The Transnistria "parliament's presidium" gathered for an extraordinary meeting today to discuss the detention by Ukraine at Ilyichevsk Sea Port of transit cargoes intended for Transnistria. Speaker Grigory Marakuta names the situation on the Transnistria-Ukraine border as "complicated".

On January 21, the State Customs Service of Ukraine issued an informative letter telling that Kiev had toughened terms of shipping Transnistria's transit cargoes from the territory of Ukraine. In particular, the goods intended for Transnistrian recipients and coming via the Ukraine's Black Sea Regional Customs must be covered with appropriate contracts certified by Moldova's Customs authorities.

The Supreme Soviet deputies are saying that the official Chisinau thus hopes to force Transnistrian companies into getting registered with Moldova and paying taxes to Moldova's State Budget, which would cause stoppage of Transnistria's industry.