Natalia Bezhan
Natalia Bezhan, Director of the Investment Agency, told about it in an interview bne IntelliNews portal.
She noted that the war in neighboring Ukraine slowed down the growth of the region’s economy and caused security concerns among investors. Moldova has become one of the countries most economically affected by the war in Ukraine and the ensuing energy turmoil.
Immediately after the fighting began, there were fears that instability could spill over into Moldova. This did not happen. Instead, the war in Ukraine has opened up new opportunities as companies look to Moldova as a potential base for supplying resources to rebuild the neighboring country.
“There are investors who have become much more interested, who may never have thought about Moldova before, but are now looking at it in the context of Ukraine’s reconstruction. It’s about investment, especially in construction materials. Moldova has a chance to play its role and we have to be ready,” Bejan said.
In 2024, Romanian company ROCA Industry, already present on the Moldovan market since 2022, announced plans for strategic expansion in the country to meet growing local demand as well as supplying Ukraine.
German construction and engineering company Obermeyer Group has also opened an office in Moldova, which it sees as a base to serve Ukraine and possibly other former Soviet countries.
The Director of the Investment Agency argues that Moldova’s status as a candidate state for EU accession, close to the single European market but not yet bound by all EU regulations and restrictions, may be an attractive argument for many investors, especially Asian investors.
“We have companies that are considering moving from Asian countries to Europe, and for them locating their business in Moldova is an advantage,” Bejan said.
To take advantage of these opportunities, Moldova is modernizing transport connections. There are plans to build new bridges to Romania, invest in a second airport and expand the existing airport in Chisinau. “We need to improve transportation links so that investors feel comfortable in terms of logistics,” Bejan said.
In addition, the state pays much attention to improving the investment climate for existing and potential investors, the Investment Agency director said.
