.  The GOM, supposedly 
in compliance with the requirements for a new IMF 
agreement, has indicated plans to eliminate this 
benefit to businesses in 2013.  End note.) 
 
NEW DEVELOPMENTS 
---------------- 
 
¶6. (U) In order to increase revenues, the GOM 
introduced changes in its fiscal policy for 2010, 
including tax increases, primarily in sin and 
luxury taxes.  The excise tax was increased on 
tobacco products (cigars 35 percent, non- 
filter/plain cigarettes 45 percent, filter/-tipped 
cigarettes 300 percent), gasoline 50 percent, 
perfume and jewelry 200 percent, beer 25 percent, 
alcoholic beverages 3.1 percent and electronics 
3.1 percent.  The new GOM will increase VAT on 
imported natural and liquefied gas from five to 
six percent.  The new budget narrows VAT 
reimbursement for capital investments to the 
extraction industry, and wholesale and retail 
trade sectors.  The new budget grants the 
agricultural sector some VAT relief by reducing 
the basic tax rate from 20 percent to eight 
percent for all primary agricultural products sold 
in Moldova and allowing VAT reimbursement for the 
purchase of agricultural and forestry tractors. 
The budget also includes increases in road taxes 
and increased maximum tax rates for local taxes on 
land improvements, commerce and services. 
 
MAJOR EXPENDITURES 
------------------ 
 
¶7. (U) Major GOM expenditures for 2010 are 
transfers to local government budgets (MDL 4.16 
billion or 21.4 percent of total expenditures), 
social security and  social assistance (MDL 3.52 
billion or 18 percent), health care (MDL 2.49 
billion or 12.8 percent), public education (MDL 
1.90 billion or 9.8 percent), transportation and 
communication (MDL 1.23 billion or 6.3 percent), 
law enforcement and national security (MDL 1.03 
billion or 5.3 percent), and state agencies (MDL 
1.03 billion or 5.3 percent for Parliament, 
Ministries, National Bureau of Statistics, etc.). 
Other major expenditures include internal and 
external debt servicing (4.1 percent), 
agriculture, forestry and water resources (4 
percent), and other smaller expenses. 
 
ONE-SIDED DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT 
------------------------------ 
 
¶8. (U) The representatives of the four AIE 
coalition parties and four independent MPs who 
recently left the Communist faction voted for the 
2010 State Budget Law.  The PCRM opposition 
boycotted both the first, and second and final 
votes on the budget.  The PCRM suggested a number 
of changes to the budget, primarily on the 
expenditure side for social programs, which the 
AIE coalition did not accept.  Prime Minister Vlad 
Filat defended the 2010 budget, stating that is 
was based on existing realities.  He said that he 
would like to have a better and larger budget, but 
the GOM could make only those budget commitments 
that it was able to fulfill. 
 
COMMENT: 
-------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Within three months of assuming office 
in late September, the new GOM has reached 
preliminary agreement with the IMF on a new 
program, adopted substantial adjustments to the 
2009 budget, and prepared and passed the 2010 
budget.  The ruling coalition has engaged with 
donors and made hard choices in renewing its 
partnership with the IMF and in preparing a 
realistic budget.  However, with possible 
parliamentary elections in the fall, the GOM will 
need to maintain discipline in the face of PCRM 
efforts to stoke voter dissatisfaction. 
 
MICHELI