IT market of Moldova

Main article: Moldova

2020

Moldova prolonged the single tax for IT parks

The parliament of Moldova in April, 2020 approved prolongation for four years of application of the single tax for IT parks of the country within a package of measures for support of business in the period of a coronavirus pandemic. The park of information technologies "Moldova IT Park" is the project started at the beginning of 2018 by IT community with assistance of the government. He offers residents in the country and also abroad a number of services. At the same time the single tax levied in the amount of 7% of revenue of sales^[1] is provided^[2].

The former minister of information technologies and communications, the deputy of the Moldavian parliament Pavel Filip who is one of authors of an initiative of introduction of the single tax, reminded that this project was conceived for the purpose of support of dynamics of development of the IT sector and creation of the viable mechanism for progress of the industry of modern technologies.

The parliamentarian considers that the reached indicators allow to draw a conclusion on success of this project. "600 resident companies, the salary of 30 thousand lei (about 1650 dollars at the rate of National bank of Moldova – a comment of DR) and export of information technologies which this year exceeded export of alcoholic products", - it gave several digits on the page on Facebook.

According to official figures, for the end of 2019 residents of the IT park of Moldova registered in total about 10 thousand employees that is about 45% more, than the previous year. Most of them – specialists in the field of engineering. The average registered salary is about 30 thousand lei (about 1650 dollars). At the same time the amount of the single tax calculated proceeding from the turnover announced by the resident companies was about 258.23 million lei (14.2 million dollars) in 2019, having increased by 52% in comparison with 2018.

Before emergence of IT parks in Moldova there was a mechanism of privileges for the IT sector, however, according to experts too, it was too difficult and noncompetitive in the region as from the companies about 15% were levied from turnover. While in some neighboring countries of a condition were more attractive, for example, in Romania – 8%. Recently the Association of the companies in the field of information and communication technologies of Moldova took the initiative about that the single tax from turnover of residents of IT parks in the country which makes 7% today was always one percent lower, than in the region.

At a meeting of representatives of the industry with the prime minister of Moldova Ion Kiku the head of Association of the companies in the field of ICT Vyacheslav Kunev noted joint efforts on creation in Moldova of the best fiscal legislation in the region that provided disruptive development of the industry for the last three years. "Experience of the IT sector is extremely important example of the thoughtful and weighed approach to creation of the optimal mode. When the law on virtual IT parks thought, two important principles were selected – everything should be simply and better, than at someone in the region" — Kunev told.

2017

Investigation of criminal cases in Moldova was transferred to an electronic form

Since July 1, 2017 conducting investigations of criminal cases in Moldova is performed in electronic form — using the AIS "Criminal prosecution: E-case", the developed Estonian company Andmevara. According to expectations of the Prosecutor General's Office of RM, the project worth $95 thousand not only will help to increase transparency of all criminal proceedings and will reduce an average term of investigation, but also will minimize a corruption component. Financing of the project is conducted at the expense of the funds allocated by the European Union for reform of justice in Moldova.^[3]

During creation of a system "Criminal prosecution: E-case" experience of Romania, the Netherlands and some other countries was taken into account. Photo: sputnik.md

According to the order of the Attorney-General of the country Eduard Harunzhen, all prosecutors, their consultants and specialists daily should enter into the system "Criminal prosecution: E-case" information on activity undertakens and measures within procedural materials and criminal cases.

"The new information system automating procedures and internal processes will allow law enforcement agencies to work more effectively with criminal cases and also to obtain more exact statistical data. A system covers all phases of criminal prosecution completed or directed by the prosecutor who will provide data access in real time, reducing thereby delays in decision making on this or that case. Decision making process within prosecutor's office will become more transparent" — the Attorney-General of RM is convinced.

System "Criminal prosecution: E-case" will be integrated with modules of information systems of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, National center for fight against corruption, Customs service, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of IT and communication and other state structures of the republic.

As the head of information technology and fight against cyber crime of the Prosecutor General's Office of RM Vyacheslav Soltan explained, will develop the module of an information system which will be integrated into automated information system of the State Office of Public Prosecutor for each public authority. All these modules in total will also be so-called "E-case".

In general a new system will provide conducting the unified accounting and information exchange of criminal prosecution authorities, prosecutor's offices, judicial authorities and bodies of execution of the punishment in the form of imprisonment.

The National center for fight against corruption (NTsBK) considers that transition from paper document flow under the authority of criminal cases to electronic will promote upgrade of criminal proceedings and will improve access to procedural information for all participants of process, will create additional opportunities for their interaction.

The parliament of Moldova approved migration privileges for IT specialists

The Moldavian parliamentarians supported in the summer of 2017 the legislative initiative Andriana Kandu. In the republic will enter "a startup the visa" for foreign IT specialists^[4].

Introduction of migration privileges for highly qualified foreign specialists in the field of IT was approved by Parliament of Moldova. The bill which was offered by Andrian Kandu will supplement law No. 200 of July 16, 2010 on regime of foreigners in the Republic of Moldova and law No. 180-XVI of July 10, 2008 on labor migration. The innovation is aimed at the development of the sector of ICT in the republic and will promote attraction, both IT specialists, and investors in this area. It is expected that the international companies working in Moldova thanks to the simplified access to labor market of the republic, will be able to provide improvement and development of personnel resources in the country.

According to the law, specialists in the field of ICT will be able to work within 90 days, expected in total half a year, on the basis of the statement of the legal entity of the beneficiary from the Republic of Moldova and the notification issued by competent authority in information technology field, copies of the national external passport, the service provision agreement, the education document and/or qualification and the short-term visa depending on circumstances. The company beneficiary from the Republic of Moldova within 3 working days from the date of entry into the country of the foreigner, will have to provide to competent authority the declaration on the purpose and term of stay of the specialist in the country, with the application of necessary documents.

The term of temporary stay of the specialist will be up to 4 years, with the right to prolongation if there is a need for other same period. The specialist can acquire the right to temporary stay having submitted the application and also on the basis of the petition of the legal entity and the notification issued by competent authority in the field of ICT and also necessary documents. The right to temporary stay of foreign IT specialists is granted for cumulative term up to 2 years, with the right to prolongation, in case of need, for the period specified in the agreement.

In the field of ICT of Moldova more than 400 companies in which more than 10 thousand work are registered. IT specialists. Deficit of highly skilled personnel is estimated at about 1000 people. According to the State registration chamber, the number of the IT companies, with the general or partial foreign capital, is only 1% of a total quantity of the companies with the local capital (in the developed countries this indicator is about 45%). 8% of gross domestic product are the share of a share of the sector of information and communication technologies in the republic, and on a share of the IT industry is much lower – 1% of GDP.

2016

South Korea will help Moldova to create a country information security management system

South Korea will take part in development of the system of information security management of Moldova. Results of negotiations of the minister of information technologies and communications of Moldova with South Korean experts in cyber security are like that.

The ministry of information technologies and communication (MITS) of Moldova held a number of meetings with the South Korean experts in cyber security invited to the country within the advisory mission. Heads of MITS Vasile Botnar stated interest in further cooperation between the countries in cybersecurity. South Korean experts, in return, submitted recommendations about development of the legal and institutional base.

The head of MITS, summing up the meeting results, noted: "We highly appreciate support of the government of South Korea in development the politician and national standards in the field of cyber security. The following task on the agenda of MITS is the approval by the government of requirements to cybernetic security, and together with strengthening of institutional base in this area and application of the approved regulations we consider that participation of South Korean experts would be extremely valuable"^[5].

The agreement on cooperation of Moldova and South Korea in the field of ICT was signed in 2012. Within it several advisory projects were carried out and also support from South Korean specialists in development of the National development strategy of information society "Digital Moldova 2020" (2013) and the National program for cyber security of 2015 was performed.

2010: Growth of deliveries of the computer equipment by 8%

According to the report of IDC, delivery of desktops, notebooks and servers h86 to Moldova in 2010 grew in general by 8% and^[6] exceeded 82 thousand units].

The market of desktop computers during this period increased by 2.6%, having made 51.5 thousand pieces, notebooks – for 19.6%, having reached 30 thousand pieces.

Most strongly crisis affected a segment of servers where about 16% are recorded drop in sales. In total in 2010 to the country more than 650 servers h86 are delivered.

In 2011 it is possible to expect growth of the Moldavian market of the personal systems by 10–12%.

See Also

• Transnistria (PMR)

Notes