Moldovan foreign affairs ministry makes specification concerning information published by Bloomberg

Chisinau, 20 October /MOLDPRES/ - The Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry (MAEIE) has made the following specifications with reference to an article published by the American news agency Bloomberg on 17 October, on Moldova’s reticent position on the United Kingdom joining the Agreement on Government Procurement within the World Trade Organization (WTO):    

Moldova appreciates the commitment proved by the British government in the process of joining the Agreement on Government Procurement, which represents an important instrument for the opening of access to the international market of government procurement and guaranteeing the principle of transparency and non-discrimination as to the access of assets, services and economic providers from the signatory countries to tenders held by the other states - parties to this agreement.

In this respect, Moldova expressed concern, back in last May, at a meeting preceding the session from 17 October, about the complicated procedures of getting travel visas for the United Kingdom, faced by the citizens and economic agents from Moldova, which disadvantages them against providers from other countries and who face difficulties in the process of movement on the spot and participating in the tenders announced by the British authorities.  

In this context, Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Tudor Ulianovschi had discussions with Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Martin Harris. Ulianovschi tackled not only the opportunity of economic agents’ participation in the sales market from the United Kingdom, but also problems faced by Moldova’s citizens, including the holders of diplomatic and business passports, in the process of getting visas for the United Kingdom. We want to highlight the fact that Moldova liberalized the visa regime for all the British citizens back in January 2007.   

The process of negotiation with the UK authorities continues and Moldova’s Country Delegate to WTO, along with representatives of the USA and other states, at the meeting of the Committee on Government Procurement from 17 October, proposed to repeatedly consider the subject on the United Kingdom joining the Agreement on Government Procurement during next November. Therefore, MAEIE voices confidence that, during the next weeks, the diplomats of both states will give final touches to an action plan on the holding of bilateral consultations, in order to win simplification of the process of getting visas for Moldova’s citizens and negotiation of a mutually advantageous Free Trade Agreement following the Brexit.     

Out of those 47 countries signatories to the Agreement on Government Procurement, the United Kingdom applies visa regime for the following four states: Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia and Montenegro.  

The full declaration by Moldova’s Delegation on the United Kingdom joining the Agreement on Government Procurement, unveiled at the plenary session of the World Trade Organization, can be accessed here: http://www.geneva.mfa.md/data/8683/file_513648_0.pdf