When economists talk about “weak states,” they usually mean central government – its inability to collect taxes, enforce contracts, and produce public goods.
Governance without levers: what the mayor can do when he has neither budget nor authority
Beginning May 11, 2026, agricultural producers may apply for partial reimbursement of excise taxes on diesel fuel purchased between March 1 and May 31, 2026.
MAIA reminds: farmers can ask for diesel excise duty refunds from Monday
The standoff between the traditional banking sector and the cryptocurrency industry has escalated ahead of a key digital asset bill being considered in a specialized committee of the US Senate next week.
In the U.S., banks and the crypto industry have clashed over stablecoins
International online platforms, including eMag, Temu, Amazon, are actively used in Moldova as a shopping channel from abroad, but they do not work as an export tool for local producers. This was stated by businessman Mircea Baciu, commenting on the development of cross-border e-commerce in the country.
Why e-commerce in Moldova strengthens imports and hinders exports
Most of the issues related to the voluntary merger of mayoralties and more broadly to local government reform concern the Ministry of Finance, as the central problem remains the system of financial resource allocation.
The lion’s share of the rural income tax remains in the city
A large-scale forest fire has started in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. The State Service of Ukraine for Emergency Situations reported that the area of the fire has already exceeded 1.1 thousand hectares. The radiation background has not changed.
Fire in Chernobyl zone breaks out, but radiation background unchanged
More than 50 million lei is planned to be allocated to partially compensate farmers for losses caused by the extreme drought in the summer of 2025. The relevant draft government decision is scheduled to be considered and adopted at a meeting on Wednesday, May 13.
More than 50 million lei is planned to be allocated to farmers to compensate for losses due to drought
Former U.S. President Barack Obama has once again found himself in the center of public attention – this time because of the merch associated with the future Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. The project’s online store began selling decorative brooches with a silhouette of the building of the complex, and it was these brooches that provoked a new wave of ridicule on social networks.
$850 million ugliness: the “Obama fortress” has once again blown up the internet
Some 76% of the world’s largest organizations have formally introduced the position of Chief AI Officer (CAIO) in 2026.
IBM report confirms companies are moving towards an era of ‘AI CEOs’
The actors and writers who will be competing for the 99th annual Academy Awards must be human.
Oscar organizers have banned AI-generated actors and scripts
On May 4, the Asian Development Bank announced a project that could change the way we use technology forever. It’s about creating a giant network that connects energy and the Internet across the continent, from Tokyo to the remote corners of Southeast Asia. This is not just a construction project, but an attempt to turn the entire region into a single supercomputer. The bank is ready to allocate $70 billion for this by 2035.
Asia is building a $70 billion “digital superhighway”
Due to the non-execution of decisions on special and extended confiscation, the state budget lost about 550.5 million lei.
More than 550 million lei did not enter the budget due to non-execution of confiscation decisions
The problem of trade in theses and dissertations in Moldova has become so obvious that the authorities are forced to bring it to the level of parliamentary discussions and prepare systematic measures for its suppression.
Business on diplomas will be discussed in parliament
The Ministry of Energy initiated the process of granting the status of a strategic object of national interest for the country’s energy security to the construction of the 400 kV Straseni-Gutinas transmission line, as well as the modernization of the 330 kV power plant in Straseni.
The Straseni-Gutinas line will be given the status of a strategic project
The deadline for the completion of installation works is the last week of May, while the line’s commissioning and testing phases should be completed during June. This is reported by the Energy Ministry, referring to the visit of Energy Minister Dorin Jungietu to the Vulcanesti power plant.
Vulcanesti-Chisinau transmission line nearing completion
Europe Day in Chisinau is celebrated with a diverse program of official, scientific and cultural events with the participation of the country’s leadership and international partners.
Conferences, speeches, national cuisines and lots of music: how Europe Day is going on
In the morning of Friday, May 8, an earthquake was registered in one of the regions of Ukraine. It occurred in Transcarpathian region, near the town of Vinogradov. The magnitude on the Richter scale was 2.0 points.
The first earthquake in Ukraine in May. Near the border with Romania
On the eve of the new marketing season, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAIA) recalls the success of Moldovan fruits on the EU market.
Moldovan fruits on the EU market: evolution of supplies
The Zambian government has canceled at the last minute the RightsCon 2026 conference that was to be held in Lusaka from May 5 to 8. The forum is considered the largest global platform at the intersection of technology, human rights and digital politics.
Scandal amid digital rights: Zambia canceled RightsCon’s biggest forum
Work has begun on laying pipelines for Romania’s Neptun Deep gas project in the Black Sea, one of the European Union’s largest energy fields with estimated reserves of 100 billion cubic meters of recoverable gas.
Pipeline laying work has begun for Romania’s largest offshore gas project in the Black Sea
In recent days, there have been reports causing increased interest of fruit business operators in Europe. In the information space of Polish agribusiness there appeared not single opinions that due to spring frosts the apple harvest in this “apple power” can be halved. Fruit traders in Poland rarely hit the bull’s-eye in their initial forecasts. However, now the market situation is so alarming that any “signal shots” have consequences.
Fresh Plaza: “frost in Eastern Europe could double apple prices”
Paris is still the most expensive city on the secondary housing market in France. The average price here reaches about 10 thousand euros per square meter, and this is almost twice as high as in most major cities of the country.
Paris holds maximum house prices
The Republic of Moldova now has a roadmap, a GIS database and a set of technical tools to bring the Emerald Network in line with Natura 2000 standards, developed under the first LIFE project implemented in the country.
There are more than 60 “emerald sites” in Moldova
The Republic of Moldova plans to expand the system of human biomonitoring, including newborns. The initiative is implemented by the National Agency of Public Health within the framework of the scientific program on chemical risk assessment.
Experts will study the effects of lead on newborns
Infrastructure financing, transport corridor development, logistics modernization, digitalization of transport processes and the use of innovative technologies to improve efficiency and connectivity were the focus of discussions at the annual summit of the International Transport Forum (IFT).
Moldova participated in the summit on financing sustainable transport
The inauguration of Central African Republic (CAR) President Faustin-Arkange Touadera on March 30, 2026 in the capital Bangui has suddenly become one of the high-profile topics of international politics.
African and Caribbean countries demand billions of dollars in reparations from Europe
Trump Media & Technology Group and associated with Donald Trump’s family reported a financial loss of $405.9 million for the first quarter of 2026.
Trump Media lost $405 million on cryptocurrency
The government proposes to change the rules of operation of the company “Moldova HiTech Park” in order to start using the 80 million lei budgeted for 2026. Currently, due to the lack of a clear mechanism, this money is virtually “frozen”.
Government unblocks 80 million lei for “Moldova HiTech Park”
CAIR – A group of developing countries launched the Borrowers’ Platform on April 15 to create a stronger collective voice in debt management discussions and international financial negotiations.
Debtor countries have finally created their own platform
President Maia Sandu held talks with a mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a new cooperation program under the Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI). The meeting took place on Sunday, May 10, during the visit of the IMF mission to Chisinau between May 7 and 20.
Maia Sandu discussed with IMF mission the program without financing
The town of Cricova, part of the Chisinau municipality, is facing an acute shortage of burial places, forcing the local authorities to look for a solution to expand the existing cemeteries. In this context, a group of deputies proposes to transfer a land plot of 0.8754 hectares from the state property to the Cricova City Hall.
There are not enough cemetery spaces in the town of Cricova
The increase of the prime rate by the National Bank of Moldova from 5% to 6.5% has caused mixed reactions among MPs. Some consider the measure necessary to curb inflation, while others warn of negative consequences for investment, lending and living standards.
Loans will become more expensive, investment and demand will shrink – MPs’ views on prime rate hike
In October 2025, the Moldovan government imposed a de facto ban on sugar imports from Serbia to the Moldovan market for a period of 200 days under the pretext of protecting the sector. This measure was presented as a supportive measure to give local sugar producers another hypothetical chance to “perk up”. Even at the cost of quite real sacrifices imposed on the entire food industry of Moldova. Let us assess what happened in the end.
How to clog the market: the unseemly story of one Moldovan government project
In the Republic of Moldova, the country’s largest electricity storage system with a total capacity of 60 MWh was put into operation in Radeni.
The largest green energy storage system in Moldova was put into operation in Radeni
Customers in Moldova this spring are increasingly choosing not specialized sports equipment, but universal clothing and footwear that are suitable for city, travel, office and training at the same time. Against this background, Adidas is strengthening its position in the lifestyle-fashion segment, where demand is growing faster than in the classic performance sport segment.
Retro and lifestyle: how the demand for Adidas is changing in Moldova
The number of newborns in Moldova continues to steadily decline, and this is increasingly affecting the health care system.
Maternity hospitals are being closed in Moldova due to declining birth rates
According to the Environmental Performance Index, 19 of the 20 countries with the best sanitation and drinking water in the world are European. Japan is also among these 20 countries.
Moldova has the dirtiest tap water in Europe
The 2026 FIFA World Cup (2026 World Cup), which will take place from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico and Canada, is projected to be a powerful driver of the global economy, capable of bringing significant GDP growth and creating hundreds of thousands of jobs. By expanding the format to 48 teams and hosting matches in 16 cities, the scale of the event promises an unprecedented economic impact.
World Cup-26 will be a driver of the global economy
Alibaba Group is preparing one of the biggest experiments in global e-commerce. The Chinese giant is integrating its Qwen AI model into the Taobao platform and actually replacing product search with a conversation with artificial intelligence.
Alibaba is deploying AI to move towards conversational shopping
The figure of 3,000 inhabitants per administrative center, proposed as a minimum threshold within the framework of the local self-government reform, has no scientific justification. This opinion was expressed by expert Viorel Rusu during the public discussion “Administrative-territorial reform in Moldova. Concept”.
Expert: The threshold of 3,000 inhabitants per mayor’s office is not scientifically confirmed
A direct rail line will be built between the two airports in Istanbul, Turkey, separated by the Bosphorus Strait, which will make it much easier to travel when transferring, Logos Press reported.
Istanbul has made it easier to transfer between airports
