The Government will raise the excises on strong alcohol drinks, but not on winemaking products. Wednesday evening, the inter-ministerial committee for strategic planning, chaired by Prime Minister Vlad Filat, took such decision.

According to the governmental press service, the increase in the excises on luxury cars, cigarettes and alcohol drinks is one of the terms of the agreement between Moldova and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“At present the winemaking sector is going through a difficult period, that is why the increase of excises on its products is not timely”, the Prime Minister said and remarked that it is envisaged to stimulate the wine consumption instead of strong drinks.

In this context Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Valeriu Cosarciuc remarked that Moldovan citizens consume yearly about 60 million bottles of strong beverages, acquired in the shops and only 4 million bottles of wine.

The Prime Minister ordered to study the alcohol market, in order to combat the production and sale of falsified beverages.

The inter-ministerial committee for strategic planning decided that the excises on cigarettes must be applied in accordance with the category.

Participants in the sitting discussed also the cost of the medical insurance police. The committee decided that the increase in its cost must proceed gradually, beginning from 2010, when its growth will constituted 0.1%.