Nicolae Besedovschi, a Nistru war veteran, is accusing the customs of officers corruption. He told a press conference Monday he has been unable to obtain customs clearance for a truck for 5 years now because he refused to pay a €1,800 bribe. Nicolae Besedovschi says that in 2005 he bought a cargo vehicle from the Netherlands with the intention to start a small business. But at the customs, according to him, officers suggested he would never get the clearance without paying a bribe. At first, the officers claimed the real intention of the importer was to convert the truck into a passenger vehicle, then they said the car was too old to pass the clearance procedure. But Besedovschi knew the reason was different when four officers, including the former head of the customs bureau, requested money. The sum of €1,800 was written on a piece of paper and shown to him. He was allegedly also threatened with 15 days in remand if he refused. Nicolae Besedovschi claims he has sought help from a host of institutions, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Constitutional Court, the Court of Appeals, but was never heard. “For five years now my property has been seized. It's there under the sun, wind, rain and snow and has already caught rust. When I eventually get hold of the car, it will be worthless”, he complained.