“Let's See the Way EU Fulfills Its Promise.” Dodon on External Financial Assistance

The Moldovan authorities are waiting for financial assistance from foreign countries to overcome the situation with the coronavirus pandemic. President Igor Dodon said on April 10 that not even 1 leu has been received yet, but money is expected from Russia and the IMF in the near future. As for the EU, Dodon said he would “see” the way Brussels fulfills its promise to help. “At this stage, there was no cash flow from other countries to Moldova. We were supplied with humanitarian aid: protective equipment from Russia, China, Turkey, the USA and Switzerland. But this is equipment not money. Now it has been decided that money will come from Russia - 200 million euros and from the IMF, whose board of directors is due to convene next week. And let's see the way EU fulfills its promise. Other money was not received in Moldova,” Dodon said. “I have also heard statements that the European Union is ready to help us. I have heard statements, and we hope that this will happen in the near future. I know that the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration spoke with our EU partners these days, and we very much hope that we will also get some support from Brussels. They stated that they were ready to help the countries of the Eastern Partnership - nice words and the amounts they called are large. We hope that Moldova will also receive assistance from the European Union,” Dodon concluded. Dodon has blamed everyone who talks about the receipt of financial assistance from abroad to Moldova. The president also touched upon the scandal with the purchase of protective screens in China. “We agreed with Russia to provide a large cargo plane, which next week will transport a batch of goods ordered by the state, part of the assistance from China and assistance from private Chinese companies,” Dodon said. Dodon announced that now Moldova can buy medical equipment only in China, since the countries closest to Moldova have limited the export of such goods. “As for the scandal, this situation, around which there was so much noise, let's be honest: there is more noise than there it is in reality. Each country in this region has restricted the export of such goods. Unable to buy anywhere. Unfortunately, at this stage only in China,” Dodon said. He also informed that shipping goods from China is very expensive. Therefore, Moldova has agreed with Russia to lease a plane for free that will deliver cargo from China. “It's good that they gave such a plane for free. It is very expensive to rent such a plane. The Romanian company offered us to rent such an aircraft with a carrying capacity of 50 tons or more for half a million dollars. Russia provided such a plane for free,” Dodon said. The president called unreasonable speculation the information that someone from the government wants to make money on the supply of medical equipment. Earlier, we recall that the mayor of Balti, Renato Usatii, blamed the country's authorities for this, saying that the government was purchasing protective screens at a too high a price. “If we catch someone who wants to make money on this, the authorities will deal with them. And no one risks doing it now. Do not listen to earbashers. If they are so smart, why not buying from other countries? Let them buy!” Dodon said. Recall that at the end of March, the European Commission announced that it would allocate € 140 million to the countries of the Eastern Partnership: Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia and Ukraine to combat the coronavirus pandemic.