There are many Internet service providers in Chisinau.  Most of them are connected to Moldtelecom’s Internet Point of Presence.  The most important Internet providers are Arax-Impex, Moldtelecom, Moldpac, Globnet, Telemedia Group and DNT.  The market of Internet home users is not very well developed.  Therefore, the vast majority of Internet users are corporate clients.  Nevertheless, all Internet providers offer services meeting the needs of corporate and individual clients.  For example, Telemedia Group offers individual clients unlimited access, international calls through IP telephony, Internet training, bank card, web hosting and free e-mail box against an annual fee of USD 64.  A large number of ISPs offer the possibility of Internet connection through prepaid cards.

Internet connection through an ISDN line is widely available in Chisinau through Moldtelecom.  Unlimited access to Internet through ISDN costs 600 Moldovan lei (USD 49) per month per 128 Kb/s and 360 Moldovan lei (USD 29) per month per 64 Kb/s.  The fee includes a 10 MB mailbox and web hosting.  Regular dialup connection from Moldtelecom will cost 180 lei (USD 15) per month.  The fee includes a 5 MB mailbox and web hosting.  ADSL connection to Internet is available from several ISPs, including Globnet, Telemedia Group and Moldtelecom.  Depending on speed of the connection and volume of data interchange such a service may cost from USD 36 per month to USD 1,190.  Depending on provider, a company will also have to pay an initial connection fee ranging from USD 97 to USD 199.

Internet connection through coaxial cables is also available from Sun Communications.  The connection fee is USD 49, while monthly fees range from USD 19 to USD 39 depending on connection speed and traffic volume.

Contact Information:

ARAX

Str. Dosoftei 118

Chisinau MD 2012, Moldova

Tel. (373 22)  20 01 40

Fax (373 22) 20 01 60

E-mail:info@arax.md

www.arax.md

DNT

Str. Pushkin 16

Chisinau MD-2012, Moldova

Tel.  (373 22) 22 92 29

Fax (373 22) 21 05 72

E-mail:info@dnt.md

www.dnt.md

Globnet

Str. Pushkin 16

Chisinau MD-2012, Moldova

Tel. (373 22) 22 73 74

Fax (373 22) 21 05 72

E-mail:info@globnet.md

www.globnet.md

TELEMEDIA GROUP

Str. Alba Iulia 77

Chisinau MD 2001, Moldova

Tel.(373 22) 45 55 50

Fax (373 22) 51 55 88

www.telemedia.md

MOLDTELECOM

Bul. Stefan cel Mare 10

Chisinau MD-2001, Moldova

Tel.  (373 22) 54 87 97

Fax  (373 22) 54 64 19

E-mail:office@moldtelecom.md

http://www.moldtelecom.md

RISCOM

Str. Pushkin 22, office 603,

Chisinau,Moldova

Tel. (373 22) 54 90 17

Fax (373 22) 54 50 62

http://www.riscom.md

Sun Communications

Drumul Viilor 28/2

Chisinau MD 2021, Moldova

Tel. (373 22) 73 71 68/28 03 30

Fax (373 22) 73 71 29

Major express delivery companies have offices in Moldova.  The typical time frame for delivery to Europe is 1-2 business days, the U.S. and Canada 1-3 days, CIS 1-5 days and Asia 2-4 days.  In some instances when the addressee is a long distance from major cities, delivery may take longer.  All companies charge based on type of shipment, weight and delivery zones.  To meet client demands, some courier companies have business hours on Saturday and may offer discounts depending on frequency and volume of shipments.

Below is the contact information for the courier services:

DHL

Str. Vlaicu Parcalab 42

Chisinau MD 2012, Moldova

Tel./fax: (373 22) 22 80 53/22 80 56/ 22 80 02

Email: kiv.station@dhl.md

http://www.dhl.com

Hours: Monday – Friday 9 am – 7pm; Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm. 

Orders made before 12 p.m. are shipped the same day.

FEDERAL EXPRESS

Str. Bucuresti 13V

Chisinau MD 2008, Moldova

Tel.  (373 22) 27 53 52

Fax (373 22) 21 26 39

E-mail: ifedex@ihtus.com

www.fedex.com

Hours: Monday –  Friday 9 am – 6 pm.

Shipment is made only on Thursdays.

TNT

Str. Sciusev 96

Chisinau MD 2012, Moldova

Tel. (373 22) 23 21 48

Fax (373 22) 23 35 35

Hours: Monday – Friday 9am – 6pm; Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm.

e-mail: tnt@mtc.md

www.tnt.com

All orders are shipped the next day.

UNIPOST

Str. Mihail Kogalniceanu 26, office 22

Chisinau MD-2001, Moldova

Tel. (373 22) 27 70 27

Fax (373 22) 22 89 46

Email: unipost@mtc.md

Hours: Monday – Friday 9 am – 6 p.m.

Western Europe and U.S. destination: orders placed before 4 p.m. are shipped the same day.  CIS destination: orders placed before 6 pm are shipped the same day.  Shipments to CIS are done by railway

UPS

Str. Zamfir Arbore 15

Chisinau MD-2005, Moldova

Tel.: (373 22) 29 01 01

Fax (373 22) 29 03 03

E-mail: eur1ojk@europe.ups.com

Hours: Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 6:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 am – 1:00 p.m

Orders made before 1 p.m. are shipped the same day.

Chisinau has a lot of printing companies whose services range from printing black and white business cards to full color billboards.  Prices vary depending on quality, complexity and size of the order.  Based on a minimum order of 100 one-sided business cards, prices usually start from USD 3.2 for black and white printing and may reach USD 60 for plastic cards.  Prices for two-sided business cards range between USD 3.6 and USD 68.6 based on a 100 minimum.  Most companies have flexible pricing and offer discounts.  In addition to printing services, such companies usually offer a variety of office supplies.

Contact Information:

AURATIP

Str. Mitropolit Varlaam 65, office 345

Chisinau MD-2012, Moldova

Tel.:(373 22) 22 69 52

Fax:(373 22) 27 24 82

E-mail:              lili@auratip.mldnet.com

BIROVITS

Str. Anton Pann 1A

Chişinău MD-2012, Moldova

Tel. 373 (22) 29 43 94/29 29 82

Fax 373 (22) 29 43 93

E-mail:birovits@mdl.net

CRIXUS

Str. Octavian Goga 25

Chisinau MD 2005, Moldova

Tel./fax (373 22) 22 00 11

E-mail: crixus@moldova.cc

MAKLER PLUS

Str. Pushkin 44 A

Chisinau MD 2005, Moldova

Tel.:(373 22) 27 04 59

Fax:(373 22) 27 15 20

E-mail: black@makler.md

www.makler.md

MART

Str. Banulescu-Bodoni 35

Chisinau MD-2012, Moldova

Tel. (373 22) 23 83 23

Fax (373 22) 23 49 23

E-mail: advert@mart.md

www.mart.md

PRESS DESIGN

Bul. Stefan cel Mare 182, office 211

Chisinau MD-2004, Moldova

Tel.:(373 22) 29 50 00/ 29 57 48Fax:(373 22) 24 64 02

E-mail:  ira@press-design.com

www.press-design.com

VARO-PRINT

Str. Armeneasca 40

Chisinau, MoldovaTel.(373 22) 27 54 30/27 55 00/27 54 30

Fax (373 22) 27 55 00/27 54 30

E-mail:              varo@print.moldline.net

www.varo-inform.com

Advertising in newspapers is usually the most affordable means of publicity for local companies.  The cost of TV advertisement pricing is reasonable by US standards. A 30 second advertising spot on TV may run USD 345 in prime time, while the highest rates per square centimeter in newspapers printed in Moldova is USD 1.6.  Advertising rates vary depending on circulation, quality of print and page.  Companies typically use the Russian-language economic newspaper “Logos Press Ekonomicheskoye Obozrenie” to advertise services and place job announcements.  The newspaper attracts educated business audiences.  Rates in the newspaper vary from 40 cents to USD 1.2 per one square centimeter.  Businesses also publish advertising in “Makler”, which is a classified ads publication.  The rates here are 60.1 cents/ per sq. cm for Moldovan residents and USD 1 per sq. cm for foreign residents.  Few color printed newspapers are available in Chisinau.  There is no English-language newspaper with a large circulation.  Other business publications are the magazines “Profit” and Russian-language “Kishinyovski Obozrevatel,” which contains an English one-page insert.   The only periodical edition available in English is the magazine “Welcome.”

Media outlets:

ANALITIC MEDIA GROUP (Russia’s First Channel)

Str. Alecu Russo 1, office 21

Chisinau, Moldova

tel. (373 22) 49 87 72/49 87 71

fax (373 22) 43 85 43

E-mail:office@amg.md

DIXI MEDIA GROUP (Radio HIT FM and advertising agency)

Str. Sciusev 93, Chisinau, Moldova

Tel. (373 22) 23 35 05/23 35 07

Fax (373 22) 23 71 48

e-mail:info@dixi.md

www.hitfm.md

Advertising Manager: Lev Burduja

KISS FM

Soseaua Hancesti 53, Chisinau MD 2028, Moldova

Tel./fax: (373 22) 73 74 66

sales@kissfm.md

www.kissfm.ro

Advertising Manager: Marian Ceban

KOMSOMOLSKAIA PRAVDA BASARABIA (daily newspaper)

Str. Vlaicu Parcalab 45, Chisinau, Moldova

Tel. (373 22) 22 45 12

Fax (373 22) 22 12 74

e-mail: kp@kp.md

www.kp.md

LOGOS PRESS.  EKONOMICHESKOYE OBOZRENIE (Business weekly)

Bul. Stefan cel Mare 180, 5^th floor

Chisinau MD-2007, Moldova

Tel.:(373 22) 21 06 74/21 06 98

Fax (373 22) 29 55 11

E-mail: tm@logos.press.md

www.logos.press.md

Advertising Manager: Anatol Madan

MAKLER (classified ads newspaper)

Str. Pushkin 44a

Chisinau MD-2005, Moldova

Tel.:(373 22) 27 04 59

Fax:(373 22) 27 15 20

maket@makler.moldline.net

www.makler.md

MEDIAPRO CHISINAU (PRO TV and PRO FM)

Bul. Stefan cel Mare 162, 17^th floor

Chisinau MD-2012, Moldova

Tel.:(373 22) 21 36 45/21 36 48

Fax: (373 22) 21 36 42

E-mail: sales@protv.md

www.protv.md

Advertising Manager: Ghenadie Braghis

RADIO POLIDISC (Russkoye Radio, Russkoye Radio 2 and Radio Dinamit)

Soseaua Hancesti 59/1

Chisinau MD 2028, Moldova

Tel. (373 22) 73 74 46

Fax (373 22) 73 79 98

E-mail: root@polidisc.md

www.polidisc.md

Broadcast Manager: Andrei Covalenco

SUN INFORM (several TV stations and advertising agency)

Bul. Renasterii 13, office 212

Chisinau, Moldova

Tel. (373 22) 24 24 31

Fax (373 22) 24 21 57

E-mail: office@suninform.dnt.md

www.suninform.md

TELERADIO-MOLDOVA (National Radio and TV)
Str. Miorita 1

Chisinau MD-2028, Moldova
Tel. (373 22) 72 56 89
Fax: (373 22) 73 91 59

E-mail:cv@trm.md

www.trm.md

Advertising agencies:

ADV-PRIME

Str. Eminescu 50

Chisinau MD-2012, Moldova

Tel. (373 22) 22 96 73

Fax (373 22) 22 96 78

E-mail: inbox@adv.md

www.adv.md

General Manager: Irina Pavlenco

DIVER STUDIO (advertising and public relations)

Str.Sciusev 54, office 3

Chisinau MD, Moldova

Tel./fax (373 22) 22 27 91

E-mail: nadea_lucky@yahop.ca

www.diver.md

PR Manager: Nadia Matveev

GALART MEDIA

Str. Mihai Eminescu 64, office 5

Chisinau MD 2012, Moldova

Tel. (373 22) 21 40 31

Fax (373 22) 21 29 10

E-mail: office@galart.md

www.galart.md

GREY

Str. Mihail Kogalniceanu 36 A, ap. 2

Chisinau MD-2009, Moldova

Tel: (373 22) 21 12 10/21 12 13

Tel/fax (373 22) 27 49 22

Email: office@grey.md

www.grey.md

Manager: Dan Medrea

MCCANN-ERICKSON

Str. Anton Crihan 38A

Tel./fax (373 22) 21 09 13

Cell (373 69) 10 77 63

E-mail:office@mccann.md

Director: Natalia Puhleacova

P&P SERVICE (audio and video productions)

Str. Vlaicu Parcalab 10, office 3

Chisinau MD-2009, Moldova

Tel. (373 22) 22 92 90

Fax (373 22) 21 33 26

e-mail: office@pnp-studio.com

www.pnp-studio.com

Driving in Moldova may be challenging for a first-time visitor because of differences in driving styles, inadequate posting of road signs and generally poor observance of traffic rules.  Chauffeur companies like CVS, and Oleg’s and Mariana’s represent an alternative by offering high-class business cars and English speaking drivers.  Such companies may meet arriving visitors, make hotel arrangements, provide translators for business meetings and arrange trips around Moldova and to the neighboring countries.  Car rental services are also available from Hertz.

CVS

Bul. Renasterii 14, office 14

Chisinau MD-2005, Moldova

Tel. (373 22) 22 95 59 (dispatchers speak English)

Fax (373 22) 49 73 61

Cell (373 69) 10 90 33 (duty manager)

e-mail: info@cvs.md

www.cvs.md

Oleg’s and Mariana’s

Str. Sergei Lazo 8

Chisinau, Moldova

Tel. (373 22) 24 04 32/23 47 42 (dispatchers speak English)

Cell (373 69) 11 10 88

e-mail: olemar@moldovacc.md

Rentauto-C (Hertz Franchisee)

Str. Miron Costin 7, office 503

Chisinau MD 2068, Moldova

Tel./fax (373 22) 49 13 65

Tel. (373 22) 52 63 79 (Chisinau Airport)

E-mail: hertz@hertz.mldnet.com

Glemus-Com

Str. Sciusev 69

Chisinau, Moldova

Tel.: (373 22) 22 72 71

Fax: (373 22) 20 19 38

e-mail: support@logisticsmoldova

www.lodging-moldova.com

Moldova’s banking system was set up in two tiers in 1991 around the time of the breakup of the Soviet Union and currently comprises the central bank and 16 commercial banks.  The central bank, the National Bank of Moldova, licenses, supervises and regulates the activity of financial institutions in Moldova.  The National Bank is accountable to the Moldovan Parliament and has as its primary objective the stability of the national currency.  Together with the Moldovan Government, the National Bank formulates the monetary and foreign exchange policies in the country.  The Moldovan Parliament recently passed a law on establishing a banking insurance agency in Moldova. 

The National Bank issues three types of licenses to commercial banks, with level A the lowest and level C as the highest.  To receive a level A license, a commercial bank has to have a minimum required capital of 32 million Moldovan lei (USD 2.5 million).  This license allows a bank to perform basic services such as borrowing and lending.  A level B license doubles the minimum required capital and allows, besides borrowing and lending, foreign exchange operations.  Level C triples the minimum required capital to USD 7.5 million and allows banks to perform the whole range of banking and investing operations.  The National Bank prescribed a gradual increase in the banks’ minimum required capital, which by January 1, 2006 will reach 50 million Moldovan lei (USD 3.7 million) for license A, 100 million lei (USD 7.4 million) for license B and 150 million lei (USD 11.1 million) for license C.

According to the National Bank, 60 percent of banking capital comes from foreign investment.  Foreign investors hold a majority stake in the following banks: Victoriabank, Universalbank, Eximbank, EuroCreditBank, Comertbank, Investpribatbank Businessbank, Mobiasbanca, Unibank and Banca Comerciala Romana.  Romania’s Banca Comerciala Romana is the only branch of a foreign bank in Moldova.  Unibank is 100% owned by Russia’s Petrocommertz, a banking group whose majority shareholder Lukoil.

A large number of banks will accept cards issued in the system VISA and Europay/MasterCard.  Automated teller machines accepting both types of cards have been installed in Moldova’s main cities.  Some banks may also issue American Express travelers’ checks and may accept foreign banking checks.  There is also a national card system – Moldovan Card System MSC – that joins four commercial banks issuing smart cards usable only in Moldova.

Besides traditional services like opening accounts and wire transfers, many banks also manage fast money transfer systems like Western Union, MoneyGram, Anelik, UniStream and Contact.  Commercial banks also offer automated remote bank services to businesses.  Some banks offer Internet banking, telebanking and SMS banking, although their use is usually limited to cards and payment of phone bills.

Moldova’s commercial banks’ profits have been outperforming the country’s economy as a whole over the recent years.  Nevertheless, there is no bank-rating agency in Moldova to assess the reliability of local commercial banks.  Local newspapers, such as Logos Press, and the magazine Banks and Finance, publish financial statements of the Moldovan banks and comparison schedules containing a series of indicators – total assets, total liquidities, total credits and bad debts are among the few listed.

The largest commercial banks are: Moldova Agroindbank, which has the most total assets; Victoriabank, the first private bank of Moldova; Banca de Economii, the state-owned savings bank which boasts the largest network of branches across Moldova; Moldindconbank and Banca Sociala.  Other medium-sized banks, such as Mobiasbank and Fincombank, are also popular.  The following table summarizes each bank’s services:

To open a current account with a commercial bank a company must submit the following documents:

·        application form

·        notarized copy or original of the registration certificate

·        notarized copy or original of the company’s charter and articles of incorporation

·        notarized copy or original of the tax code certificate

·        tax registration certificate for each account

·        notarized sample of signatures and stamps

·        certificate from the state commercial registry certifying the person entitled to manage the company 

Below is the contact information for some banks.

BANCA SOCIALA

Str. Banulescu Bodoni 61

Chisinau MD-2006, Moldova

Tel.  (373 22) 22 14 94/ 22 14 81

Fax (373 22) 22 42 30

Telex: 163265 BANSO

SWIFT: BSOC MD 2X

E-mail:office@socbank.md

www.socbank.md

Chairman: Vladimir Suetnov

MOBIASBANCA

Bul. Stefan cel Mare 81A

Chisinau MD-2012, Moldova

Tel.  (373 22) 54 19 74

Fax (373 22) 54 19 74

Telex: 163152 GRANT MD

SWIFT: MOBB MD 22

E-mail: info@mobiasbank.com

www.mobiasbank.com

Chairman: Nicolae Dorin

MOLDINDCONBANK

Str. Armeneasca 38

Chisinau MD-2012, Moldova

Tel.  (373 22) 57 67 82

Fax (373 22) 27 91 95

Telex: 163228 IMCON MD

SWIFT: MOLD MD 2X

E-mail: computer@micb.net.md

www.moldindconbank.com

Chairman: Victor Cibotaru

MOLDOVA - AGROINDBANK BCA

Str. Cosmonautilor 9

Chisinau MD-2006, Moldova

Tel.  (373 22) 22 27 70/24 46 49

Fax (373 22) 22 80 58

Telex: 163263 AGRO MD

SWIFT: AGRN MD 2X

E-mail: aib@maib.md

www.maib.md

Chairperson: Natalia Vrabie

NATIONAL BANK OF MOLDOVA (Central Bank)

Bul. Renasterii 7

Chisinau MD-2006, Moldova

Tel.:(373 22) 22 16 79

Fax: (373 22) 22 05 91

www.bnm.md

President: Leonid Talmaci 

VICTORIABANK BCA

Str. 31 August 141

Chisinau MD-2004, Moldova

Tel.  (373 22) 23 30 65

Fax (373 22) 23 39 33/23 22 70

Telex: 163188 BCAWSU

SWIFT: VICB MD 2X

E-mail: office@victoriabank.md

www.victoriabank.md

Chairman: Victor Turcanu