Information about Belarus's ban on Moldovan wine imports untrue

There is no embargo on the import of Moldovan alcoholic beverages into Belarus. The letter that makes reference to an order to suspend imports from Moldova will be withdrawn, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov has told Info-Prim Neo. “I spoke with representatives of the Embassy of Belarus. They confirmed that this letter is to be withdrawn. There is currently no embargo,” said the minister. Prime Minister Vlad Filat Wednesday instructed the minister of foreign affairs and the agriculture minister to analyze the situation as he received a letter saying that Belarus will issue no certificates for the import of Moldovan wines from Moldova and Georgia from April 4 until new instructions are given. He said that it might be an artificial blockage. The chief sanitary inspector of Belarus Oleg Arnautov, who reportedly signed the order to halt the imports, told RIA Novosti that there were imposed no restrictions on Moldova. Last year, Moldova exported to Belarus wine products to the value or US$41.3 million.