OREANDA-NEWS. December 04, 2008. Belarus and Moldova should not reduce the trade during the global financial crisis, Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Ivan Bambiza noted during his meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova Viktor Stepaniuk. According to Ivan Bambiza, for the recent several years, the trade between the two countries has tripled, reported the Official website www.government.by.

It is necessary to provide the paying capacity of Belarusian and Moldovan companies to preserve the growth rates of the mutual trade. The Intergovernmental Belarusian-Moldovan commission for trade and economic cooperation should play an important role in this, Ivan Bambiza said.

The Belarusian and Moldovan economies are integrated in the world economic system, so they are under the influence of the global financial crisis. The adoption of appropriate measures will allow Belarus and Moldova to feel its impact in a less degree, Ivan Bambiza underscored.

According to Viktor Stepaniuk, the Moldovan banking system operates stably, there are no problems of payments, Moldova’s GDP grows 6-7%. In 2008, Moldova gathered a good harvest.
Moldova would like to establish long-term relations with Belarus which is one of its main trade partners, Viktor Stepaniuk highlighted. Some 90% of all the tractors operating in Moldova are produced in Belarus. Owing to this equipment, Moldova is restoring its agriculture. Belarusian refrigerators and gas stoves are also in popular demand in Moldova. In turn, Moldova would like to boost the supplies of agricultural products and medicines to Belarus.

Belarus and Moldova will cultivate long-term relations. This decision was voiced at a session of the Intergovernmental Belarusian-Moldovan commission for trade and economic cooperation in Minsk on December 3. The session was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Ivan Bambiza and Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova Viktor Stepaniuk.

According to Ivan Bambiza, a meeting with Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky was held in the run-up to the session. It featured urgent issues of Belarus-Moldova cooperation; the Belarusian head of government gave relevant instructions regarding the development of the bilateral links. “Our major goal is to enhance the bilateral trade and achieve a good trade volume,” the Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus said. He expressed his confidence that the commission will achieve tangible results in building up the trade between the two countries.

Viktor Stepaniuk said that Moldova assigns high priority to the trade with Belarus. Belarusian goods successfully compete on the Moldovan market. “We should remove all the obstacles and barriers in trade,” the Moldovan Vice-Premier said. He added that the two countries always find common ground on this issue. According to him, the relations between Belarus and Moldova should pursue long-term goals.

Moldova will export more table grapes and wines to Belarus. The agreement was reached at the session of the Belarusian-Moldovan intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation.

Belarusian co-chairman of the commission, Vice Prime Minister Ivan Bambiza noted, “We’ve requested Moldova to increase the deliveries of table grapes, as there is constant demand for these products in Belarus”. The choice of Moldovan wines, wine materials and cognacs will increase as well. Enterprise certification and standardisation issues have been dealt with.

The sides agreed that the volumes will be raised every year. Enterprises to export the products to Belarus have been chosen. Joint projects for grape cultivation and wine making are being carried out.

In Belarus there are shops offering Moldovan products. According to Ivan Bambiza, “We don’t have complaints about the quality of Moldovan products”. Supply schemes have been perfected. Belarus has created a “green corridor” to deliver fruits and vegetables from Moldova. A sufficient number of permits for Moldovan transporters have been granted.

In turn, Moldova Vice Premier Victor Stepaniuc noted, “We will create the necessary conditions for promoting Moldovan products onto the Belarusian market”.

Moldova and Belarus will continue working on the establishment of a joint venture to manufacture tractors.

According to Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova Viktor Stepaniuk, this issue has been discussed but a final decision has not been taken yet. He added that Belarusian tractors are in great demand in Moldova. Tractors Belarus account for 90% of the machinery of Moldova.

At present, however, this issue cannot be finalized in view of financial matters and the prospects of the market development, Viktor Stepaniuk said. The sides decided to take their time and agreed to bring up this subject at a regular session of the Intergovernmental commission in Chisinau in half a year.

After the session the parties signed a protocol as well as an agreement between the Belarusian Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Ministry and the Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry of Moldova for cooperation in environmental protection and sustainable use of natural resources. The parties also signed a protocol between the State Customs Committee of Belarus and the Customs Service of Moldova on using free trade procedures for goods transported across countries, which are not members of the Free Trade Zone Agreement of April 15, 2004.

Moldova is an important trade partner of Belarus. It ranks fourth among the CIS member states on Belarus’ trade partners main list. Belarus’ main exports to Moldova are oil products, tractors, ceramic tiles and construction ceramics, petroleum bitumen, polymers, condensed gas, refrigerators and freezers, trucks, gas stoves, tires, spare parts for cars and tractors, pharmaceuticals, polyethylene film, corsetry and others. Moldova imports wines, apples, sunflower oil, medicines, glass containers and mill cake to Belarus.

In January - September 2008, Belarus-Moldova trade totalled US268 million, 62.3% up on the same period of 2007. Belarus’ export to Moldova totalled US 196.3 million (84.1% up), the import from Moldova reached US 71.7 million (22.5% up). The foreign trade surplus amounted to US 124.6 million. In 2007, the trade between Belarus and Moldova reached US 226.5 million.

In 2008, the supplies of Belarusian tractors to Moldova increased 2.1 times, the export of lime increased 2 times, tires – 2.1 times, plywood – 2.3 times, fiber building board – by 79%, road machinery – by 77.5%. Belarus also upped the export of gas stoves, polymers, corsetry and ceramic tiles.