European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced her intention to extend temporary protection for Ukrainians in the EU, while also considering the possibility of imposing restrictions on certain categories of refugees, particularly men of draft age.
Europe’s economic power is concentrated in a relatively small number of regions, centered around world-class cities such as Paris, London, Milan, Munich, and Madrid. In political science, this “belt of cities” is traditionally referred to as the “Blue Banana” due to its resemblance on political-economic maps. Another name for it is the “Liverpool–Milan axis.” The former term is more widely used.
Israel invests the largest share of its GDP in innovation—6.3%. The country also regularly ranks as the world leader in the number of startups per capita. Liechtenstein ranks second in terms of the share of GDP spent on research and development projects—about 6%—while South Korea ranks third, at 5%.
The tax reform announced by the Ministry of Finance for next year will not only place a burden on businesses but will also affect the wages of employees.
Agricultural machinery purchased and fueled with government assistance should be used in the fields, not taken out to street protests. This is the main message of a statement made during a television broadcast by Lyudmila Katlabuga, head of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Industry (MAIA).
Two shipments (22 and 23 metric tons) of imported early potatoes were detained at border control checkpoints and returned to the sender by inspectors from the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA).
Earlier this week, the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA) organized a simulation exercise titled “Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza Outbreaks.” The exercise was conducted in a field setting. Response scenarios for hypothetical avian influenza outbreaks at livestock farms in the Cahul and Cantemir districts were tested.
More than 900 roe deer and 500 red deer will be hunted in Moldova. Hunting will take place in 82 of the country’s 191 forest areas. This is provided for in a decision by the Ministry of the Environment—among other measures to protect wildlife during the 2026–2027 hunting season.
The Polish government has unveiled a large-scale investment program for railway infrastructure, which calls for the construction and modernization of more than 10,000 kilometers of railway lines by 2050.
Today, June 17, Moldova, like many countries around the world, is observing the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.
On June 16, 2026, the process of providing financial assistance to farmers in the form of compensation for diesel fuel excise taxes began, in accordance with the provisions of Government Decree No. 212/2026.
The leaders of the G7 countries agreed to increase deliveries of air defense systems and interceptor missiles to Ukraine and also stated their willingness to consider granting licenses for their production directly in Ukraine.
The Association of Grain and Oilseed Producers, Forța Fermierilor, has decided to “support the proposal by farmers from several districts to stage a large-scale regional protest on June 24, 2026 — in the absence of progress in meeting the association’s strategic demands.”
The Uzbek authorities plan to implement 120 projects in the production of critical minerals and rare earth metals, totaling $4.2 billion, by the end of this decade.
Poland will use the negotiations on Ukraine and Moldova’s accession to the EU to lobby for its own interests, a high-ranking Polish official said.
The total annual compensation for the CEO of an agricultural holding company in Ukraine for 2025 ranges from $0.24 million to more than $2 million per year, while that of a large state-owned enterprise ranges from $0.28 million to $0.70 million.
The former head of the Forța Fermierilor Association of Grain and Oilseed Producers, agribusiness and economic policy consultant Alexandru Bădăreau presented an analysis of the impact on Moldova’s agriculture of a package of amendments to the Tax Code proposed by the Ministry of Finance for implementation starting in 2027.
The IMF’s forecast for Ukraine’s economic growth this year is only 1.0–1.6%. By contrast, in the April World Economic Outlook (WEO), growth was estimated at 2%, and when the new four-year Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program was approved in late February, the forecast was 1.8–2.5%.
Poland is becoming one of the main hubs for labor migration in Europe. Last year alone, the number of foreign workers in Poland increased by more than 7%—to 1.14 million. At the same time, the concentration of labor migrants in Poland is shifting from large cities (in particular, Warsaw, where foreigners account for 18% of the workforce) to smaller regions—the powiats.
The seminar “Aspects of Sustainable Management of Forest and Pasture Resources in the Republic of Moldova,” organized by the Institute for Forestry Research and Development (ICAS), focused on improving natural resource management at the local level.
