PM Ponta says Romania will push for support helping Moldova overcome Russian sanctions

Premier Victor Ponta said on Wednesday that Romania will further provide the Republic of Moldova all support at EU level to overcome the situation created as a result of the economic sanctions imposed by the Russian Federation on Moldovan exports of agricultural products and foodstuff.

"Regrettably enough, sanctions and trouble hit mainly those on the other side of the Prut [River]. I talked with [Moldovan] Prime Minister Leanca and he will have our full support as concerns the economic sanctions the Russian Federation imposed on Moldova. Our Minister of Agriculture, Mr. [Daniel] Constantin discussed with the European Commissioner and the other partners of ours for us to support Moldova," the Prime Minister said at the Government meeting.

Ponta stressed that he thus wanted to highlight the fact that the support offered to Moldova comes from Romania, not just from the Ministry of Agriculture.

"I wanted to be the one to state it, so that it wouldn't appear that this bid of support comes just from the Minister of Agriculture; this is Romania's full support for the lift of European quotas on Moldova's farming and food products. This is an important goal for Romania and a concrete support we extend to Moldova," said the Premier.

Victor Ponta added that at the end of the Government meeting, Minister of Agriculture Daniel Constantin will present in a press briefing "the positive development (...) direct payments will see in 2015 and in the next period."

Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselhoznadzor) announced on Monday that is has suspended imports of canned vegetables from Moldova, RIA Novosti informs.

The measure comes just days after the same agency banned fruit...