Moldovan wine imports could be banned, says Onishchenko
MOSCOW. Sept 3 (Interfax) - The Russian sanitary service has questions about the quality of wine imported from Moldova.
"We don't rule out a return to the situation in 2006 when Moldovan wine imports were banned in Russia," Gennady Onishchenko, chief of Russia's health and consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, told Interfax on Tuesday.
"Whenever the situation deteriorates Russia reserves the right to take unilateral and adequate measures to halt substandard alcohol imports," he said.
"The warning which Russia issued regarding the quality of Moldovan wine was implemented last week and four shipments of Moldovan alcohol products - over 28,000 liters in all - were rejected," he said.
"Our fears rest on persisting systemic problems in Moldova which is creating a national system of control over the quality and safety of wine," Onishchenko said.
"Another negative moment is that Moldova's services have been dodging the discussion of this issue with Russia. Our criticism is directed against the Moldovan Ministry of Agriculture," he said.
Onishchenko also said that Moldova shipped 3,844 batches of alcohol products - overall, more than 24 million liters - to Russia in 2013.
Russia banned wine imports from Moldova in 2006 citing poor quality. Dozens of Moldovan companies, however, have gone through certification procedures and resumed exports to Russia.