Business and Investment Opportunities Were Assessed in Moldova Business Day Held By ICI

• 24.10.2019
• News

Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ICI) organized Moldova Business Day event to assess the investment opportunities in Moldova which has potentially promising economy of the Balkans. Sergiu Harea, President of Moldova Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Igor Bolboceanu, Moldova Ambassador in Ankara and numerous industrialists and business people participated in the event held in Odakule and chaired by Vehbi Canpolat, ICI Board of Directors Member.

Vehbi Canpolat
ICI Board of Directors Member

Vehbi Canpolat, ICI Board of Directors Member said that Türkiye’s export activities to Moldova in 2018 equal to 243 million dollars and import activities equal to approximately 167 million dollars in speech at the launching of the event. Stating that even though the trade volume increased after the free trade contract signed, it still could not reach its potential level, Canpolat expressed that improvement of the reciprocal commercial and economic relations is of crucial importance in this sense.

Stating that even if there is no boundary with it, they consider Moldova as the neighbor country, Canpolat expressed that there are historical boundaries linking both countries with each other and existence of Gagauzia which is the common ground in their relations makes their relations much special. Canpolat stated that Gagauzian Turks who are the fundamental elements of Moldova constitute the blood relation between Moldova and Türkiye.

Reminding that a notification has been signed in strategical cooperation between two countries during the official visit of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of the Republic to Moldova in 2018, Canpolat touched upon that Türkiye is the strategical partner of Moldova. Canpolat pointed out to the importance of being engaged in activities which will bring the business firms operating in the same fields especially by establishing cooperation of the institutions.

Mentioning about the activities of Turkish investments in Moldova, Canpolat said that: “Turkish investors carry out significant projects especially in Kishinev and adjacent regions. It is beneficial that the cooperations maintain their existence by increasing, and of the evaluation of the potentials in the fields of textile, agriculture, food processing, packaging and storing zones. Moldova of which economy has had growing trend in the last 10 years is of crucial importance for us.”

Sergiu Harea President of Moldova
Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Sergiu Harea, Moldova Chamber of Commerce and Industry who visited Türkiye for the country day held by ICI gave information on Moldova economy and shared information about the sectors and investment fields which are coming to the forefront in Moldova. Touching upon the importance of the economic cooperation between two close countries geographically, Harea pointed out that Türkiye is an important economical partner since they gained their independence. Harea provided information on Moldova Chamber of Trade and Industry and invited business people for investment in Moldova about which he has said to have educated labor force.

Igor Bolboceanu
Moldova Ambassador in Ankara

Igor Bolboceanu, Moldova Ambassador in Ankara taking the rostrum said that they aim to increase investment and economic cooperation with this event. Stating that Moldova is in the path towards European Union membership, Bolboceanu recorded that they have realized each necessary structural reforms one by one in order to participate in European family. Bolboceanu added that they attach great importance to the principles such as governance and transparency required by such reforms.

Mentioning that Türkiye is a very special partner for Moldova, Bolboceanu stated that they will put forward new dimensions for the economic cooperation with the increase of the dialog of two countries. Expressing that they aim to improve the relations with the strategical cooperation contract signed between two countries in October 2018, Bolboceanu stated that they have carried out the activities to prepare the necessary ground for the investors for Moldova in legal terms. Bolboceanu stated that they established Commerce and Economical Bureau and have worked to invite the foreign investors to the country. Stating that Türkiye is the third foreign trade partner of Moldova following EU and Russia, Bolboceanu told that Turkish people and Turkish employees are known as hardworking.

Then a panel named Türkiye-Moldova Commerce, Cooperation and Investment Opportunities was held. Rodica Verbeniuc, Director of Moldova Investment Agency said that Moldova has free trade contracts with EU, Türkiye, CEFTA, GUAM and Commonwealth of Independent States in the panel. Verbeniuc recorded that Türkiye ranked as fifth country in export of Moldova and it ranked as the seventh in import. Providing the information that corporate tax is 12 percent in Moldova, Verbeniuc told the incentives for the entrepreneurs. Stating that they provide support for 2.000 Euro for each employment, Verbeniuc added that Moldova has a demanding country in wine production of Moldova.

Sinan Bora, Chairperson of DEIK Türkiye-Moldova Business Council and General Director of Summa Turizm Yatırımcılığı, Adem Genç, General Director of Miltaş Beton, Onur Çetinceviz, Chairperson of Onut Taahüt Taşımacılık, Nusret Orhun Köstem, Financial Director of Anadolu EFES, Barış Oktay Ermihan, General Director of Diba Gıda shared their information and experiences to the participants in the panel titled Experiences of Turkish Firms in Moldova Market directed by Burçin Değirmencioğlu, Deputy Secretary-General of ICI. The questions directed by the participants following the panel were answered by panel speakers.