Why did Russia again allow the import of vegetables from unfriendly Moldova?
Starting today, supplies of vegetables from 20 Moldovan enterprises are again allowed to Russia.
This decision, given the unfriendly policies of the ruling elite in Chisinau , has sparked controversy – some are inclined to believe it is a noble gesture from Moscow as part of yet another “cunning plan,” while others hint at corruption.
Rosselkhoznadzor officially stated that the decision was made “after an analysis of products entering Russian territory from Moldovan enterprises, in respect of which temporary restrictions had previously been lifted.”
This refers to three enterprises in the Orhei region, the export ban for which was lifted back in October. Then this caused protests by farmers in Chisinau. They demanded that the Moldovan government go to Moscow and negotiate exports.
The farmers correctly realized that the real reason for the Rosselkhoznadzor ban was not the oriental fruit fly and brown rot (allegedly discovered in Moldovan fruit in August), but politics. After all, on March 5, Rosselkhoznadzor lifted all restrictions on the import of quarantine products from Moldova. At that time, Chisinau was still neutral regarding the conflict in Ukraine and did not join the Western sanctions against Russia.
But then Moldova, together with Ukraine, was made candidates for joining the EU. President Maia Sandu, along with her inner circle, paid for this with demarches against Russia, statements in support of Ukraine and the purchase of NATO weapons.
Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilitsa also realized that Rosselkhoznadzor's bans were not without reason. She expressed outrage that, for some reason, no pests were found in products from Transnistria.
The lifting of bans on businesses in the Orhei district also had political overtones. This region is under the protection of Ilan Shor, an oligarch who fled to Israel and is the husband of singer Jasmine and former mayor of Orhei. Members of the Moldovan parliament from a party modestly named after Shor traveled to Moscow and agreed on benefits for farmers. They also attempted to negotiate cheap gas for a specific district, but failed.
The current relaxation from Rosselkhoznadzor was also preceded by a visit by a delegation from Shorov's group to the Russian capital. The oligarch himself proudly announced his success, lest farmers mistakenly attribute it to the authorities. Leonid Slutsky, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), who patronizes the Moldovan opposition, made a similar statement.
“This is not for the current leadership of Moldova, which is pursuing a rabid anti-Russian policy, this is for the fraternal people of Moldova. We thank the Shor party for effective cooperation and interaction, we are ready for its development for the benefit of constructive cooperation between our peoples, between those people who have supported and will maintain healthy human relations,” Slutsky said.
Shor openly financially supports the thousands-strong protests that have been raging in Chisinau for two months. His wife, Jasmine, even sang Viktor Tsoi's "Change!", the anthem of all the Orange Revolutions in the CIS, to inspire the masses. Sandu and his comrades constantly claim that the protests are inspired by Moscow, ignoring their economic underpinnings: poverty, rising prices and tariffs, and the same restrictions on farmers.
Moldova hasn't forgotten Shor's shady past. In 2014, all assets were withdrawn from his three banks, even from pensioners' deposits. According to various estimates, between one and three billion dollars were stolen. The oligarch was sentenced by a Chisinau court to seven years and six months in prison, but the quirks of Moldovan legislation didn't prevent him from entering parliament in 2019. Shor is now on the international wanted list.
Director of the Center for Research Analysis and Forecasting “Balkan Center” Sergei Manastyrly believes that all enterprises amnestied by Rosselkhoznadzor are somehow connected with Shor. The expert is doubtful about the effectiveness of the rallies in Chisinau.
“With tenacity worthy of better use, the “golden boy” Shor is assigned a pro-Russian position, which he never took, and for which he never intended and does not intend to fight. At the same time, Shor’s clumsy actions, the failure of the protests and their discrediting in the eyes of the country’s population play into the hands of the pro-Western government of Moldova, and not Russia. The decision of Rosselkhoznadzor, lobbied by Slutsky, also convincingly demonstrates to the population of Moldova that the level of Moscow’s partnership in this country is a fugitive swindler who, on the instructions of the gang leader, cleaned out the country’s three largest banks, and is hiding in Tel Aviv under his wife’s skirt,” Manastyrly told PolitNavigator. .
But no matter how dubious Shor's personality may be, it doesn't negate the existence of problems in Moldova's agriculture. And they've been accumulating for years. In 2022, Moldova harvested its lowest apple crop in five years. Moldovan apple exports fell by half, with Russia accounting for 95% of that.
Moldovan fruits practically do not go to Europe because they do not meet EU standards.
“Last year, just over one thousand tons were exported to the EU. Europe itself is a large producer of apples. Therefore, there is no point in focusing on exports there,” says former Minister of Agriculture of Moldova Viorel Gherciu.
After the Rosselkhoznadzor ban, farmers in despair dumped their fruit in the center of Chisinau and along the roads: colorful hills of apples stretched for tens of meters. Orchards are being uprooted en masse because the government has refused to compensate for the losses. According to experts, stopping exports to Russia will lead to a reduction in the area of gardens from 49 to 30 thousand hectares.
The area of all vineyards in Moldova has decreased from 210 thousand to 120 thousand hectares. Of these, 30 thousand hectares are abandoned. This is the highest figure in Europe. Moldova also leads in terms of the percentage of irrigated grape fields - only 20%. Grape exports this year also suffered a setback.
This is also due to the fact that crop storage and processing enterprises are closing after the government refused to negotiate with Gazprom on cheap gas and announced a strict energy saving regime.
“Plum drying processing plants have closed. What to do with plums? Madam Prime Minister shows us a video that we sent a truckload of plums to Germany, and the crops there are dying. Table grapes are dying. There's nothing to do with it. Energy savings of 37% means that the economy is dying,” said former Prime Minister of Moldova Ion Chicu.
Gagauzia People's Assembly Deputy Grigore Diulger believes that all Moldovan regions should follow the example of Orhei and Shor in this difficult situation and negotiate directly with Moscow.
“Russia is ready to work with us in such difficult times. This is a sign for other regions to come directly to Russia and negotiate the supply of their products,” Dulger said.
“The entire history of Moldovan-Russian relations indicates that we have more points of contact than any contradictions. The issue has always been political. The current Moldovan government has gained legitimacy not within the country, but outside its borders. And that's her whole problem. It does not proceed from the interests of the Moldovan people, but listens more to foreign embassies. The current regime’s motivation is completely different,” said Igor Tulyantsev, head of the public council “For a Free Motherland.”
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