Victoria Belous
As Finance Minister Victoria Belous noted in an interview with Logos Press, under current conditions, the government can ensure the predictability of the tax regime for approximately three years. “We will try to revise this approach or, at the very least, lay the groundwork for adopting the Estonian practice—introducing a permanent zero rate until dividends are paid”, the minister said.
According to her, the mechanism currently in place in Moldova does not mean the permanent abolition of the tax. “The income tax has not been abolished; it has simply been deferred until profits are distributed”, Belous explained.
The tax break comes at a cost to the budget: the government estimates the resulting revenue loss at approximately 400 million lei. At the same time, the draft tax policy provides for an increase in the dividend tax from 6% to 8%.
However, the preferential regime will not apply to all sectors. Wholesale and retail trade will remain outside its scope.
Victoria Belous attributed this to the need to prioritize areas for budgetary stimulus. According to her, the trade sector is already showing growth without tax breaks, whereas the government intends to focus its support on the manufacturing and processing sectors.
It should be noted that a zero tax rate on undistributed profits has been in effect in Moldova since 2023. The draft tax policy for 2027 is currently undergoing public consultation.
