Tiraspol, 8 December. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. In case the EU's trading preferences for Pridnestrovie are abolished, large financial losses (up to $50 million) would prevent us from paying pensions and salaries even at an amount of 50%, the acting prime minister, Maya Parnas, commented on a frustrated failure of the trade regime negotiations.
«We had very hard talking. Until the last moment there had been no response from the EU on how we are going to work," said the acting prime minister.
According to Maya Parnas, this uncertainty prompted the need to create a financial safety cushion which would enable the country to less painfully adapt to new trade conditions.
«Now, when the decision is adopted, there is no need for these reserves. That is why the reserves have been allocated for clearing the government's indebtedness to pensioners," said the prime minister.
The negotiations over trading relations between the EU and Pridnestrovie started in 2013 when Molodva was preparing to sign a deep and comprehensive free trade area agreement (DACFTA) with the EU. Experts from the MFA, the Ministry of Economic Development and State Customs Committee took part in the working meetings.
«The majority of negotiation rounds were not made public. And this gave the impression we were not doing anything. However, it was clearly understood that the consultations would not be covered by the media," Maya Parnas commented on the talks about the opacity of the negotiation process.
According to the acting prime minister, partially given information could be wrongfully interpreted, which would affect the course of the negotiations and their result. Meantime, the destiny of many Pridnestrovian enterprises depended on the decision on trade preferences.
«Many light industry enterprises export 95−97% of their production to EU markets. They were all at risk. Related small businesses would be closed down as well," noted Maya Parnas.
The following plants and factories, according to the prime minister, were at risk: Floare, Tigina, Softshoes, Vestra, Odema, Intercenterlux, Tirotex and others.
«The government took measures to sustain the industry. Many enterprises are ready today to work without profits to retain their markets," clarified the prime minister, underscoring that retaining the former format of trading relations requires making a number of decisions aimed at quitting economic threats.
Among them is the adoption of the classic tax system, which will ease the tax burden for industrial enterprises by distributing it in a balanced way among all sectors of economy.
«One of the issues raised during the consultations was the adoption of the classical tax system. We are actively collaborating with the Commerce and Industry Chamber and individual enterprises. There are proposals to launch a pilot project — to try the system in one enterprise from each industry and take all peculiarities into account," said the acting prime minister.
