---
title: "Experts warn administrative delays threaten Moldova's EU-backed projects"
url: https://radiomoldova.md/p/84345/experts-warn-administrative-delays-threaten-moldova-s-eu-backed-projects
published: 2026-09-02T15:50:00Z
language: en
author: "Diana Nacu"
section: "Economic"
source: radiomoldova.md
---

# Experts warn administrative delays threaten Moldova's EU-backed projects

> The Moldovan government will fulfill one-off public sector bonuses and energy subsidies under its Sept. 2 budget revision, but mounting deficits and administrative hurdles risk deep cuts to development and infrastructure projects, economic experts warned.

![](https://storage.radiomoldova.md/images/d87b833d-f49f-42c7-9020-11caab98cedb.jpg)

The Moldovan government will fulfill one-off public sector bonuses and energy subsidies under its Sept. 2 budget revision, but mounting deficits and administrative hurdles risk deep cuts to development and infrastructure projects, economic experts warned.

**Sluggish revenues and unspent grants**

Approved by the cabinet on Sept. 2, the fiscal amendment projects state budget revenues to reach €4.00 billion (approx. 80.27 billion MDL), while expenditures will climb to €5.15 billion (approx. 103.35 billion MDL). The fiscal deficit will expand by €108.1 million (approx. 2.17 billion MDL), rising from an initial €1.04 billion to €1.15 billion.

Revenue gains amounted to just €29.9 million (approx. 600 million MDL), driven primarily by value-added tax and excise duties against an annual inflation rate approaching 7%. Economic analyst Marin Gospodarenco noted that tax receipts remain subdued despite higher production and consumer prices, while an unspent allocation of approximately €47.8 million (approx. 960 million MDL) in foreign funding reflects internal management failures.

*“When you miss out on one billion lei in external financing because documentation is incomplete, that is an administrative breakdown rather than a budgetary constraint,”* Gospodarenco said. *“With 40% of the pension budget subsidized by the state rather than social contributions, we face structural imbalances that require long-term funding solutions before the 2027 public wage reforms take effect.”*

**Under-execution and dependence on expensive debt**

Economic expert Veaceslav Ioniță said authorities will cover targeted social commitments, including teacher bonuses and heating subsidies, but will ultimately scale back public investments.

*“In my view, the final deficit will be significantly smaller because the government cannot fully execute its plans,”* Ioniță said. *“It creates a budget of promises that goes unfulfilled. Faced with shortfalls, authorities invariably cut spending, particularly capital investments.”*

To curb reliance on high-interest domestic borrowing, economists urged Chișinău to streamline technical cooperation with the European Union and restore non-repayable grant inflows.

*“Technical arrangements with the European Union must be established so that grants do not drop to the embarrassingly low level of €75 million (approx. 1.5 billion MDL),”* Ioniță said. *“We lack the administrative capacity to design, promote, and implement grant-funded initiatives, leaving the country dependent on expensive domestic loans.”*

Translation by **Iurie Tataru**

**READ ALSO:**

* [Moldova secures €218.2 million IBRD loan to finance budget deficit](https://moldova1.md/p/79380)
* [Moldova’s 2026 budget: PM Munteanu signals September salary hikes for public employees](https://moldova1.md/p/69273)
* [Moldova faces historic $1.15 billion budget deficit amid slow 2.4% economic growth](https://moldova1.md/p/63918/moldova-faces-historic-1-15-billion-budget-deficit-amid-slow-2-4-economic-growth)