Moldova is one of the most innovative countries in Eastern Europe according to inventions per capita, said academic Boris Gaina during the Kishinev XI scientific-practical symposium “AGEPI-Readings 2008,” reported Infotag.  He also stressed that Moldova must continue introducing innovation into the national economy.  “The economy will either be innovative, or will not be at all,” said Veaceslav Afanasev, head of the agency of innovation & technology transfer at the Moldovan Academy of Sciences. He asserted that in developed economies, 75 percent of GDP growth is driven by science and education, and from that, 50 percent relies on innovation.  According to Afanasev, the Academy of Sciences of Moldova has seen an increase of introduced innovative projects, from 8 percent in 2005, to 43 percent in 2007.  The state has also increased its funding of innovation at a rate of growth of 10 million Moldovan lei per year.  For the year 2009, 19 million lei are allocated for the funding of such projects.  According to Afanasev, the government will soon review plans for developing a national innovation strategy for the years 2008-2011.

This information was originally published on April 18, 2008.  (www.infotag.md)