Moldavia could pay for Russian gas in its goods

Moldavia discusses various ways of repaying its debt for Russian gas, including by supplying goods, Moldavian President Vladimir Voronin reported at a press conference today. According to him, in 2002 Russian gas supplies were paid off in 'real' money for 84 percent.

Voronin mentioned that Moldavia's debt for Russian gas supplies was $112m. Fines taken into account, this amount reaches about $500m.

According to the Moldavian leader, at today's meeting with the Russian President, they discussed the settlement of the Transdniester problem and Moldavian-Russian economic interaction. He stressed that mutual integration contributes to the growth of Moldavian economic potential. In 2002, Moldavian GDP gained 7.2 percent. The industrial growth was 11 percent; salaries advanced 33 percent. This economic growth is attributed to collaboration with Russia to a large extent, as 60 percent of Moldavian imports are to the Russian market. Among promising projects Voronin named participation of Russian capital in joint projects in Moldavia, in construction of a port at the Danube River among them.