The consumers in Moldova file an increasing number of complaints to the Agency for Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance when their rights are violated. The complaints are now more intelligent and justified. “The lower or higher price of the product does not really matter. The consumers just want justice,” the Agency’s director Iurie Eremia stated for IPN.

According to Iurie Eremia, there are consumers who take no action after they submit a complaint to the Agency. Some of the complaints received by the Agency are not within its remit and these are referred to competent institutions.

Most often the Moldovans complain about noncompliant appliances. More complaints have been submitted about services provided in tourism, aviation and finance, concerning the quality and quantity of fuel and related to other areas, such as building and public utilities.

Iurie Eremia noted that after a consumer files a complaint together with evidence of the noncompliance of the product and the company’s refusal to solve the problem, the Agency tries to oblige the company to satisfy the demands. If the noncompliance is proven and the company refuses to pay damages or to replace the product, the Agency can go to court.

In one case, the Agency managed to obtain the refund of over €23,000, while in another case of €37,000, which were the prices of two apartments, and these are the largest sums repaid to consumers so far.

As to groundless complaints, Iurie Eremia said some of these appear as a result of schemes planned by private individuals and legal entities. The Agency even has a blacklist of such consumers. “There is a public association whose representatives go to markets, for example, carry out particular inspections there and then send the results to the Agency and seek our intervention. This is not right as inspections can be conducted by the Agency only, not yet by public associations,” he stated.

Asked about the complaints book, Iurie Eremia said the companies are obliged to present this at request. If they refuse to, the consumer can call the police that examine the case and send the collected information to the Agency. The non-presentation of the complaints book is a widespread phenomenon and consumers file an increasing number of complaints about this to the Agency. The company managers are obliged to deal with the objections left in the complaints book within 14 days. If the consumer is not satisfied with the answer, this can write a complaint to the Agency, which becomes involved.

According to statistics, the Agency for Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance annually receives over 10,000 phone calls with complaints about the violation of consumer rights.

World Consumer Rights Day is annually celebrated on March 15.