“This is an action that favors foreign producers and brings national producers close to bankruptcy,” said Socialist MPs, referring to President Maia Sandu’s refusal to promulgate the amendments to the law on domestic trade. According to representatives of the PSRM, the non-promulgation of amendments will make national producers to seize operations, while the large shop chains will be full of imported products, IPN reports.

President Sandu sent back to Parliament for reexamination the bill to amend the law on domestic trade, arguing the document will lead to higher prices and goes against the commitments undertaken by Moldova though the Association Agreement with the EU. The Socialist MPs have a different opinion.

“This is a decision that will lead to the destruction of national producers. We are already dependent on imported food products. I refer to dairy products, juices. By such a decision, we become fully dependent on imports. The national producers could halt activities and produce only four personal needs when the foreign producers dictate prices to us,” Socialist MP Petru Burduja stated in the program “Direct Access” on NTV Moldova channel.

According to the Socialists, Maia Sandu promotes the interests of producers from other states to the detriment of the national producers. “The non-promulgation of the law on domestic trade and, in general, what is going on at the presidential institution is a classical model of government of the country from outside. The national producers should understand that now their voice does not matter for the presidential administration. The people who expected to sell their seasonal products remained without resources amid the pandemic,” said Socialist MP Vladimir Odnostalco.

The amendments to the law on domestic trade, which were adopted by the PSRM-Shor majority, obliged the retail outlets to offer the national producers 50% of the shelf area and limited the discounts asked by shop chains to 10% of the selling price of the product.