Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization announces broad reform of state enterprises

State-owned enterprises in the Republic of Moldova need structural reform, including the reorganization of companies, the utilization of unused assets, and increased productivity. Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization Claudiu Năsui made the statements during a broadcast.

According to the minister, following a preliminary analysis, approximately 100 state-owned companies are active and operational. Other enterprises are undergoing liquidation or insolvency proceedings, or are no longer operating. The situation is further complicated by the inconsistent records of some companies, which were not always properly transferred or registered following the reorganization of public institutions.


“This state-owned enterprise reform project actually involves an integrated vision for all state-owned companies that require reform. This is an area where reform has not yet taken place, and where I believe productivity gains can be achieved,” Claudiu Năsui said during Punctul pe Azi program on TVR Moldova.


The minister emphasized that public assets must be used more efficiently, given that some properties are underutilized or abandoned, despite having economic potential.


“For Moldova’s economy, having assets that are poorly utilized when they have significant economic potential is a waste. We must make the most of them, and this is an essential part of the economic reform that needs to take place,” the official said.


One element of the reform concerns changing the way privatizations are prepared and conducted. Claudiu Năsui believes that imposing excessive conditions and setting starting prices that do not reflect real demand can discourage investors.

In this context, the minister referred to the case of Zarea Hotel in Chișinău, for which privatization attempts were organized without any buyers attending the auction. In his view, when an asset fails to attract a buyer, the authorities must reassess both the price and the conditions imposed on potential investors.


“If the price is very high, no one shows up. And when you try to sell something for the second time and no one comes at the price you are offering, you have to ask yourself: is it really valued correctly?” Claudiu Năsui explained.


The official stated that, in recent weeks, ways of simplifying participation in auctions have been analyzed in order to eliminate barriers that limit investors’ access.

At the same time, the minister drew attention to the risks that may be created by additional conditions imposed during the privatization process. According to him, excessive restrictions can reduce the value of assets and diminish buyers’ interest.


“The best and most transparent method of carrying out a privatization is still through an open auction,” he said.


In the case of valuable assets and large companies, Claudiu Năsui believes that the authorities should use established mechanisms, including capital market instruments.

According to the minister, the stock exchange provides a transparent framework in which supply and demand help determine the price, while transactions are conducted under clear conditions.


“There is no point in trying to reinvent the wheel; we should use what already works,” the official noted, adding that the use of these mechanisms could help increase the transparency of public asset utilization processes.


The reorganization of public enterprises is one of the directions discussed in the context of reducing state intervention in the economy. The measures mentioned also include the possible reorganization or dissolution of certain institutions, as well as reducing the number of permits.

Claudiu Năsui stated that he would soon present a broader vision regarding the reorganization of public enterprises, which he described as a major project.

According to the minister, the objective is to address the problems in the state-owned enterprise sector systematically, so that public assets are managed more efficiently and assets with economic potential contribute to the development of the economy.