The exports of economic agents from the Transnistrian region to the countries of the European Union last year accounted for 70.48% of all exports, a record figure since the signing of the Association Agreement with the Republic of Moldova. According to the Bureau for Reintegration Policies, this is an increase of over 20.58% compared to 2019, when the figure stood at 49.9%, IPN reports.
Import trade relations with the EU advanced in 2013, the indicator of 55.99% or an increase of almost 24.19% compared to 2018, when imports stood at 31.8%, confirming this.
Romania, Poland, Germany, Slovakia, Bulgaria remained the main destinations in the EU, which are traditionally chosen by economic agents from the Transnistrian region.
“The war in Ukraine and the closing by the Ukrainian authorities of all frontier posts on the central (Transnistrian) segment of the Moldovan-Ukrainian state border contributed to the modification of logistics chains and to the further reorientation of commercial activities from the region to EU markets, and also to the strengthening of the connection with the right bank of the Nistru,” noted the Bureau.
Thus, according to the official Chisinau, the economic realities on the ground denote an objective picture and develop naturally, regardless of the attempts by some regional political actors to present the processes in other colors and dynamics.
On January 1, the provisions of the new Customs Code of the Republic of Moldova entered into force. According to these, all economic agents, including those from the Transnistrian region, pay customs duties on general principles, taking into account the preferences granted in accordance with international treaties and agreements to which Moldova is a party.
In response, the administration of the Transnistrian region, which harshly criticized the new provisions, announced that it would cancel the so-called preferential customs regime for Dubăsari farmers, who have farmland located beyond the Rybnitsa-Tiraspol road. Thus, they are obliged to pay taxes to the budget of the left bank of the Nistru. Also, the regime in Tiraspol intends to oblige owners of cars with Moldovan license numbers, who have their permanent residence in Dorotskaya, to pay a vignette. Another decision announced by Tiraspol stipulates that starting with February 1, legal entities registered in Moldova, but operating in the Transnistrian region will pay for energy resources according to charges applied on the right bank. The decision also concerns state institutions.
