The Association of Milk Producers and Processors does not rule out the possibility that the dairy scandal was initiated to free place on the market for a new producer given that the lab tests were done by a foreign foundation. At the same time, the Center for Consumer Assistance of Chisinau, which commissioned the study, said the lab examinations were performed taking into account the interests of consumers, IPN reports.
Carolina Linte, president of the Association of Milk Producers and Processors, in the talk show “Black Box” on TV8 channel, said these lab tests could have been done to discredit national producers and to open up the market for foreign producers. Carolina Linte made reference to the fact that the investigation was financed by a foreign foundation. “I ask myself if a state can come and start a foundation that would subsidize investigations,” she stated.
She also said the Association hasn’t yet received the examination reports and does not know what method was used to take samples and how the proceedings were transmitted to the lab. “Actually, no one discussed the situation in the field with us,” said Carolina Linte.
Radu Jigau, jurist of the Center for Consumer Assistance of Chisinau, said scandals concerning the dairy products in Moldova occur regularly. The lab examinations covered 126 dairy products popular with consumers. “We didn’t aim to determine how many producers are and where they sell their products. The goal was to deal with consumers’ complaints and to establish what is going on the market of dairy products” he stated.
The jurist noted that the lab tests were carried out by the Metrology Center that certifies the products and there should be thus no doubts as to the quality of the examinations. The fines imposed on dairy producers whose products contained higher than allowed levels of vegetable fats were very small as 15,000 lei does not represent serious damage for a producer.
A study published at the start of February showed that the milk fats in many of the diary products sold in Moldova are substituted with fats of other origins.
