Moldova Says Trade Duties For Separatist Transdniester Will Not Be Scrapped

Moldovan Minister for Reintegration Oleg Serebrian said on January 17 after meeting with Vadim Krasnoselsky, the leader of Transdniester, that the newly introduced import and export duties for the separatist region will remain in place. Krasnoselsky on January 5 had protested the central authorities' move, saying it was violating fundamental rights and crushing business in the Russian-backed region and appealed to Chisinau to reconsider. The status of Transdniester, which declared independence from Moldova in 1990, has come under the spotlight again after the European Union agreed to launch accession talks with Moldova's pro-Western government. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Moldovan Service, click here.