The way in which public money is used has been and remains one of the most pressing problems faced by the Republic of Moldova. Transparent public procurement gives the tone of good governance, and open data platforms, such as the Open Contracting Portal in Moldova, ensure data transparency and active involvement of the company in procurement and decision-making processes. A state of the art procurement system is a growth tool if we take into account the fact that procurement contracts run annually between 5 and 10% of GDP. Unclear procedures, often excessively bureaucratic, have led to the delay of infrastructure works and the increase in corruption cases that seriously damage public budgets.
The implementation of open contracting standards will increase access to information on the entire procurement process, but also reduce bureaucracy and corruption. It also makes it possible to interconnect with other government platforms so that users can access multiple types of data on one portal, such as those in the State Registry of Legal Entities or the National Courts' Portal.
The concept of "open contracting" is a relatively new one, so the foundations of the "Open Contracting" initiative were launched in 2010 on the occasion of an event aimed at improving the governance of the extractive industry in Africa. Among the first supporters of the initiative were internationally renowned organizations such as the World Bank Institute (WBI), Transparency International (TI), the International Cooperation Agency (GIZ), etc. The necessity of an instrument that would generate more transparency and efficiency in public procurement has led to the implementation of open contracting in the Republic of Moldova", explained economist Diana Enachi to the participants in the workshop on open contracts that took place today.
Viorel Chivriga, Director of Programs at IDIS Viitorul, argues that public procurement is an essential aspect of public investment: it stimulates economic development in Europe and is an important element in boosting the single market. In the Republic of Moldova, the World Bank has begun a broad process of harmonization of procurement principles and procedures. The basic principles for public procurement are transparency, economy, and efficiency, equal opportunities for all bidders, help for contractors and small local businesses.
Economic agents said at the event that they are facing limited information, unannounced controls and lack of collaboration between contracting authorities and decision-makers.
The workshop was organized by IDIS Viitorul in the framework of the project: "Development of open contracting in Moldova through information and capacity building activities for participants in the public procurement process through developing information and capacity building for participants in the public procurement process Procurement process ", financed by the World Bank.
