Despite the crises it is going through, Moldova now has a unique opportunity for development, related to its association with the European Union. The new president of Moldindconbank, the Austrian banker Alexander Picker, expressed the opinion in an interview for NewsMaker.md.
“What I like in Moldova is how resilient the people are. Despite all the crises, they continue to work, continue their projects, and do not give up. A positive moment of the crises is that once overcome, the process of joining the European Union can be accelerated”, says the expert, who also worked in Poland, during the pre-accession period of this country to the EU.
“I want to give you the example of Poland, where I worked since 1999, and they joined the EU in 2004. It was the most interesting period – money and investments were coming to the country, and the banks can be the institutions that direct the money to the areas that need transformation. Regardless of the crises – and politics, and war, it is a time of great perspective, which must be taken advantage of,” continued Alexander Picker.
The president of Moldindconbank also referred to some steps that must be taken internally and to which the banks can contribute.
“For us, it is very important that the economy comes out of the shadows. The state must create conditions that make it more convenient for people to get official income. It is also important for the state, for tax collection. It is also important for the client, who can obtain higher financing from the bank for his needs,” the banker added.
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In this context, one of the prospects for development, according to Alexander Picker, comes from the sector of small and medium enterprises.
“Moldindconbank actively works with this sector, which I consider the most important for the economy – it has the largest number of employees, and they are the most disciplined taxpayers. We strongly support them. For example, we are now focusing on companies with agricultural businesses. We analyze what their needs are, and the potential risks for the business, and we will even be able to give them recommendations, depending on the market situation – which crops are more advantageous to grow. It is a crucial segment for us. Just as Moldindconbank is a leader in the card market, we want to become leaders in supporting small and medium-sized companies,” the banker explained.
Asked to comment on the development prospects of the banking system in Moldova, Alexander Picker said that, if his forecasts come true, strong growth is possible next year, based on the development of trade relations with the EU and on the positive changes in the energy sector of the country.