CHISINAU, Moldova, April 11 (UPI) -- Moldova has decided to fight back against a Russian embargo of its wines by sending a parliamentary delegation to Moscow this week.
Russia's RIA Novosti reported that Marian Lupu, speaker of the Moldovan parliament, met with major Moldovan winemakers Monday to discuss ways of dealing with the embargo.
Russia on March 27 suspended imports of Moldovan and Georgian wines because Gennady Onishchenko, the country's chief doctor, said the wines failed to meet numerous health and safety regulations.
Georgy Kozub, head of the Moldovan association of wine exporters, said the Russian market consumed 85 percent of Moldovan wine exports and was therefore very important. He added that the wine industry was a major source of Moldova's budget revenue.
A delegation from Moldova's parliament is scheduled to visit Moscow from Wednesday to Friday to discuss the embargo with various politicians, including senior officials from the Russian parliament.
