President Vladimir Voronin voiced bewilderment regarding the fact that Moldovan wines affect certain people, while the avian flu does not. During the festivity dedicated to “Expovin” Exhibition, held on Wednesday, February 21, the head of state said: “It is very strange that the bird flu that affects many territories in a country does not affect the citizens’ health, but Moldovan wines do”. The Moldovan President’s statement comes shortly after Russia reported several outbreaks of avian flu, and is referring to “the wine war” waged for almost one year by the Russian Federation against Moldovan wine production, under pretexts of poor quality and harmfulness. “We can in no way agree with statements according to which the Moldovan wine are of bad quality and put at risk people’s health”, head of state said, mentioning that the results of the laboratory tests did not confirm the presence of such hazards. At the same time, Vladimir Voronin said that Moldova is obliged to draw conclusions from the lately created situation and undertake concrete actions to further guarantee the quality of the Moldovan wine production. Besides the already made steps, as the elaboration of normative documents that regulate the activity of producing and selling wine production, creation of the republican centre for quality inspection, institution of the state quality stamp, planting of new varieties of vine, Voronin also said that it is necessary to work out this year a sector strategy for promoting alcoholic drinks, to urgently draw up a unique brand of the Moldovan wines, to create a network of representations of the Agro-Industrial Agency “Moldova-Vin” in many countries. Over 200 wine enterprises - 77 from Moldova and 150 companies from 15 countries of the world – participate in the XVI edition of the Specialised International Exhibition “Expovin Moldova 2007”, from February 21 to 24. The exhibition displays its products on a surface of 2600 sq. m, in three pavilions, specialised on thematic sections. In the central pavilion there are exhibited alcoholic beverages, in the second pavilion – equipment for the wine industry, packing and accessories, while in the pavilion nr. 5 – vine cuttings. Wine companies cover 48% of the exhibition’s space and represents Moldova, Ukraine and Slovakia. Equipment for the wine industry will be displayed by companies from Italy, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Czech Republic etc., while the vine cuttings will bring together producing companies from France, Italy, Germany, Serbia, and Moldova.