European high-ranking official welcomes implementation of new exportation rules at Moldovan-Ukrainian border

"I welcome that the Joint Declaration of the Ukrainian and Moldovan Prime Ministers of 30 December 2005 is now being implemented, whereby Ukraine only recognises Moldovan customs stamps and Moldova facilitates the registration of Transnistrian enterprises in Chisinau,” Javier Solana, secretary-general of the European Union (E.U.). Council has said. The implementation of this declaration is very important for the establishment of an orderly regime on the Ukrainian-Moldovan border to which the E.U. attaches great importance, he noted. Solana calls on the economic agents of the Transnistrian region of Moldova to register with the relevant authorities in Chisinau in order to promote the unimpeded flow of goods across the border. He also calls on the self-proclaimed Transnistrian authorities not to block this registration. He reiterated that the E.U. stands ready, notably through the E.U. Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine, to assist in solving practical difficulties that may arise in the initial phase of implementation of the new regime, the high representative of the E.U. for common security policy noted. He condemned any efforts by the self-proclaimed Transnistrian authorities to impede the free flow of international trade and also reiterated the E.U.'s firm commitment to Moldova's territorial integrity. The new rules for transit of the Transnistrian goods at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border took effect on March 3, on basis of an agreement that the Moldovan and Ukrainian signed in late 2005 and the E.U. provides political, financial and logistical support for the implementation.