AGERPRES // Governor Anca Dragu on BNM's actions for European Integration

Chișinău, 21 September /MOLDPRES/-  National Bank of Moldova (BNM) is actively involved in the negotiation and accession process to the European Union, participating in around ten chapters out of 33, of which three - financial services, capital account liberalization, and economic and monetary policies - are its main responsibility, Governor Anca Dragu told an interview with AGERPRES.


"We participate in formats at the national level but also in all bilateral evaluation processes and discussions in Brussels. What is important in this process? On the one hand, administratively speaking, the teams representing the Republic of Moldova should be and are of a very solid professional caliber. The presentations we've given, the dialogues, the discussions were appreciated by colleagues from the European Commission. You know, I worked in the European Commission in the past and have this feedback from my former colleagues that we present ourselves very well in all discussion formats in Brussels," Dragu emphasized.


Dragu noted that an essential role in this process is played by the Growth Plan, a program similar to the National Recovery and Resilience Plans (PNRR) in EU member states. The document, approved both at the national level and by the European Commission, combines reforms and investments, aiming at the sustainable development of the economy and accelerating convergence with European states.


"This growth plan will ensure an acceleration of economic growth and, practically, an acceleration of the convergence process with European Union states. At the same time, we have had extraordinary support from the European Union this year, amidst the shock from energy market prices. Practically, the European Commission came with 250 million euros as bill support to reduce costs, so that during this period we could refocus nationally and ensure that the next winter goes by under better conditions. So, what should we do? We should use the tools that the European Union provides us," highlighted the BNM governor.


Regarding the resilience of the banking system, the BNM governor said that the banking sector in the Republic of Moldova is "very solid, well-capitalized, with very high liquidity." According to her, the indicators are above the levels deemed necessary by the central bank, which offers premises for increasing financial intermediation and business development.


"We ensure that banks maintain these buffers in their balance sheets, which allow them to withstand external shocks. A safety cushion is also the high level of mandatory reserves. Currently, we are considering reducing these to allow more money in the market while maintaining the stability of the entire banking system," explained Dragu.


The official concluded that the priority for the Republic of Moldova is to fully harness the tools provided by the European Union and maintain the solidity of the banking sector so that the integration process brings real benefits to the economy and citizens.

 



The Republic of Moldova hosted, for the first time, the international conference "New Technology for Old Markets," an event organized by the National Bank of Moldova in partnership with the National Bank of Romania (BNR) and Banque de France (BDF).

The conference agenda included four major current topics for the financial sector:


	
digital transformation of financial markets;
	
the use of artificial intelligence in risk management;
	
the application of distributed ledger technologies (DLT);
	
the role of female leadership and diversity in finance.


The event brought together experts and decision-makers from the banking and financial sector, focusing on innovations that shape traditional markets and their adaptation to new technological realities.