Moldova has approved Tofan’s government, which is committed to EU accession
The Moldovan Parliament has announced the approval of the new government.
On 21 July, 53 MPs from the ruling ‘Action and Solidarity’ party, which holds a majority in parliament, voted in favour of Tofan’s Cabinet. Along with the government’s composition, MPs approved its programme of work, entitled ‘European Economy, Effective State’.
What are the new Moldovan government’s priorities?
Vasile Tofan has identified economic growth, continued European integration, improving the efficiency of public administration, strengthening security and enhancing citizens’ quality of life as the main priorities.
The new prime minister has promised to reduce the bureaucratic burden on entrepreneurs, simplify access to finance for businesses and carry out tax reform. The government also plans to attract investment in technology and artificial intelligence, increase exports of high value-added products and reduce the share of the shadow economy.
According to Reuters, Moldova’s budget deficit currently stands at around 20 billion lei, or approximately 1.1 billion dollars. Tofan has pledged to reduce it by two percentage points by 2029.
The Cabinet of Ministers also plans to privatise at least ten state-owned enterprises. At the same time, the government intends to retain all 14 ministries: Tofan explained that reorganising the ministries could result in higher costs and administrative problems than the potential savings.
When does Moldova plan to join the EU?
One of the new Cabinet’s main tasks will be to conclude negotiations on Moldova’s accession to the European Union. The government plans to open all negotiation chapters during 2026 and to sign the EU accession treaty by the end of 2028.
By 2030, the country should be ready to join the European Union. Moldova currently shares EU candidate status with Ukraine and has opened two of the six negotiation chapters.
Who is Vasile Tofan?
Vasile Tofan is a Moldovan financier and investor. Before entering public service, he worked as a senior partner and member of the investment committee at Horizon Capital, an international investment firm that invests in companies across Central and Eastern Europe.
Tofan holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. He also holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Public Administration from Erasmus University in Rotterdam.
Moldova’s President Maia Sandu nominated Tofan as a candidate for the post of Prime Minister on 11 July. At the time, he stated that his main priorities were to restore public confidence, revitalise business activity and advance the country’s path towards EU membership.
Why Moldova’s Prime Minister has changed
Tofan took the helm of the government following the unexpected resignation of Alexandru Munteanu, who had served as Prime Minister for around eight months. Munteanu stated that he could no longer carry out his duties in accordance with his own convictions, but did not specify the detailed reasons for his decision.
Following his resignation, Maia Sandu thanked the former prime minister for his work and for initiating difficult but necessary reforms.
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