The digitalization of the Moldovan economy has been discussed today, 14 January 2022, during the meeting of the Press Club for Digital Transformation, under the aegis of the Deputy Prime-Minister of Digitalization, Iurie Turcanu.

The event has been organised at the joint initiative of the e-Governance Agency and the Ministry of Economy, as a response to the requests of Media, business community representatives and economic sector-related institutions.

The Speakers, Iurie Turcanu, Deputy Prime-Minister of Digitalization, Sergiu Gaibu, Economy Minister and Olga Tumuruc, EGA Director, presented the most important measures undertaken by the empowered government institutions with the aim to upgrade the economic sector through the use of digital technologies and innovations.

The participants attending the meeting learned about the newest actions and decisions taken at the Government level, as well as about the bills passed recently by the Parliament to give an impetus to the economy, foster the electronic trade, cut down bureaucracy in the relations of the State with the entrepreneurs, streamline the number of documents requested by the authorities, grant access to online business establishment, facilitate the way of getting electronic signatures and change the manner of rendering public services from traditional, at the counter, to electronic, accessed online, through remote identification.

In his opening speech, Iurie Turcanu has mentioned: “The package of laws concerning digitalization of the economy we developed together with the experts of public entities, associations of professionals both from the public and private sectors, shall revolutionise the way how the State interacts with the entrepreneurs. This is a good beginning for the digital transformation of the economy, which benefits would be felt by everybody. Certain measures undertaken by the State, considered as excessive relative to the business community, have been eliminated, improved, optimised and based on technology. Likewise, such transformations have an impact on Diaspora citizens, for whom the online interaction is the most reliable, affordable and quick solution to keep in touch with us, in our home country. We shall educate the society to use primarily online services and urge the institutions involved in service rendering to accept electronic documents, as it is provided by law”.

In turn, the Economy Minister, Sergiu Gaibu listed the Ministry priorities for the next period. “The actions undertaken by the Government, including the digital legislative package 1.0, shall open up new opportunities to digitalise the society, but this matter has been shadowed by the crises we are facing at present. The Economic Operators have already the possibility to register and manage remotely their business; they are no longer required to submit acts with handwritten signatures in their employment relations. The well-developed IT industry is our country’s key advantage in its transition towards Digital Economy. The IT branch contribution to the GDP is 3.5%, having shown an accelerated upward trend over the recent years, and recorded sales worth MDL 7.3 billion in 2020, i.e. a 10%-growth rate despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The IT exports amounted to USD 258.47 million in 2020. Other work areas include supporting the start-ups and innovations, developing the electronic trade to catch up with the countries from the region”, the Minister has specified.

Amongst the digital news pointed out by the EGA Director, Olga Tumuruc, one should mention the recent launch of the Government Electronic Delivery Service MDelivery, the new Mobile Digital Signature MobiSign, a new electronic platform to access certain public services, remote empowerments and other digital solutions currently under way to create a favourable business environment, offer a sustainable framework to the economy, bring added value to entrepreneurship and enhance the country competitiveness through more transparent and quick digital interactions, in line with the international standards and with the time-driven requirements. In the same vein, Olga Tumuruc urged the business representatives to use the Citizen’s and the Entrepreneur’s Portal (MCabinet), having specified that it is a reliable platform, while the entrepreneurs shall have confidence in the data processed through this Portal, the access to which is granted through electronic keys only.

Journalists and members of the Press Club for Digital Transformation addressed questions to the officials, and shown an interest, in particular, in the export of our IT products, facilitation of access to electronic signature, modernisation of public services, including the expansion of Unified Centres for Public Service Provision (CUPS), as well as in the removal of barriers to extensive use of electronic services by the population.

This is the third meeting of the Press Club since its establishment. The first two meetings were conducted during the previous year, and tackled matters such as e-governance infrastructure, the range of government electronic services and facilities granted by the electronic signature to users