Rospotrebnodzor to inspect Moldova wine companies this week

A group of experts of the Russian veterinary watchdog “Rospotrebnodzor” have arrived in Moldova to inspect, by March 17, Moldovan wine enterprises, which have to meet to the standards imposed by Russia’s vet authority and to ensure the quality and safety of wine production process. The experts were expected to Moldova for more than two months. The Federal Service’s representative Boris Bokitko, the head of the working group for cooperation in the agro industrial sector, told Wednesday, February 14, during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanii that following inspections, a report will be presented to “Rospotrbnadzor” leadership to take a long-term decision. Zinaida Greceanii welcomed the measures undertaken by Russian experts, underlining the need for the soonest resumption of the Moldovan wine supplies to the Russian market. She said that the Government is willing to cooperate with a view to gathering necessary information to relaunch exports. The experts are to take stock of the information presented in the documents submitted two months ago to “Rospotrebnodzor” by 35 Moldovan enterprises. Chief of the Federal Service “Rospotrebnadzor” Ghenadi Oniscenko recently told that Russia drew up special terms for the access of Moldova on the Russian wine market. According to him, “special “discriminatory” terms will be in effect during the first stage of exports resumption. Each consignment will be closely inspected before being allowed to cross the border. The quoted source said that the suppliers from Moldova will be practically forced to regain the Russian market, which was cornered by wines from Latin America, Australia, Japan, etc. A work meeting of the customs services’ experts from Moldova and Russia was held in Chisinau from 14 to 16 February. The meeting aimed at determining checkpoints where the alcoholic production, exported from Moldova to Russia, will cross the customs, and also focused on information interaction of the customs services in the given field. Moldova’s Customs Service announced that it has determined the international checkpoints for crossing Moldova-Ukraine border (for auto and railway transport), through which the alcoholic production exports to Russia will be performed, without specifying these “points”.