The Republic of Moldova will soon put two state-owned companies up for sale, namely the Glass Factory and Zarea Hotel, Natalia Bejan, director of Moldova's Investment Agency, told AGERPRES in an interview.

According to her, the privatisation process could attract new foreign investors to the Republic of Moldova.

The head of the Investment Agency said that, in 2025, the Republic of Moldova attracted 650 million euros in foreign investment, with approximately 10% of the funds coming from Romanian companies. She also noted that more than 82% of all public services for businesses in the Republic of Moldova are provided online. 'In other words, we are removing even the potential for corruption from the process of setting up and running a business in Moldova,' Bejan said.

AGERPRES: You represent the institution established to promote Moldova's interests among investors. What are the reasons a foreign investor should invest in your country?

Natalia Bejan: We have several priority sectors where we feel we have a considerable competitive edge over the countries in the region, and even beyond that. The first is the IT sector. We have had Moldova IT Park for more than eight years. It is a proven and validated added value. Second, we have a state aid and subsidy scheme for six industrial sectors, for production and manufacturing in the Republic of Moldova. These are certainly a priority for us as well. We also have sectors that have recently been considered problematic. First and foremost, there is energy, but when a sector is problematic, it is also the sector where the greatest investment opportunities lie. That is why energy, infrastructure and logistics, particularly in the context of Ukraine's reconstruction, are attractive investment proposals and opportunities for investors.

AGERPRES: Do you have figures on the amounts attracted by the Republic of Moldova from foreign investors in general, and from Romania in particular?

Natalia Bejan: Yes, certainly. In 2025, we attracted nearly 650 million euros in foreign investment to the Republic of Moldova. To be completely transparent, 65% of that amount consisted of reinvested profits by foreign companies already operating here, in the Republic of Moldova. Romania is among the top five investors in the Republic of Moldova in terms of the total stock of investment, accounting for slightly more than 10% thereof. But we are seeing the inflow grow year after year, so Romania is among the top three sources of new investors coming to the Republic of Moldova each year. Traditionally, we also have the largest business delegations visiting us at Moldova Business Week, in particular, and this year we once again confirmed that interest. There are people who come and get to know Moldova not merely as a neighbour, a nearby country that produces and exports wine, but as a country with an interesting economic climate for certain industries and for entrepreneurs from Romania.

AGERPRES: Enough reforms have been carried out in the Republic of Moldova, but is the country a secure investment destination?

Natalia Bejan: I believe that, in terms of the pace of reform, we are now breaking records, which is also acknowledged by the European Union, given the reforms we need to implement in order to align our procedures, regulations and laws with the European acquis. We still have work to do in this area, that's for sure. But we are already doing quite a good job, particularly when it comes to digitalisation, transparency and cutting red tape. More than 82% of all public services for businesses in the Republic of Moldova are now provided online, meaning that we are potentially even removing the possibility of corruption from the process of setting up and running a business in Moldova.

AGERPRES: You are focusing heavily on attracting foreign tourists. Are wineries the main attractions for the Republic of Moldova?

Natalia Bejan: As consumers, tourists are changing their expectations somewhat. When they come to a new country, they want authentic experiences, probably more rural experiences, the opportunity to enter a local resident's cellar and see their pickles and homemade preserves. That is why here, in the Republic of Moldova, we have an abundance of such experiences and we are open to tourists coming to Moldova. Our airport is once again breaking records in terms of passenger numbers. Just in recent weeks, Moldova was named the country with the largest increase in the number of tourists in Europe. We have seen an increase of more than 25% in tourist numbers. So I believe we have a strong offering in this area.

AGERPRES: Is the privatisation of state-owned enterprises a solution for Moldova and potentially an attraction for foreign and Romanian investors?

Natalia Bejan: Yes, proper privatisation and transparent privatisation. We already have two assets undergoing privatisation. One is the Glass Factory, an absolutely strategic company for the Republic of Moldova, particularly given that we produce wine, bottle wine and export wine, and the other is Zarea Hotel, a very interesting property that is being privatised. In the period ahead, we will also privatise more assets. This is also one of the strategies of the Government led by Mr Tofan, which has set itself the goal of having those enterprises, companies and buildings that do not serve a strategic purpose for the state transferred to the private sector instead. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Cristian Lupascu; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)