Ukraine does not allow Transnistrian goods transit without Moldovan customs stamps

March 7, 2006

On March 3, Ukraine instituted a new customs regime at the border with Transnistria. Under the order issued by Ukrainian Customs' head, at the request of President Viktor Yushchenko, all the Transnistrian goods that are transported via Ukraine will have to be accompanied by customs documents released by the Moldovan authorities.

Ukraine PM has charged the Foreign Ministry and the State Customs officials to render the account to the society for the goods circulation on the Transdniestrian frontier. "In January I met the businessmen and authorities from Moldova, Ukraine and Transdniestrian in . In the course of the meeting the sides voiced their precise positions towards the rules of the game," noted PM of Ukraine speaking about the special terms of freight transportation via the territory of Moldova, Ukraine and Transdniestrian region. According to his words, the freight from Transdniestrian region will cross Ukraine only if it has Moldova’s stamp. "It means no additional taxes or excise," stressed PM Yekhanurov.

, High Representative for the CFSP, welcomes implementation by Moldova and Ukraine of Joint Declaration on Customs: "I welcome that the Joint Declaration of the Ukrainian and Moldovan Prime Ministers of 30 December 2005 is now being implemented, whereby Ukraine only recognizes Moldovan customs stamps and Moldova facilitates the registration of Transnistrian enterprises in Chisinau. The implementation of this declaration is very important for the establishment of an orderly regime on the Ukrainian-Moldovan border to which the EU attaches great importance." Solana added also: "I call on the economic agents of the Transnistrian region of Moldova to register with the relevant authorities in Chisinau in order to promote the unimpeded flow of goods across the border. I also call on the self-proclaimed Transnistrian authorities not to block this registration. ... I condemn any efforts by the self-proclaimed Transnistrian authorities to impede the free flow of international trade."

The so-called Transnistrian president qualified 's decision as economic attack and called on the Ukrainian authorities to revise it so as to avert "a social-economic catastrophe" in the region.

Trade between Transnistria and Ukraine totals about 400 million.