OREANDA-NEWS. April 08, 2013. In their letter to President Nicolae Timofti, Speaker Marian Lupu and Acting Premier Vladimir Filat, collectives of workers of the sugar-milling branch of Moldova expressed deep concern and apprehension over the mass import of contraband sugar from Ukraine to Moldova.

 They stressed that this flagrant smuggling impairs both: social and economic conditions at sugar mills and the national economy. After the raise in the sugar VAT by 20% the contraband of Ukrainian sugar to Moldova soared drastically and sales of the domestic sugar nearly failed, the letter runs. Due to the shortage of funds collectives of sugar mills can not set to maintenance works and preparation to the post-harvesting season and are forced to be standing idle due to technical delays.

This situation may lead to the collapse of the sugar-milling branch of Moldova, throwing the country back on 1994. In this case workers of this strategic branch will lose their jobs and their families will be deprived of means of support. Workers of the sugar-milling branch of Moldova demanded for the authorities to stop lobbying mercenary interests of individuals who have created conditions for the sugar contraband and made a profit by stealing money from the workers’ families.

The workers urged the leadership of Moldova to prevent the aggravation of corruption and encourage its growth. Worker collectives of the sugar-milling branch of Moldova are going to exert every possible legal measure to assert their rights if their interests are further neglected and the sugar-milling branch keeps being destroyed, the letter says. It was signed by 182 workers of sugar mills of Moldova.