The activities of the State Customs Committee of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic for 2023 was summed up today. The information presented at the extended meeting of the Collegium was heard by the President. Summarized information was presented by the head of the department Valentin Grabko. The speaker emphasized that the past year was difficult for participants in foreign economic activity, and noted that the business community of the republic showed high adaptability to the dramatically changing conditions of international trade, reconfiguring logistics and updating sales markets in a critical situation.
Trade turnover indicators decreased by 5% and amounted to three billion rubles: imports fell by 6%, exports by 1%. Foreign trade with the countries of the European Economic Union amounted to 53%, and 19%with the EU. Negative dynamics of trade with Russia remain (imports of Russian goods dropped by 42%, exports to the Russian Federation by 44%). Russia remains the main trading partner of Pridnestrovie at the same time, the share of trade turnover with which exceeds half of the total figure. Another 19% is trade turnover with Moldova, 10% with Romania. Trade contacts with Ukraine, Poland, Turkey, and Bulgaria have been maintained. Pridnestrovie has new partners: Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, African countries. The number of legal entities engaged in foreign trade in 2023 remained at the level of 2022, but the number of individual entrepreneurs involved in foreign economic activity almost doubled. The share of the latter in the total trade turnover is small – 3%, but the social aspect is important, noted Valentin Grabko. Their trade turnover amounted to 72 million USD. Imports of goods carried out by this category of foreign trade participants fell by 16%, and exports increased by 15%. Payments to the budget remained approximately at the 2022 level – 4.2 million USD.
The Chairman of the State Customs Committee focused on the measures of support provided by the state to the business community in the context of increasing risks in the field of foreign economic activity, informing about the benefits provided under various headings and the funds saved by entrepreneurs (it is about millions of dollars).
Valentin Grabko devoted part of the report to measures aimed at simplifying and speeding up customs procedures. He spoke about the innovations reflected in the PMR Customs Code. He informed about the work being done to optimize customs duties in the export-import tariff. The head of the customs department called the full launch of the “Electronic Customs” system an important achievement, emphasizing that this program was created by specialists from the PMR State Customs Committee. A video specially prepared for the Collegium meeting spoke about the advantages of electronic declaration and the results achieved in this area. Valentin Grabko commenting on the visualized information noted that the implemented measures made it possible to significantly reduce the number of requests and complaints received from legal entities. Exports have been declared electronically since 2018, and now imports as well. Individual entrepreneurs will be introduced into this system in 2024. The speaker recalled that all innovations go through more than one stage of discussion with representatives of the Public Advisory Council on Customs Policy, the Public Council under the State Customs Committee and the Union of Industrialists and Agrarians of Pridnestrovie.
The topic of modernizing the customs infrastructure did not go unnoticed by the Chairman of the State Customs Committee. Plans based on the developing situation were adjusted. The Pridnestrovian-Moldovan segment requires strengthening in the current realities. Vitaly Grabko spoke about the work carried out and planned for the current year.
They discussed the technical equipment of customs authorities. The head of the State Customs Committee said that the monitoring system using mobile personal video recorders for inspectors covers all checkpoints on the Pridnestrovian-Moldovan sections of the border. Based on the information received in the reporting period, 62 protocols were drawn up on violations of customs legislation. They are used in the investigation of criminal cases based on facts revealed by customs officers. If we talk about general indicators in 2023, State Customs Committee employees identified 1059 violations then. 3.5 million rubles were collected from violators in the form of penalties and customs duties.
Speaking about interaction with the public, Valentin Grabko noted that the department uses various modern tools, including instant messengers. An important source of information is the official website of the State Customs Committee. According to the speaker, its users are representatives of 120 countries. An updated version of the site is being prepared for launch.
The head of the committee focused on staffing (staffing in the department as a whole is 80%) and measures taken to improve the level of qualifications of current specialists. The specialization “Customs Affairs” was introduced at the Tiraspol Law Institute in 2023. There are 26 students in the first year.
The President spoke about the importance of personnel training within the republic. Vadim Krasnoselsky recommended involving customs veterans and experienced employees from the State Customs Committee personnel in teaching activities. The President emphasized that the activities of customs authorities have their own specifics and therefore require a special approach to training future and current specialists. Vadim Krasnoselsky emphasized the importance of the advisory function of customs, and aimed at further strengthening and developing productive interaction between customs authorities and the business community and government agencies. The President drew attention to the presence of some inconsistencies in the regulatory framework of the State Customs Committee with the current legislation, ordering them to be brought into compliance. The President aimed at continuing work related to minimizing the burden on participants in foreign economic activity and losses for the state. He noted that some of the tasks set within the framework of the President’s Address to government and administrative bodies for the current year are fulfilled, and we can talk about interim results in some areas.
The President recognized the work of the PMR State Customs Committee based on the results of 2023 as satisfactory.
