Businesswomen report corruption at customs // How the institution responds

Anticoruptie.md
23/12/2024

Two businesswomen reported on Friday via the Anticorruption Map on the Center for Investigative Journalism's portal, www.anticoruptie.md, that they were facing a situation which, in their opinion, was deliberately created to pressure them into bribing customs officers. The incident occurred at the Chisinau Industrial Customs, where their shipment of goods from China had been held for four days. The businesswomen alleged that customs officers were delaying the process without explanation, intending to solicit bribes. The leadership of the Customs Service and Chisinau Customs promptly reacted to the complaint.

“We are two businesswomen importing toys from China. We have a patent and sell our goods at the market. Our shipment has been stuck at the Chisinau Industrial Customs, Terminal 1, for four days, and we have been treated with disdain by customs officers.

We conduct our business honestly and have all the necessary documents in order, but when it comes to entering the country with our goods, we are subjected to mockery. We paid 80,000 lei in VAT to the state, yet customs officials unjustifiably increased the value of our shipment and demanded an additional 6,000 lei, which we paid despite disagreeing with their actions.

The attitude is highly dismissive and lacks any explanation. They want bribes, and not small amounts like 1,000 or 2,000 lei, but at least 1,000 euros. They don’t ask directly but create situations where you feel compelled to bribe them. We want to do business honestly, but it’s impossible—they force us into illegal actions.

We sell at the market, work in the cold, and collaborate with partners from China. We have all the required documents according to the law, but we’re still forced to resort to illegal actions. Both my business partner and I called the hotline to report the situation. My business partner is still at customs. Even though we have identical goods and documents, I managed to get through, but she remains stuck, and today she fell ill. We want journalists and TV stations to come and see what’s happening at customs.

We’ve taken out loans to run our business.

We don’t ask anything from the state; we pay taxes and fees, which are not small, yet we are treated with contempt by state representatives. Nothing is clearly explained to us—why our goods are being held, why the value is being arbitrarily increased, or what is wrong with our documents—so we can understand...” reported the two businesswomen on the Anticorruption Map.

After the case was posted on the Facebook account of CIJM President Cornelia Cozonac, the head of the Customs Service, Alexandru Iacub, and the head of Chisinau Customs, Iurie Gorea, responded promptly, promising to investigate. On the same day, Iurie Gorea called the newsroom, stating that he had quickly looked into the situation on-site, spoken with both businesswomen, and explained why their goods were being held and what discrepancies existed in their submitted documents. "We’ve heard both sides," the head of Chisinau Customs told anticoruptie.md. He assured that no situations were created to force businesspeople into giving bribes and emphasized that customs officers aim to act within the law, especially since the system is undergoing reorganization, with integrity being a priority in staff selection.

At the same time, Iurie Gorea encouraged citizens who encounter problems at customs to report them using the dedicated hotlines within the customs system.

At the beginning of December, the Customs Service launched an anti-corruption campaign, declaring zero tolerance for corruption in all customs structures. The campaign’s slogan is “Integrity Takes Priority at Customs.” Customs Service Director Alexandru Iacub stated that this initiative aims to hold both customs officers and citizens accountable, ensuring no corrupt actions are tolerated.

Citizens can report corruption cases anytime, from anywhere. At least, this is stated on the institution's website. Complaints are handled by the Customs Service’s Single Call Center, which operates an anti-corruption hotline. By dialing +373 22 78-88-88, individuals can select one of two specialized lines:

  • Press 1: The Anti-Corruption Line (to report corrupt behavior and other abuses by customs officials).
  • Press 2: The Information Line (to receive and resolve requests for information on customs activities).
Anticoruptie.md
23/12/2024




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