The head of state held a working meeting with Pridnestrovian Foreign Ministry leadership. The central issue of the meeting was the results of consultations with European Union representatives on the development of optimal conditions for Pridnestrovian economic agents’ access to European markets. From 1 January 2016 Pridnestrovian enterprises retain the possibility of free trade with the European Union.
We remind that within the framework of the Association Agreement of Moldova with the EU the autonomous trade preferences for Pridnestrovie’s enterprises terminate on 1 January 2016. According to the PMR Ministry of Economic Development’s forecasts, the losses of budget of the republic due to a possible loss of access of Pridnestrovian goods to the European market could be from $30 million to $50 million.
To avoid the negative consequences the President ordered the Foreign Ministry and a number of relevant ministries to negotiate with the European Union and to develop a special formula of trade for Pridnestrovian exporting companies with European counterparts. As a result of almost three years of negotiations, eight rounds of negotiations in Tiraspol we managed to develop a mechanism and to agree on the basic parameters of the trade regime for Pridnestrovian enterprises.
Deputy Foreign Minister of the PMR Dmitry Palamarchuk: “During this period we had to overcome our European colleagues’ inertia approaches, attempts to push Pridnestrovie into the legal and economic space of Moldova, unwillingness to recognize the existence of a separate Pridnestrovian economy with its own characteristics. It is encouraging to note that in the course of direct bilateral negotiations we were able to convince the EU that Pridnestrovie requires a separate approach and imposing the agreement on us signed by Moldova and the European Union is contrary to our strategic interests and without consultation with us is futile.”
The most difficult and stressful stage of negotiations was held this autumn. After several rounds of consultations with our European partners we were able to agree on the basic parameters of the new trade regime.
Currently, the relevant decision is in the process of final approval in the structures of the EU, but now we can say that after January 1, 2016 Pridnestrovian enterprises will retain the possibility of free trade with the European Union. No additional or special claims for economic agents of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic for the implementation of certain regulations and standards, the admission of control agencies, as was stated by some unscrupulous journalists and representatives of the expert community, will not be filed. Foreign trade activities with EU countries for our entrepreneurs will be carried out optimally”.
President of the PMR Yevgeny Shevchuk: “We have confidence that in 2016 the Pridnestrovian economy does not suffer additional losses of $ 30-50 million. The resources that we could potentially lose we will be able to receive and redirect to the support of socially vulnerable categories of the population”.
There would be several scenarios by 1 January 2016. In case of a negative one - a group of Pridnestrovian enterprises would stop their activities, would not be physically able to supply their products to the European markets due to the fact that it would be necessary to go through additional measures of tariff regulation. We were preparing and accumulating certain resources that they could be spent on pensions and salaries to state employees on January 1. The republic is in a difficult economic situation. If the European Union did not change its approach in 2016, the situation would be even more aggravated. I thank the Pridnestrovian diplomats and Ministry of Economic Development officials for the hard work in this area”.
During the meeting, the President instructed the Foreign Ministry to continue consultations in the direction of protecting the interests of our economic agents that would ensure stable conditions for the functioning of the economy and budget revenues.
At the meeting the PMR Foreign Ministry leadership also informed the President on the results of another trial in Athens during which the Greek judicial authorities had taken a decision to refuse the extradition of member of the MIA of the PMR Maksim Kuzmichev to Moldova after which he was officially released. The head of state tasked the Foreign Ministry of Pridnestrovie to continue negotiations with the Moldovan side towards ending the politically motivated prosecution of officials and entrepreneurs of Pridnestrovie in Moldova and improving the situation in the field of freedom of movement of people in general.
Source: http://president.gospmr.ru/ru/news/s-1-yanvarya-2016-goda-pridnestrovski...
