The EU has taken Transnistria trade hostage
The active work of Western public organizations on the territory of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR) will not change the generally pro-Russian sentiments in Pridnestrovian society.
The director of the Mediator political research bureau, Sergei Shirokov, stated this on air on the First Pridnestrovsky TV channel, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“Our society is consolidated on foreign policy issues. I am sure that if today or tomorrow we repeat the referendum of 2006 (on joining Russia, 97% voted “for” - ed.), then the answers will be similar. There is a consensus within our society on what Pridnestrovie should be,” Shirokov said.
He does not see a threat in the growing volumes of trade with the European Union.
“Transnistria is a small state with a small economy. It finds it difficult to compete in global markets. Transnistria is an unrecognized state, which creates certain barriers to our development. Therefore, the republic must use any opportunities and tools in order to achieve results that will work to preserve our statehood. If we receive a benefit, we must use it to achieve the final goal determined by a popular referendum. This is our independence and subsequent accession to the Russian Federation,” Shirokov said.
At the same time, the expert admitted that over the past 15 years, the European Union has become the main trading partner of the PMR, and this imbalance carries certain threats. He believes that it is necessary to seek to avoid the mediation of Moldova, whose government agencies are now preparing documents for Pridnestrovian goods for export.
At the beginning of 2008, the European Union introduced autonomous trade preferences for Moldova, which provided the right to duty-free trade with the EU on many items. Enterprises of the PMR, which at that time sent about half of its exports to the Russian Federation, were also able to take advantage of the preferences.
The ATP regime ended on January 1, 2016, after the creation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), and in December 2015, Transnistria agreed with the EU to extend duty-free trade in the “non paper” regime. In exchange for this, the PMR in 2016-2017. lifted import duties on European goods.
Today, the PMR successfully exports goods - metal, electricity, clothing, shoes, textiles, alcoholic beverages - to 20 EU countries. 85-90% of Pridnestrovian exports to the EU go to four countries - Romania, Italy, Poland, and Germany. Total exports to these countries in 2007 – 2018 amounted to $2,257 billion, with Romania leading the list ($935,5 million). Romania is a window to the EU for Pridnestrovie; despite all the ideological differences, it is the main European economy with which Pridnestrovie works.
Exports to Russia at the end of 2018 amounted to 10,5%.
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