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November 18 2014, 15:05 Ria.ru

Russia may lift restrictions on imports of Moldovan fruits

Russia's veterinary and phytosanitary watchdog (Rosselkhoznadzor) is ready for talks with Moldova on lifting restrictions on imports of Moldovan fruits and meat; however, Moldova has to establish a system enabling to prevent illegal shipments of the EU products to Russia, said Mr. Aleksey Alekseyenko, Deputy Chief of Rosselkhoznadzor.

For the present, Russia is restricting imports of fresh fruits, meat and wine from Moldova. In addition, the Russian Federation has introduced duties on imports of some other Moldovan goods, inclusive of wine, meat, vegetables, fruits and grains, on September 1. The restrictions were introduced due to signing the free-trade agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the EU on June 27.

Last week Mr. Vasile Bumacov, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry of Moldova, said that Chisinau was ready to conduct negotiations with Moscow to settle the issues on the export restrictions, which could result in about $200 mln losses for agricultural growers.

«We are aware that Moldova is ready to negotiate. Bilateral consultations are regularly held. I belive that negotiations will soon start, we are ready for them; this is a technical matter to be solved through the two countries' embassies», said Mr. Alekseyenko.

According to him, the two countries have to talk on the EU-Moldova association issue, which is directly connected with re-exports of European products to Russia through Moldova.

«There are many technical questions. Negotiations will focus on creating the system enabling to prevent arrival of fruits and meat from third countries, inclusive of the EU ones, in the Russian market through Moldova», explained Mr. Alekseyenko.

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