Moldova reports 18.4-per-cent decrease in exports in 2009

Moldova's exports decreased by 18.4 per cent in 2009, standing at 1,297,700 billion dollars, according to data provided by the National Statistics Bureau (BNS).

A BNS representative has said that exports to EU countries stood at 678,500 million dollars, which makes 17.3 per cent less against 2008.

Exports to the CIS contracted by 20.5 per cent compared with 2008, standing at 490,500 million dollars.

As much as 96.7 per cent of Moldova's exports went to Russia, Romania, Italy, Ukraine, Belarus, Germany, UK, Poland, France, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Greece, etc.

At the same time, imports stood at 3,278,300 billion dollars, down by 33.1 per cent compared with 2008. Imports from the EU fell by 32.4 per cent and from the CIS by 34.3 per cent against 2009.

Moldova's top partners in terms of imports are Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Germany, China, Italy, Turkey, Belarus, Austria, France, the Czech republic, the Netherlands, Japan and India.

The discrepancy between exports and imports triggered a trade deficit of 1,980,600 billion dollars, Eni said, adding that exports covered imports by 39.6 per cent compared with 32.5 per cent in 2008.

The BNS data do not cover export/import operations carried out by Transnistria-based enterprises.