UN Moldova COVID-19 Weekly Situation Report nr36

● Covid-19 Social and Economic Response and Recovery Plan The UN shared an overview of the Social and Economic Response and Recovery Plan and the programme portfolio with the Prime Minister at a UN / Government joint steering committee meeting on October 12. The plan is available in English and Romanian.

● Fiscal policy 2021 proposed for public consultations The MoF developed and proposed for public consultations the Fiscal policy for 2021, which contains several changes i.e.: (i) review of the personal income tax (PIT) exemptions and additional exemption of 5% , i.e. from 24,000 MDL to 25,200 MDL and from 18,000 MDL to 18,900 MDL respectively; increase in the PIT exemption for the sustained persons from 3,000 MDL to 4,500 MDL and abolishment for exemption for s spouse in the amount of 11,280 MDL; (ii) elimination of income tax for payment of dividends (iii) revision of VAT in agriculture (iv) maintenance of VAT reimbursement program for agricultural producers affected by natural disasters (v) establishment of excise taxes for tobacco, alcohol and petrol for a 3-year period (vi) inclusion of road tax in the cost of petrol products (vii) implementation of subsidy mechanism for collection and recycling of packaging.

● Epi situation in education system The latest data from the Ministry of Education on the evolution of the epidemiological situation in educational institutions show that the number of students tested positive with COVID-19 is 284, and 7186 students were placed in self-isolation. 373 teachers were positively confirmed with the new Coronavirus. Of the non-teaching and auxiliary staff, 72 people were infected with the new virus, and another 77 are in self-isolation.

● A new shadow report on EU- Moldova Association Agreement progress released IPRE NGO released a new shadow report assessing the progress of the implementation of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement after 6 years since it was signed. The main conclusion is the areas conditioned with budget support from the EU have registered progress in reforms, while no tangible progress was attained in the implementation of the values part of the Agreement.