Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar is going to Moscow to take part in the meeting of the Economic Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which is held quarterly. “Information about Moldova’s commercial policy will be presented in the meeting for the first time. We will explain this policy as we are a party to the multilateral trade agreement with the CIS,” said the official, quoted by IPN.
Valeriu Lazar stated that meetings were scheduled with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and other officials and with representatives of Gazprom. “We will discuss the bilateral trade and the commercial relations, which should exclude the imposition of embargoes. With those from Gazprom, we will discuss energy-related problems, including the problem of debts for gas,” he said.
As regards Russia’s ban on the imports of Moldovan wine, Valeriu Lazar said this issue will be also raised, but not its technical aspects as they are within the competence of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry. “I want to collect information on the spot as the available information is contradictory. I want to find out the real reason for the imposed ban. Another goal is to maintain the dialogue with the Russian authorities on a tone that would enable us to overcome this situation,” stated the Deputy Prime Minister.
The meeting of the CIS Economic Council is taking place in Moscow on September 19-20. The agenda includes 21 items, among which the common methodology for keeping customs statistics on foreign trade, the forecast for energy production and consumption until 2020, the priorities of the strategy for cooperating in the energy sector, and matters concerning foreign trade.
