MP Sergiu Stefanco of the Democracy at Home Party has accused the PAS government of changing legislation on agricultural import licensing to favor the interests of large companies, including major exporters and agricultural input suppliers.
“Companies that supply agricultural inputs are trying to export domestic agricultural production directly. Meanwhile, the PAS government, led by Radu Marian and Dorian Istrati, has once again demonstrated that they have completely changed the law and are lobbying for the interests of large companies. I will not name them – just look at who is at the top of the list of the largest exporters,” Stefanco said.
The lawmaker argued that the licensing mechanism had operated without complaints from domestic processors. He also rejected the government’s argument that maintaining the licensing requirement could lead to higher food prices for consumers.
According to Stefanco, the restrictions apply only to several categories of agricultural raw materials – wheat, rapeseed, barley, sunflower seeds and corn – and do not cover flour or groats imported from Ukraine.
“The claim by the government that there is a risk of higher prices for agricultural products and certain bakery products on store shelves is false, because licensing does not apply to flour from Ukraine or groats from Ukraine. It applies only to wheat, rapeseed, barley, sunflower seeds and corn,” he said.
Stefanco also referred to the situation in 2024, when, according to him, statistical data showed that Moldova exported more wheat than was reported as being produced domestically. He argued that this could indicate that agricultural products from Ukraine entered Moldova and were subsequently re-exported as Moldovan-origin goods.
“No kilogram of wheat is sold illegally in Moldova. Everything is sold either with a tax invoice or based on a certificate issued by agricultural producers. The fact that more was exported showed that production from Ukraine entered Moldova, was given a Moldovan label and was exported to Romania,” Stefanco claimed.
Against this backdrop, the MP warned of potential risks for Moldovan exporters. He argued that if Moldovan authorities and European partners determine that Ukrainian goods are being exported as products of Moldovan origin, Moldova could be placed on a list of countries whose products are subject to special licensing measures on the Romanian market.
Radu Marian: The Entire Economy Must Be Protected
PAS MP Radu Marian rejected the criticism, arguing that the licensing measure is restrictive and affects several sectors of the economy, including livestock farming and companies that require agricultural raw materials for processing.
According to Marian, the authorities need to strike a balance between the interests of exporters and those of companies that create added value and jobs in Moldova.
“In principle, it is a restrictive measure that affects livestock farming and many companies that need raw materials and create added value. I understand that it is a measure that helps certain exporters. At the same time, we need to be very careful with measures that affect other economic sectors, especially those involved in processing, creating jobs at home and generating added value,” Marian said.
The PAS lawmaker said the proposal supported by the government would shorten the licensing period to October 31, allowing exporters to sell their production during the harvest season without keeping the restrictions in place indefinitely.
Marian also accused some MPs of promoting legislation that could directly benefit their own companies.
“When you have a business dealing with raw materials such as wheat or sunflower seeds and you introduce a bill that directly benefits your own company while creating obstacles for your competitors, these things need to be said. You need to tell the public that your bill benefits your own company,” Marian said.
He specifically named Sergiu Stefanco, accusing him of using the parliamentary platform to attack his competitors in the sector in which he operates.
The dispute follows a clash on Thursday, September 3, in Parliament’s Economy Committee during discussions on a bill concerning the temporary licensing of cereal and oilseed imports.
Opposition MPs accused the PAS parliamentary majority of substantially changing the bill between the first and second readings following government intervention. They claimed the amendments were designed to benefit large companies in the sector.
One of the changes concerns the duration of the licensing measure, with the deadline moved to October 31 instead of December 31, as stipulated in the initial version of the bill.