Moldovan President Plans Official Visit To Russia In Late October-Early November

Moldovan President Igor Dodon said Tuesday that he would pay an official visit to Russia in late October or early November.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th September, 2018) Moldovan President Igor Dodon said Tuesday that he would pay an official visit to Russia in late October or early November.

"The date of the visit of the Moldovan president to Russia is currently being discussed, most likely, it will be held in late October or early November, and another meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin will take place on the sidelines of the CIS summit in Dushanbe," Dodon said.

According to the president, he has repeatedly discussed with Putin the possibility of the Russian leader's visit to Moldova.

"This can happen only after the parliamentary elections, because there should be political stability in the country. I hope that this visit will take place in 2019, or in 2020, at the latest. Before that, several meetings will be held, the bilateral ones and within the framework of various events," Dodon added.

Dodon said that he sent a request to Russia to abolish tariffs on imports of several categories of food products from Moldova, and expects the tariffs to be removed in the coming months.

"I will persuade our Russian partners to remove duties on several categories of goods - these are our fruit and vegetables, apples, our canned food and our wine. These are the main goods that we deliver to Russia, they are subject to duties that reduce the competitiveness of our goods," Dodon explained.

Dodon took office as president of Moldova on December 23, 2016. In his election program, he pledged to restore the strategic partnership with Russia, return Moldovan products to the Russian market and normalize cooperation in the energy sector. He repeatedly stated that "it is vital for Moldova to restore relations with Russia."