The exporting economic entities of Moldova sustain losses when they go through customs control, Viorel Chivriga, the head of the Coalition for Rural Economic Development, said after an advocacy campaign conducted during 2008-2009, Info-Prim Neo reports. At a roundtable meeting, the expert said they launched an investigation to find out what problems the Moldovan carriers and exporters encounter. Economic entities helped transport several batches of agricultural products along the international routes Balti – Targu-Mures (Romania), Chisinau – Moscow (Russia) and the transit route Turkey – Moscow (Russia). “Persons traveling together with the drivers noted down every bribe paid, every official payment made to functionaries and measured the time that they spent in customs and on the routes via different countries. The figures obtained differ much from those provided by the institutions operating in the area,” Chivriga said. According to the expert, the exporters did not pay unofficial taxes on the Balti – Targu-Mures route. They paid insignificant amounts only in the customs and the period of time spent there was not too long. The police and the customs officers did not misuse their authority. However, on other routes the Moldovan exporters had to pay many unofficial taxes. Cases of bribery were recorded in Ukraine, Bulgaria and Russia. “Customs clearance in these countries took over 12 hours,” Chivriga said. The expert also said that the advocacy campaign included debates, roundtable meetings, dialogue clubs for economic entities. There were made practical recommendations for state institutions as regards polices benefiting the Moldovan exporters. Founded in 2002, the Coalition for Rural Economic Development brings together 65 nongovernmental organizations working in different regions of the country.