CHISINAU (Reuters) - Mircea Blajinu had been looking forward to expanding his 200 hectare apple and nut plantation in northern Moldova this year. But a credit squeeze in Europe's poorest country - hit by one of the biggest bank frauds in history - has killed off his hope of subsidies and forced him to drop his plans.
Pensioner Vissarion Cheshuyev, 65, like thousands of his peers, looks on angrily as his pension, now standing at $306 a month, plummets in value as he scrambles to keep up with government hikes in the price of gas, electricity and central heating.
