Afghan delegation visits Moldova; Parliament discusses commercial relations
The visit of a delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture of Afghanistan to the Republic of Moldova was organized to assist a Moldovan business in expanding its exports to the Afghan market via Uzbekistan. Vasile Șarban, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, emphasized that the relationship was purely commercial and not aimed at establishing diplomatic ties with the Afghan authorities.
During a plenary session of Parliament, State Secretary Vasile Șarban addressed Deputy Vasile Costiuc's inquiries about the purpose of the Afghan delegation's visit and any interactions with its representatives. He clarified, "Everything that was done here was solely intended to promote a manufacturer from the Republic of Moldova—a manufacturer of phytosanitary products, specifically, pheromone traps."
According to Șarban, the Moldovan company exports its products to Uzbekistan, and these products may have reached the Afghan market through intermediaries. The economic agent reached out to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAIA) to facilitate these contacts.
He said the ministry provided relevant information and documents to both the Prosecutor's Office and the Commission of Inquiry investigating the case. Șarban firmly rejected the notion that MAIA had invited Afghan authorities to the Republic of Moldova, stating, "The invitation did not come from the Ministry of Agriculture to the self-proclaimed authorities in Afghanistan. It was a request from me to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the General Inspectorate for Migration, the General Inspectorate of Police, and the Border Police to explore the possibility of granting visas."
He emphasized that the intention was not to establish institutional or diplomatic relations with Afghanistan but rather to facilitate commercial contacts. "This is not about a relationship between institutions or diplomatic relations. I want to stress that we simply facilitated a relationship between economic agents—purely commercial," concluded the Secretary of State.
In August 2026, a scandal erupted in Chisinau concerning the presence of Afghan citizens after it was revealed that a delegation from Afghanistan's Ministry of Agriculture, led by the Taliban regime, had been granted entry visas to the Republic of Moldova. This situation sparked significant public outcry and political disputes, as Moldova does not officially recognize the Taliban, which is under international sanctions.
On August 3, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the Afghan delegation had indeed received entry visas but stated that Moldovan authorities would not hold any official meetings with them.
Prime Minister Vasile Tofan described the situation as “embarrassing and unacceptable,” attributing the approval of the visit to a “process of institutional evaluation and coordination.” He explained that the request had come from a Moldovan company interested in expanding its agricultural exports to Afghanistan.
President Maia Sandu referred to the incident as “shameful” and argued that it resulted from some officials' lack of understanding regarding Moldova's foreign policy. She emphasized that those responsible should be held accountable.
