Statement by the PMR MFA on the Ongoing Blockade of Medication Imports

04/14/22

The Foreign Ministry states that Moldova persistently applies administrative and bureaucratic barriers and restrictions against Pridnestrovian importers.

Thus, on April 6 this year, at a meeting of political representative of Pridnestrovie and Moldova, involving Pridnestrovian pharmaceutical companies, the Moldovan side made a public promise, no later than April 11, to let through one of the importing company's goods that had been at Moldovan customs post in Bulboaca since March 27 and April 1  . However, this promise has not been fulfilled.

In recent days, the political representative from the Republic of Moldova has not responded to Pridnestrovian requests either at the level of direct working contacts or officially, and has withdrawn himself from fulfilling his promises in negotiations with Pridnestrovie.

Instead of facilitating the passage of goods that have been at customs posts of the Republic of Moldova for more than two weeks and helping resolve acute humanitarian problems, the Moldovan negotiator makes speculations in the media that contradict the facts, futilely attempting to give the impression that no comprehensive restrictions against Pridnestrovie are in place.

In blocking the medical imports mechanism of Pridnestrovie, Chisinau is trying to hide behind a free trade agreement with the European Union. In doing so, Moldova overlooks the fact that half of the detained medicines are produced directly in EU countries, which eliminates all Moldovan logic.

We regard the refusal of the official representative of the Republic of Moldova to fulfill his assurances about resolving specific problems as a deliberately inadequate approach aimed at undermining trust and destroying the mechanics of the negotiation process itself.

This pathological inability to fulfill the undertaken obligations, as well as an attempt to use the global and regional crisis to increase the blockade of Pridnestrovie, should be subject to proper evaluation by international participants in the settlement process.

We consider unacceptable, inhumane and unjustifiable the restrictive actions of the Republic of Moldova, as they harm the Pridnestrovian citizens, including the least protected categories of people in urgent need of receiving the medicines withheld by Moldova.