29 january

Transnistrian businesses will not be affected if they do not implement Association Agreement with EU

The businesses in Transnistria will not be affected if they do not carry out the provisions of the Association Agreement, respectively of the Free Trade Agreement, with the EU, economic analysts said in the program “Moldova Live” on the public TV channel Moldova 1, IPN reports.

Economic analyst Alexandru Fala said problems will appear when the region from the right bank of the Nistru River implements the agreement’s provisions, while the Transnistrian companies do not as it will be harder and harder for them to meet certain standards and this can lead to a decline in Transnistria’s exports. Problems can also appear in time in the sale of certain products made in the eastern districts on the right bank of the Nistru.

The analyst also said that the regions from the left and right banks of the Nistru face similar problems and these problems can be solved after the agreement is signed.

Economic analyst Adrian Lupusor said the Transnistrian authorities’ resistance to this agreement can be understood. “Currently, the situation is rather convenient for them. The status-quo suits them. On the one hand, they benefit from the open EU market because the economic entities can freely export to the EU, without duties. At the same time, the Transnistrian administration imposes import taxes that are extremely restrictive. This way they protect the region’s internal market,” he stated.

According to him, the most competitive companies are anyway oriented to the EU. Thus, there is export potential that can be developed if the provisions of the Free Trade Agreement are implemented.
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