Tiraspol, 15 April. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. Replying to a Vzlyad journalist's question about the reason of a sharp deterioration of Pridnestrovie's economic situation — «whether due to the crisis in Russia where many Pridnestrovians work or because of Kishinev and Kiev's attempts to suffocate Pridnestrovie» — Vitaly Ignatyev said that «it is Moldova that generally live at the expanse of money transfers from Russia.
«Pridnestrovie is a different state. We have an open export-driven economy. Until 2006 most of our exports had accounted for Russian and CIS countries. Then, through Moldova and Ukraine, the EU initiated the change of a customs clearance procedure and Ukraine stopped passing Pridnestrovian goods without Moldova's clearance. After that the basic profile of our economy changed. In fact, our economy was forcedly re-oriented, being imposed the EU's rules and standards," noted Vitaly Ignatyev.
He said that the situation had been deteriorating step by step. Pridnestrovie had been systematically driven into a corner. «The only positive result was the fact that at the end of last year after long and difficult negotiations we managed to agree with Brussels a special trading regime, which is considerably different from Moldovan. We haven’t made any commitments within the DCFTA. This, in many respects, unique decision has prevented a sharp decline in GDP and a humanitarian catastrophe in general," said the minister.
Vitaly Ignatyev noted that Pridnestrovie's minimum task is to return to the Russian market, to level the imbalance and return the indicators of our exports to Russia to the pre-blockade level (as of 3 March 2006).
«We proceed from the fact that amid quickly changing geopolitical situation the economic sovereignty is our priority today. With regard to Pridnestrovie's strategic direction towards the integration with Russia and Eurasian structures, our task is to integrate as far as possible Pridnestrovie's economy into the Russian economic complex," said Ignatyev.
Besides, the journalis mentioned recent accusations of corruption and embezzlement brought by Supreme Council vice speaker Galina Antyufeyeva against President Yevgeny Shevchuk and wondered if such allegations damaged the country's reputation abroad.
«It is often difficult to understand the essence of messages and proposals by such 'critics' because the lack of specific content. It is evident that elaborate attempts made by certain political forces ahead of election campaign to question Pridnestrovie's contemporary foreign policy jeopardise the country's stable position in the international arena. It is barely possible to gain political weight making such statements, but it is easy to damage the PMR's interests," believes Vitaly Ignatyev.
According to the foreign minister, any arguments must be supported by facts. «The parliamentary session is not a legal trial. As any other state we have the Investigation Committee, Prosecutor's Office, Accounts Chamber which must investigate into this situation. The president has already given such instructions. The check is under way," concluded Ignatyev.
