Moldovan businessmen suggest blocking trade relations with Russia

A group of businessmen representing the Congress of Nongovernmental Organizations propose terminating the business relations with Russia because the Moldovan entrepreneurs are humiliated by the Russian customs officers, border guards and militiamen, while the goods remain blocked in customs posts for weeks. In a news conference held at Info-Prim Neo, the Congress's chairman Fiodor Ghelici said trucks with Moldovan license numbers stay in border crossing points between Ukraine and Russia for many days, regardless of the merchandise they transport. The Russian customs officers, border guards and militiamen insolently ask for bribe. The sums are exorbitant. When a politician like the Mayor of Moscow Yuri Lujkov demands boycotting the Moldovan goods, the most reasonable thing is to block the business relations with Russia, Ghelici said. “It is a tragedy for the export-oriented businesses. Many of them will have to stop work. It is said instructions were given to stop and check nonstop the vehicles coming from Moldova and to drive the Moldovans working in Russia away by different methods,” Fiodor Ghelici said. According to him, serious problems arouse after the presidential decree of June 24 instituted the Soviet Occupation Day on June 28. “The Russian officials have denigrating attitude towards the Moldovans and this is inadmissible. If our Government decided to pursue an anti-Russia policy, they should open the Western borders. Moldova should unite with Romania, the European Union and abandon the Commonwealth of Independent States that offers no advantage,” Ghelici stated. He related that several businesses recently bought by 700 kilograms of sunflower seeds in Grigoriopol. They freely crossed the Transnistrian customs post, but the Moldovan customs officers forced them to make import statements and pay 3,800 lei. “The merchandise bought in Moldova and brought into Moldova is taxed. This shows that Moldova recognized the statehood of Transnistria,” Fiodor Ghelici said. He is sure Moldova lost Transnistria for good as Ukraine and Russia have great interests on the left bank of the Nistru and will not allow the country to be reunified. At the same time, Moldova bears the burden of Transnistria's debts.