Authorities pledge to step up fight against unauthorised trade

Central and Chisinau local authorities commit themselves, separately from each other, to intensify efforts in fighting unauthorised trade. Both the prime minister and the city mayor promise that neither the merchants, nor the customers will be intimidated by the measures to be taken. The Government expressed concern about the conditions in which the markets operate in our country, especially in Chisinau, and also about the fact that the dealers block the access of producers to the sales stalls. As a result, selling prices are raised by a couple of times. In a working meeting chaired by the prime minister, the chief of the State Tax Inspectorate, Sergiu Puscuta, has informed that during the activity period of the tax units at some wholesale markets, the selling prices were increased twice, a fact that proves the existence of double entry bookkeeping. Minister of Economy and Commerce Igor Dodon said that a set of proposals will soon be submitted to the Government for consideration with the view to amending the Law on domestic trade. On the other hand, Chisinau Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca has requested the district heads to reorganise from the bottom up the activity of the markets in the capital, in order to make all merchants equal, and the markets to function according to the general norm: that a sales stall is given for only a day. Chirtoaca insists that police shouldn’t send away from the streets the merchants that come from villages, but to convince them to go willingly to the markets. According to the deputy head of the Municipal Centre for Preventive Medicine, Ion Cibotari, it is necessary that the local authorities revise the attitude towards the street trade. Selling out eggs, cheese and milk outside the special halls pose great risks to the customers’ health. According to the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, there are 40 authorised markets in Chisinau and 20 unauthorised, which sell mostly flowers or second hand products. In the country, as well as in Chisinau, sales of agricultural products through trucks and vans are only allowed until November.