Unrecognised Transnistrian republic bans introduction and withdrawal of goods from Moldova

The unrecognised Transnistrian republic prohibited the introduction and withdrawal of goods from Moldova starting March 4, as the Ukrainian customs services do not allow the exportation of goods from Transnistria without an authorisation of the Chisinau competent services. The news agency RIA Novosti has quoted the Transnistrian authorities as saying that the ban is effective for goods transported by long vehicles and trains. "We want to make justice and to make the Chisinau authorities face the same situation as we do,” the head of the Transnistrian railway company, Serghei Martinco, said. Expressing concern with the high number of long vehicles at the border with Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry called on Moldova and Ukraine to review the new customs regime, describing it as „an attempt of economic pressure on Tiraspol” and asked them to start urgent consultations between all sides interested to find solutions to the crisis. "Moscow is concerned with the information provided from the Moldovan-Ukrainian border in Transnistria and the introduction of the new cargo transportation regime on March 3, 2006, without a beforehand notification over the stricter regime,» the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It noted that Moldova has called for stricter rules for cargo transportation over the border with Ukraine, but the „support of Ukraine for these threats worsens the tensions,” reads the statement. The Moldovan and Ukrainian premiers agreed on the introduction of new rules for exportation of the Transnistrian goods and this decision is politically, financially and logistically supported by the European Union.