The Russian authorities will possibly annul the preferential regime for Moldovan migrants if Moldova signs the Association Agreement with the EU, head of the Department for Cooperation with the CIS Countries of the Russian Ministry of Economy Alexandr Tzibulski has told the media trust company RBK, IPN reports.

“If they establish or simplify the visa relations with the EU, there is a risk that the labor force of migrants will be redirected. In such conditions, we can renounce this preferential regime and switch over to the ordinary one, based on registration,” said the Russian official.

He noted that the Russian Ministry of Economy analyzed the text of the Association Agreement between Moldova and the EU and reached the conclusion that it will negatively influence the Moldovan-Russian economic relations, but Moldova will be more seriously affected because Russia accounts for 18% of Moldova’s exports, while Moldova for only 0.2% of Russia’s exports.

Alexandr Tzibulski also said that Russia is concerned about the uncertain status of the Transnistrian region and about a possible conflict in the region, similar to that in Ukraine. On June 9-11, Alexandr Tzibulski will take part in the negotiations centering on the future Moldovan-Russian commercial relations that will be held in Chisinau.