Ferenz Banfi, head of the European Union's mission on the Moldova-Ukraine border, made the comment in reference to the current situation in Transdnestr resulting from Ukraine's new customs regulations introduced at Moldova's request on March 3. All Transdnestr goods bound for Ukraine are now required to have an official Moldovan stamp, which some Russian politicians have said amounts to an economic blockade of the region.
Banfi told a news conference in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, that in the past few days alone, 1,800 metric tons of poultry meat, or over 2kg per capita, had been imported to the unrecognized republic. He also said that other products were being freely delivered to the region.
Banfi said that although some businesses had stopped operations, their employees were still receiving wages and could buy products. He added that neither the EU mission, Moldova or Ukraine had intended to cause a crisis in Transdnestr.
Russian Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu said earlier Thursday that Ukraine had demanded that the route of the Russian humanitarian convoy to Transdnestr be changed, Russian symbols be removed and that it travel only by night.
According to the ministry, a fleet of 24 vehicles carrying about 230 tons of humanitarian aid for Transdnestr had stopped in Russia's Kursk Region, which borders on Ukraine.
Commenting on the situation with the Russian convoys, Banfi said he knew the humanitarian aid included mostly medicine but that experience showed such aid was usually provided to regions in crisis or areas under military operations, which was not the case in Transdnestr.
In conclusion, Banfi said abolishment of the new customs regulations would be a step back from international standards.
