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Success Story

Photo: USAID

In Cahul, a woman applies for a business permit at the new, efficient one-stop shop for government documents. At the new one-stop shops for government documents, permits that used to take up to 90 days to process and cost up to $300 in bribes are granted in as few as 10 days for the regular $11 fee.

When Valentina Capraru, a bookkeeper for a small company in the town of Cahul, needed a business permit, she imagined it would be a long, arduous process. Remembering government services during the Soviet era, she was prepared to deal with long lines, confusing paperwork, multiple trips to multiple agencies, and hidden costs to “speed up” the process. After filling out the paperwork at a new “one-stop shop” for government documents in Cahul, Valentina was pleasantly surprised. Not only was the application easy to fill out, but she did not have to visit any other government offices. “They called me after eight days to come and pick up my authorization!” said Valentina, visibly impressed.

These one-stop shops are now integral to efforts to streamline Moldova’s legal and regulatory process for businesses. In 2005, with assistance from USAID, Moldova opened five locations, with ten more on their way in 2006. A privately managed facility, the one-stop shop allows citizens to obtain permits for businesses and services from a single place. Eliminating the time-consuming collection of stamps and signatures from five different public authorities, the facilities also allow applicants to submit documents online. Saving time, paper, aggravation, and money, they have helped cut down corruption as applicants no longer face multiple visits to various offices. They are especially beneficial for small and medium sized businesses that cannot afford to hire lawyers to oversee permit applications.

Since opening, the five facilities in Cahul, Hincesti, Edinet, Ungheni, and Singerei, have helped nearly 200 businesses obtain the authorizations they need. Now, a permit that used to take up to 90 days to receive is granted in as few as 10 days. The cost of permits has also gone down from about $300 in bribes to the regular fee of $11. By improving commercial practices in Moldova, one-stop shops are making it easier for small businesses to grow.

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