Bucharest, Aug 1 (Agency) Victoria Belous took the oath as Moldova’s finance minister on Wednesday at the presidential palace in Chisinau, with President Maia Sandu and Prime Minister Dorin Recean present. President Sandu thanked Belous for accepting the challenging role, emphasizing the high expectations and significant responsibilities associated with the position, particularly in maintaining critical public expenditures and leading negotiations with the European Union. The head of state also acknowledged the contributions of former Finance Minister Petru Rotaru, who has now been appointed deputy governor of the National Bank of Moldova. She highlighted the importance of improving the business environment and ensuring the respectful treatment of citizens by the Customs Service and the State Tax Service. Prime Minister Recean praised Rotaru’s efforts and wished Belous success. He stressed the need to bolster the economy, increase citizens’ incomes, and judiciously finance development programs. The head of government also underscored the importance of effective management of the state’s treasury and maintaining discipline to achieve the government’s European integration goals.
Belous noted her commitment to advancing the ministry’s initiatives and reforms, expressing confidence that, with a strong team and dedicated effort, they will successfully implement their plans. Belous held the position of deputy director of the State Fiscal Service starting in August 2022 before her new appointment. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Recean submitted Belous’s candidacy for minister of finance, following the announcement on July 25 that Rotaru would be stepping down from the position. Rotaru resigned after nine months in office on July 25. Before resigning, he sparked a public scandal by stating that the withdrawal of the Japanese Fujikura and German Coroplast factories from Moldova “will not have a significant impact because they are not major contributors to the budget,” according to local media.