Vadim Buzdugan
Vadim Buzdugan, co-owner and director of the online store Smart.md, told Logos Press that the situation in Moldova is much worse than in Romania.
“According to our colleagues from eMAG, Romania loses 1 million euros a day because it does not impose a 10% duty on parcels cheaper than 150 euros from non-EU countries. Its neighbors receive 250 thousand such parcels a day, with an average value of 30 euros, via Hungary, so there is no VAT. Our case is more complicated, as Moldovan importers pay customs duties, VAT of 20% and a number of other fees”.
The merchant’s concerns are understandable: the parcel trade is growing by almost 100% a year. For example, the largest postal operator Nova Poshta doubled delivery volumes in Moldova in 2024, handling about 3 million parcels. Most parcels were from marketplaces Temu, Joom, Aliexpress, iHerb, Shein and MakeUp.
In February 2025, Nova Poshta set a parcel record with 715,000 shipments, 18% more than in all of 2022. This is the largest volume of deliveries for the entire period of the operator’s operation in Moldova. At the same time, 90% of parcels came from China (clothes, shoes, cosmetics, electronics and household appliances).
“Simple calculations show: if the cost of an average parcel check (30 euros) is multiplied by 715 thousand shipments, this flow in February alone amounted to 21 million euros, – said Vadim Buzdugan. – That is, the state lost 6.5 million euros per month on import duties and VAT alone. If we add to this the environmental fee paid by Moldovan importers, as well as the fee for the use of copyright (to the CLAD association when importing audio and video products), the figures will be different. According to our data, Moldova loses 100 million euros a year in lost taxes from Chinese marketplaces.
The situation is aggravated by some declarations of Moldovan politicians, who make groundless promises before the elections. For example, Renato Usatii declared that the non-taxable threshold of parcels should be raised from 150 to 500 euros. And that it is he who intends to implement this initiative.
“This is extremely unfair to business,” believes Vadim Buzdugan. – Parcel trade is a popular service among the population, so they are constantly speculating on it to titillate the electorate. Before the elections everyone is a hero, but after the elections the real picture is revealed – a budget hole, with the usual increase in taxes and, as a consequence, a jump in prices. If politicians want to give such a “plus” to consumers (and indirectly to foreign marketplaces), then let them put all players on an equal footing by exempting Moldovan importers from taxes on the import of goods with a limited value”.
Kommersant emphasized that the poorly regulated parcel trade market affects not only Moldovan online stores, but also the entire non-food retail sector.
“The volumes of such retail are already falling (by 15-20% per year, according to our data). At the same time, a number of companies, including ours, are among the top 500 taxpayers in the country. If Moldovan retail forms such a significant share in the GDP of the state, and it is practically unprotected, it is a serious reason to wonder whether our authorities have a protectionist policy at all”.
