OREANDA-NEWS. August 08, 2014. Prime Minister Iurie Leanca chaired a working meeting focused on legal and trade aspects of a Russian cabinet’s ruling to levy import duties on a string of Moldovan products, starting from 1 September, as well as on setting non-tariff restrictions on products of vegetal origin from Moldova, the government’s communication and media relations department has reported.

Decision makers from the Foreign and European Integration Ministry, Economics Ministry, Agriculture and Food Ministry, as well as the heads of the Customs Service and National Food Safety Agency unveiled the results of the analysis on the Russian authorities’ decisions.

According to the officials, Moldova meets all trade commitments agreed upon at bilateral level with Russia, as well as within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Thus, the Russian government’s ruling on changing the conditions for import of Moldovan goods is groundless and contrary to the agreements between the two states and the ones within CIS.

Leanca asked the relevant institutions to boost the dialogue with the Russian partners on the matter, by organising consultations both at bilateral level and via international economic organisations, Moldova and Russia were members of, in order to identify legal solutions to overcome the present situation.