According to Eugeniu Osmokescu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization, the new areas will become part of the functional activities of the agency, including through the integration of the National Tourism Office.
As Logos Press previously wrote, the total apparatus of the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization is being expanded by 33 new staff units, including the fifth Secretary of State. The reform aims to strengthen institutional capacity to transpose EU legislation and manage the newly devolved areas. In addition to tourism, the ministry will handle technological innovation. The additional annual costs of these changes are estimated at more than 10.4 million lei.
“In any case, we remain in close cooperation with the Culture Ministry, as the tourism sector includes a cultural component and we even have ongoing projects with foreign partners to develop our cultural heritage,” Osmokescu said.
“A more mature understanding.”
In its public statement, the Patronage Association of the Tourism Industry of the Republic of Moldova welcomed these changes and emphasized that it has long been telling the authorities and key players about the need to treat tourism as an economic industry with a cross-cutting (transversal) approach and coordinated involvement of relevant institutions.
“Tourism is about SMEs, investment, export of services, jobs, regional development, mobility, education, environment, culture, infrastructure and budget revenues. We believe that this decision confirms a more mature understanding of the role of tourism in Moldova’s economy,” the association said in a statement.
At the same time, the association expressed hope that this change also contributes to strengthening the activity of the National Tourism Office “through a closer dialog with the private sector, local authorities, development partners and industry professionals”.
At the same government meeting of May 20, the government also approved a change in the structure of the Ministry of Culture, with the creation of a state secretary for mass media and the addition of more staff to a number of other departments. The implementation of this draft decision will require a total expenditure estimated at 1,044 million lei.
