OREANDA-NEWS. June 15, 2010. Vice-Premier, Minister of Economy of Moldova Valeriu Lazar said during the TV-bridge Chisinau-Moscow "Moldova and Russia: Economic Dialogue”.

He has noted that according to the National Bureau of Statistics, which does not cover the operation of enterprises in the Transnistria, in the I quarter of 2010, Russia accounted for 24% of the total Moldovan exports and 23,1% of imports. Valeriu Lazar said that in times of crisis opportunistic deals got overshadowed, and now the parties deliver to each other the most popular products. In particular, the basis of Moldovan exports to Russia account for agro-food and wine production, and the basis of Russian exports to Moldova - energy and equipment. Valeriu Lazar said that the parties have effectively cooperated in various industries, highlighting particularly the energy sector.

Vice-Premier, Minister of Economy has reminded that Moldova in the spring of this year extended for another year a contract for purchasing electricity from the Moldovan Power Station, owned by Russia's Inter RAO UES, buying it for about 75% of total required electricity. In addition, the Russian side agreed to reduce the selling price of electricity to Moldova.

At the same time, the Moldovan Power Station exports generated electricity to Romania. Lazar called this project a positive vivid example of how to Moldova, with coinciding interests of the parties, can be a good platform for cooperation between Russia and the EU. Lazar has also noted the importance of opening in Russia of additional terminals for the supply of Moldovan wines. He says, in times of crisis it is important to jointly facilitate foreign trade regime, to remove existing barriers, and this is the aim the parties' efforts are concentrated at.