The Deputy Minister discussed with hosts prospects of economic cooperation between Pridnestrovie and the Russian Federation, as well as shared his opinion on the development of trade relations with the European Union after 31 December 2015.
Asked about directions of development of the cooperation with the Russian Federation in the sphere of economy, Dmitry Palamarchuk expressed the view that priority should be put into the implementation in practice the provisions of agreements achieved with the Russian side. “We need first to deal with the economy, which is the basis, to make concerted efforts to reorient the Pridnestrovian exports to the Russian Federation, taking into account the fact that only 8% of the Pridnestrovian exports go to Russia as of January-August 2015. This is a figure that cannot satisfy both sides,”- said Dmitry Palamarchuk.
During the meeting, the Deputy Minister also touched on the problem of harmonizing the trade regime between Pridnestrovie and the European Union after 31 December 2015. He noted that the Pridnestrovian side had its own vision of a compromise solution to this issue, and emphasized that the negotiations with the European Union representatives were carried out in an intensive mode.
“I think we all know that yesterday the President of the PMR met with representatives of the European Commission, with the Head of the EU Delegation in Moldova. It should be stated that platforms for compromises were found on certain components at that meeting,”- said Deputy Foreign Minister.
He also noted that the participants of the First Pridnestrovian International School “Geopolitics and regional security”, held between 2 and 5 October, gave an opinion that if trade preferences with the EU were abolished, there would be a high probability of economic collapse in Pridnestrovie. The diplomat expressed hope that the situation will develop in a positive way. “I respectfully disagree with this opinion, because collapsar is very interesting celestial body, if it will detonate, then the entire solar system will be destroyed together with it. But the Pridnestrovian economy, even in the current, very blocked configuration, is integrated nevertheless, as a minimum, into a regional labour division system. In this situation Pridnestrovie reasonably expects that a rational kernel will prevail, especially among our European colleagues, and points of a compromise will be found,”- the deputy minister hoped. He pointed out the importance of the forthcoming German presidency of the OSCE in 2016, which should not be burdened from the outset with the situation, leading to the economic destabilization and expansion of poverty.
