Press release

​ OPEN LETTER TO THE HEAD OF THE EU DELEGATION TO MOLDOVA, MR. PIRKKA TAPIOLA

14 june, 2017

Dear Mr. Tapiola, we are compelled by extreme circumstances to appeal in the epistolary genre to you, a representative of democratic institutions of the European Union in the Republic of Moldova.


Quarter of a century ago, in 1992, Moldovan motorists established the International Association of Road Hauliers of Moldova (AITA) to protect their professional interests. It is a public organization. The president heads the administrative body.

In the summer of 2016, the general meeting of the association concluded that Grigorie Bernavschi being on the President’s post does not cope with the duties assigned to him. Moreover, in accordance with the requirements of the Statute, registered by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova, Eugen Gubceac was elected to this post by the decision of 28 founders of AITA from 52. However, the Ministry of Justice, who leads the Register of public organizations, refuses to register the decision of the meeting for fictitious and unjustified reasons.

In our understanding, informing the ministry regarding the change of the president has no more than a notifying character, as only the founders of the association have the right to decide whom and to what post they wish to appoint.

The uncertainty with the appointment of the President of AITA cannot last indefinitely. The International Road Union will simply suspend the membership of the AITA in the IRU that will practically reduce the activities of Moldovan freight carriers abroad.

The volume of supplies of Moldavian production from the republic abroad is not significant. If the import to Moldova of foreign goods will be carried out by foreign freight carriers, then in order to pay back the costs of ”empty running” they will increase tariffs. This will inevitably affect the growth of prices of products and goods for end users in Moldova, which already have the lowest per capita income in Europe.

The country's top leadership constantly announces the need to attract foreign investments to the Moldovan economy, the desire to change the business climate in the country in a positive way. However, at the same time, it completely forgets that in Moldova, exclusively by the money of Moldovan investors, over the past 25 years a new industry was created - international road freight. Instead of supporting local investors and, thereby, to develop the branch, state officials, on the contrary, ruins it. This branch is competitive abroad! Drivers are highly qualified specialists, and the rolling stock meets all the necessary international requirements.

International freight carriers pay significant amounts of taxes to various budgets and funds of the Republic of Moldova. Moreover, with each year their amount increases. However, the quality of roads in Moldova does not improve, as the funds of the Road Fund are directed to other state needs, there is also no support from the authorities for this sector.

Enterprises engaged in international road freight transport created a large number of jobs in Moldova (over 5,000 heavy vehicles are registered). Drivers, even those who are on long races, are not guest workers, which contributes to the preservation of families; children are not left by their own or in the care of elderly grandmothers and grandfathers.

Before addressing you, we tried to protect our professional interests democratically for almost a year. For which we addressed to various state and judicial instances of the Republic of Moldova, but all our efforts were in vain.

Our demands and appeals were inhibited artificially and on purpose. On the contrary, judges of the first instance from the capital, without any documentary grounds, took decision on suspension of certain items, and even completely abolished the decisions of the last three general meetings of the association.

We tried to inform about this lawlessness the president, the speaker and the prime minister. We sent written appeals to them. However, the answers from them, alas, never came.

Dear Mr. Tapiola, since Moldovan officials ignore democratic principles, it remains for us to seek support directly from you.

We hope that you will be acquainted with our letter and allocate time for a meeting with our representatives. If you need more information, we are ready to provide it at any time convenient for you.

Members of the AITA Council

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