Tiraspol, 19 April. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. The memorandum of cooperation signed on 15 April by Russia's federal customs service and the State Customs Committee of the PMR marks a new milestone in the development of Russian-Pridnestrovian cooperation in the customs sphere, the SCC press service reports. According to experts, the memorandum is not just a declaration of intent, but a real working instrument.
The signing of the memorandum was preceded by systematic and extensive work. The main impetus to its intensification was given by the programme document — Rogozin-Shevchuk Protocol — which stipulated the main guidelines of cooperation between Russia and Pridnestrovie. Among them are the intensification of trade relations, increased trade and economic exchanges, the creation of optimal schemes for supplying Pridnestrovian goods to Russian and CIS markets.
«It is evident that activities in the above mentioned field could not do without the organisation of efficient cooperation between customs services. Although by that moment the definite result of the bilateral customs cooperation had been achieved, it required a strong legal framework to provide legitimate, stable and systematic cooperation of Russian and Pridnestrovian customs bodies with the aim of promoting mutual trade," noted the SCC press service.
The ministry underscores that the document is first of all aimed at providing practical benefits to Pridnestrovian exporters.
According to customs statistics, the share of Pridnestrovian exports to Russia amounted to only 8% in 2015, and 6% in the first quarter of 2016. Pridnestrovian enterprises sell to the Russian market the products of such industries as machine-building, metallurgy, light industry, agriculture (vegetables and fruit). Specialists point out, however, that the potential of the Russian-Pridnestrovian cooperation is much higher and has not been realised in full up to now.
Thus, by signing the memorandum, Pridnestrovie has received an efficient instrument enabling right away the implementation of projects aimed at assisting the Pridnestrovian manufacturers supplying goods to the Russian market. Active preparatory work has been under way to organise information exchange between the customs bodies of the sides and the signing of a corresponding protocol.
«it is important that Pridnestrovie feels the openness of Russian partner agencies, readiness for joint work and understanding of the fact that the joint trade turnover needs to be increased," noted Dmitry Palamarchuk, a deputy foreign minister of the PMR. The diplomat has also pointed out that the document is an element of the structure which is being formed by the Pridnestrovian president and government and which is aimed at providing a privileged access for Pridnestrovian goods to the Russian market.
The Russian-Pridnestrovian customs cooperation prioritises the promotion of mutual trade and economic development. Within the framework of this cooperation joint work will not only be continued, but make a qualitative leap forward, experts believe. To achieve this, a full-fledged legal base — the memorandum on cooperation between the Pridnestrovian and Russian customs services — has been created.
