OREANDA-NEWS. August 16, 2010. Prime Minister Vlad Filat and World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick today participated in the opening of a roundtable focused on e-transformation in Moldova, the government's communications and press relations department has said.

The roundtable was held by State Minister Victor Bodiu. Attending the event were cabinet members, MPs and experts.

In his speech, Prime Minister Vlad Filat said that this event is unique for Moldova.

"It is for the first time ever that we hold discussions at such a high level on Moldova's e-transformation and development on the basis of advanced technologies, with experts from the USA, Estonia, Singapore and the United Kingdom attending it," Vlad Filat said.

The prime minister said that the world economic crisis triggers huge and multi-dimensional challenges for governments. In such circumstances, the state should come out with different approaches and solutions so as to cope with these provocations and serve the citizens.

"To ensure Moldova's shift from the group of developing countries to the one of developed countries, we should invest in education and science, innovation, institutional transformation, advanced technologies, diversify the economic activities, transform the way we govern and manage the country," Vlad Filat emphasized.

Referring to the example of Estonia and Singapore - which managed to apply innovative solutions and achieve results - the prime minister expressed confidence that Moldova will also succeed on this path, especially now when the country enjoys every support and assistance of the development partners from abroad.

"The government which I lead has set as its major objective to turn Moldova into a country with transparent and efficient administration, dynamic and competitive economy, with a friendly business environment to attract investments," Vlad Filat said.

The prime minister said that this vision may be fulfilled more quickly and with lower costs by means of Information and Communication Technologies (TIC).

"The e-government is part of our vision to modernize and reform the public administration and increase the level of Moldova's competitiveness," Vlad Filat said.

In his speech, Robert B. Zoellick said that he came to Moldova, as he was inspired by the ambition of Prime Minister Vlad Filat and his team to quickly restore Moldova's economy.

"Besides the World Bank's experience, I brought here famous experts from different parts of the world," Robert B. Zoellick specified.

Referring to Estonia's example, the World Bank Group president said that he visited this country for the first time in the early 1990s. The WB official stressed that when he return to Estonia five years later, he ascertained huge changes in the sense that the government act was carried out in the e-variant. Robert B. Zoellick talked about Singapore's successful history as well.

He said that the experts who came to Chisinau know very well the new information and communication technologies, implemented both in the public and private area.

Robert B. Zoellick voiced confidence that the e-government's implementation will have numerous positive effects for Moldova. He stressed that the use of new IT adds transparency to the government act, which is extremely important in combating corruption.

The World Bank Group president thanked Prime Minister Vlad Filat for organizing the roundtable. He praised the Moldovan government's "ambitious e-government agenda".