Less control, more involvement in the decision-making process and more support. This is what the businessmen are asking from the authorities, stating that they are under control and heard by the state. The discussions took place on October 11 in Soroca during the round table "Transparent and inclusive governance: participation of the business environment in the dialogue with public authorities". The event is part of a series of five round tables organized at national level, which aim to facilitate the creation of a constructive dialogue between public authorities and the business environment.

"It is difficult for an economic agent from the regions to access the Parliament's website, to find a law project that may interest or affect him and to analyze it to come up with recommendations. For this, it is the responsibility of the Parliament, through its parliamentary committees and committee officials, to ensure the information of economic agents, the identification of business associations representing entrepreneurs in economic sectors that may be affected by a law and the organization of public consultations with their involvement, to obtain useful recommendations and proposals”, underlines Viorel Pirvan, lawyer within the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Policies (CAPE).

The economist Diana Enachi, is of the following opinion: “Laws and decisions are adopted that do not defend the interests of the business, but on the contrary create obstacles for them. In this sense, they ask the local and central authorities to involve them in discussions and to analyze the proposals that are formulated based on the real problems in their daily activity.”

Local businesses argue that information on public consultations via the website is insufficient, especially for farmers, and this leads to low involvement. In order to improve dialogue, they recommend that the authorities diversify the sources of distribution of announcements, consultations, including through the media.

"It is necessary for the business to be consulted through business associations and it would be useful to legally regulate that a law cannot be adopted if it is not consulted with the relevant associations. Also, from our experience, the agricultural associations in the district sent recommendations to the deputies several times, but these recommendations remained without result”, says Maria Marchitan, director of the Association of Agricultural Producers. According to her, the representatives of the Government do not know what is happening in the territory, especially regarding the problems in agriculture.

"Among the tools for business involvement and ensuring transparency, the local administration can involve the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or the operation of Information Offices, including the involvement of the local media", recommends the entrepreneur Vladimir Chirosca.

"The biggest problems are with the State Fiscal Service. It fines you unfounded, either for actions that are not against the law and do not cause any harm. If you want to challenge in court, you receive threats from inspectors that they will come with additional controls", complains the businessman Efim Agachi.

At the same time, local authorities note the passivity of economic operators in participating in the decision-making process, although the authorities ensure transparency at all stages of decision-making.

“The Soroca District Council ensures the transparency of the decision-making process at all stages of elaboration and approval of decisions and we even have a participation council attached to the District Council, composed of the most active citizens. Likewise, I believe that there must be equality in obligations for local authorities at level II and the Government and Parliament in terms of ensuring decision-making transparency, or we as the District Council are always supervised as we respect transparency", says Stela Zabrian, Secretary of the Council district Soroca.

"Transparency is affected by the actual lack of an e-mail or office by economic agents, mainly those in agriculture. And regarding the controls, if they do not help the economic agents in any way, at least not to confuse them in the activity”, recommends Aliona Andriuta , head of the Soroca Agriculture and Food Department. At the same time, Claudia Belous, Head of the Section for the organization and coordination of administrative activity, considers that citizens and economic agents are passive when it comes to involvement in the decision-making process.

The issues and recommendations of the participants in the round table "Transparent and inclusive governance: participation of the business environment in the dialogue with public authorities" are to be examined and included in a position note from the business environment, subsequently submitted to the new Government.

The next round table on this topic will take place in Balti on October 17.