Moldova cannot immediately expect a considerable rise in the exports of wine to the European Union after the liberalization of the European market for Moldovan wines from January 1. But this will stimulate the development of the wine sector, considers Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov.

“The quotas that existed earlier weren’t used because the winemakers feared they will be unable to export freely and thought that it’s not worth the effort. Effort should be now made. The Moldovan wines will be promoted. We must not be naïve as the exports will not double immediately, but Moldova’s wine exports to this market will increase stably,” the official told IPN.

Vasile Bumacov considers the fact that the export of wine to Russia wasn’t resumed is a failure of 2013. “We had appropriate negotiations, but I think this matter is no longer within the remit of Russia’s food safety body “Rospotrebnadzor”. The companies that exported wine to Russia will adjust themselves. Those who sustained losses in 2006 penetrated new markets and survived. This does not mean that we gave up. We continue to negotiate so as to export Moldova wine to Russia again,” stated the minister.

Asked to comment on the reports that Belarus imports Moldovan wine massively and then bottles it and sells it as its own, Vasile Bumacov said the Moldovan wine on the Belarusian market is highly appreciated. Belarus imports 90% of the non-bottled Moldovan wine, but this does not mean that the Moldovan wine is sold as own wine there.