Tiraspol, April 06 /Novosti Pridnestrovya/ Moldova promises to let through two stuck Pridnestrovian trucks with medicines by the end of the week. This was agreed upon by the PMR Foreign Minister Vitaly Ignatiev and Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Serebrian. A meeting of the political representatives, relevant experts, and Pridnestrovian pharmaceutical companies representatives was held, today, in the OSCE mission in Chisinau.
Vitaly Ignatiev reminded that before, Moldovan representatives had already twice promised to let the delayed supplies through. And finally, for the third time, the Moldovan political representative assured that the issue would be resolved very soon.
“Those supplies, that have been detained, would be passed on an exceptional basis by the end of the week. I have been officially confirmed for the third time ” the Pridnestrovian foreign ministry head reported during a conversation with journalists following the meeting.
As for the issue of importing medicines to the Pridnestrovie, the problem escalated after Ukraine closed the border. Since that, all medicines should be imported through Moldova. At the same time, the PMR and the RM have completely different registries of drugs approved for use.
“The second phase of boundary customs control in Kuchurgan (under which the goods imports into Pridnestrovie are restricted by Moldovan legislation) took place, but not in Kuchurgany, due to border closures in Ukraine on the Moldovan-Romanian frontier. Because of this, all our economic agents are forced to pass through such the most notorious second control phase,” Vitaly Ignatiev explained.
Thus, due to the difference in the Moldovan and Pridnestrovian legislation, the medicines import to the PMR was blocked.
According to the press service of the PMR Foreign Affairs Ministry, due to the relevant Moldovan agency's refusal to provide goods import authorizations, some Pridnestrovian pharmaceutical companies decided to suspend most of the medicines purchases and shipment. A critical situation has developed with tenders for public medicines procurement, including drugs used in the treatment of cancerous, tuberculosis, and other dangerous diseases.
Administrative barriers are used by the Moldovan side. When importing a part of already registered medicines in Moldova under the pretext of price, the presence of the analog on the market, or through delayed authorization.
“As a result of 20 applications submitted and considered by Moldova’s relevant agency in the second half of March, not a single one was satisfied,” the PMR Foreign Ministry reported.
What is a solution of the situation Pridnestrovians see?
So that ordinary citizens don’t suffer because of the force majeure situation at the border, the Pridnestrovian side proposes that Moldova create a green corridor for medicines intended for import into Pridnestrovie and allow their transit through Moldova’s territory in a simplified manner. Such corridor is proposed to be extended to the food products, fertilizers, and other goods import.
Thus, Pridnestrovian pharmaceutical companies, and eventually other enterprises, would be able to import their goods in the same regime as earlier.
The PMR Foreign Minister stressed that for the green corridor for the goods transit through Moldova to work, the RM’s Government should make a political decision. But for this, it should be initiated by the relevant Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Serebrian.
In the meantime, the issue of the pharmaceutical products supplying to the Pridnestrovian territory is on thin ice. The dialogue will continue at the subject matter experts’ level shortly with the mediators and observers’ participation.
