More enterprises of Moldova to gradually resume work

Chisinau, 17 April /MOLDPRES/ - The work of the residents from the Free Economic Zones (FEZ), in the context of the pandemic crisis, today was tackled at a videoconference organized by Economics and Infrastructure Minister Sergiu Railean with the managers of FEZs. The sides decided that, starting the next week, the companies Draexlmaier, Sumitomo Electric Bordnetze SE, Gebauer&Griller gradually resume working.     

Sergiu Railean took knowledge about the difficulties faced on this period by the resident companies of FEZs, their reasons and the measures with which the Economics and Infrastructure Ministry can intervene, in order to overcome them.    

The managers of FEZs informed that the residents observed all sanitary exigencies recommended by the Health, Labour and Social Protection Ministry and the decisions by the Commission for Emergency Situations (CSE). In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the resident companies reduced their work partially or fully. Thus, FEZ Ungheni said that ten out of 42 residents were working, 25 ones fully ceased working and seven residents partially stopped their activity. Therefore, 180 people out of all employees (2,930 persons) work.    

FEZ Expo-Business Chisinau reported that 13 out of all 51 residents continued working and 38 companies fully or partially ceased working. The resident Fujikura Automotive plans to resume its activity as of 21 April.  ZEL Expo-Business.

As much as 92 per cent out of the total number of 11,400 jobs have temporarily ceased working at FEZ Balti. The employees are in technical unemployment. Starting from the next week, the companies Draexlmaier, Sumitomo Electric Bordnetze SE, Gebauer&Griller will gradually resume their activity till they return to the full work capacity. Representatives of the Free Entrepreneurship Zone (ZAL) Vulcanesti, ZAL Taraclia and ZAL Otaci said that about 35 per cent of their residents continued to work, with 20 per cent of the workers being at the job places. All the five residents work at maximal capacity at ZAL Tvardita.    

The main reasons for the partial ceasing of FEZs’ work, invoked by managers, are the insufficiency of raw material because of the stop in the activity of the international suppliers and the lack of orders on behalf of international concerns from the automotive sector. Also, among other reasons, there is the sharp decrease in the demand for finished products on sales markets, as well as the incapacity for payment.    

The Economics and Infrastructure Ministry said that, on this period, the protection of employees’ health was foremost. ‘’The big companies, especially those from the automotive sector, are dependent on external risks, on the work of suppliers and partners. We hope that, in the months to come, the big industries will restart their engines and our companies will return to work. Till then, we must protect our employees, as they will be the ones due to ensure the work of the enterprises,’’ Sergiu Railean said.    

Referring to the insufficiency of liquidities, faced by companies from FEZs, the minister touched upon the preferential crediting lines, provided from foreign sources, which will be made available through commercial banks and programmes of the Organization for Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises Sector Development.     

Emergency state is declared in Moldova on the period 17 March – 15 May, given the measures of preventing and combating the new-type coronavirus.  The National Commission for Emergency Situations took more restrictive decisions, including on the ceasing of the work of more enterprises.