The 2006 Russian import ban of Moldovan and Georgian wines began in late-March 2006 and created a diplomatic conflict between the Republic of Moldova and Georgia on the one hand and Russia on the other. Most wines consumed in Russia come from either Moldova or Georgia and wine trade with Russia is responsible for 80-90% of the total wine exports in both countries.^[1] March 2006 : ← - January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → Events 1 March 2006 (Wednesday) Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase announces that the 2006 Fiji general elections will be held in the second week of May 2006 from the 6th to the 13th. ...

The Chief sanitary inspector of Russia Gennadiy Onishchenko claimed that heavy metals and pesticides had been found in Georgian and Moldovan wines and that they were "falsified alcoholic products" labeled as wines. The Russian Consumer Agency claimed that it had examined 21 sorts of Georgian wine sold in Moscow and concluded that 85,7% did not comply with established requirements. Pesticides were supposedly discovered in 60% samples of Moldovan and 44% samples of Georgian wine.^[2] However, the Moldovan side claimed that no proof was ever provided by the Russian side and that dozens of countries across the world imported Moldovan wines and none reported any problems. Moldova argued that the ban amounted to economic blackmail.^[3]. Heavy metals, in chemistry, are chemical elements of a particular range of atomic weights. ... A cropduster spreading pesticide. ... For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ...

Nevertheless in May 2005, Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili admitted that "many wine producers exported falsified wine to Russia".[1] He later explained his position by declaring that those wine producers "were able to export wine there which would never be sold, for example, in Europe because even if you export – excuse me for this expression – feces to Russia it can be sold there".[2] In the aftermath of this statement, no less than seven Georgian wineries were closed down after the government revision revealed that they had produced falsified wine for Russian exports.[3], [4]. 2005 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → Wikimedia Commons has media related to: May 2005 Deaths in May May 26: Eddie Albert May 25: Ismail Merchant May 25: Sunil Dutt May 25: Graham Kennedy May 22: Thurl Ravenscroft May 21: Howard Morris May 21... Irakli Okhruashvili (1973 -) is a Georgian lawyer, politician, and Defence Minister of Georgia. ...

The ban on wine imports came at a time when Russian amongst worsening relations between the countries. The differences involved the Rose Revolution and pro-NATO/pro-EU moves in Georgia and a divergence of the Russian and Moldovan positions regarding the future of Transnistria. A year earlier, the Russian Duma had demanded a ban on Moldovan wine imports, because Moldova was considered an "enemy" of Russia and pursued "anti-Russian policies".^[4] Mikhail Saakashvili and his supporters marched on the parliament carrying roses as a symbol of nonviolence Rose Revolution refers to a peaceful 2003 revolution in the country of Georgia that displaced president Eduard Shevardnadze. ... NATO 2002 Summit in Prague The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation[1] (NATO), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, the Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for collective security established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, DC, on 4 April 1949. ... Motto: For the right to live on this land Anthem: Anthem of Transnistria Capital Tiraspol Largest city Tiraspol Official languages Moldovan, Russian and Ukrainian Government President Parliamentary Republic Igor Smirnov Recognition Independence Recognition From Moldova none September 2, 1990 none Area  â€¢ Water (%) 4,163 km²  1,607 sq mi 2. ... Emblem commemorating the 100 year anniversary of Russia Dumas Boris Gryzlov, speaker of the Russian State Duma since December 2003 The State Duma (Russian: Государственная дума (Gosudarstvennaya Duma), common abbreviation: Госдума (Gosduma)) in the Russian Federation is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia (legislature), the upper house being the Federation...

EU's external relations commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner stated that the EU was worried about what she called an "embargo" against Moldova, but the EU couldn't take any measures since Russia was not a member of the World Trade Organization.^[5] The president of NATO Parliamentary Assembly Pierre Lellouche also said, on May 5, he was deeply concerned about the Russian ban on Georgian products. ^[6] Benita Ferrero-Waldner Benita Ferrero-Waldner (born September 5, 1948) is the European Commissioner for Foreign Affairs and an Austrian diplomat and politician. ... This article is about the economic term. ... WTO Logo The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an international, multilateral organization, which sets the rules for the global trading system and resolves disputes between its member states, all of whom are signatories to its approximately 30 agreements. ... The NATO Parliamentary Assembly, or NATO-PA, formerly the North Atlantic Assembly, is an inter-parliamentary organization of legislators. ... May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (126th in leap years). ...

From 5 May to May 6, 2006, the Russian government also banned the import of Borjomi (ru:Боржоми, ge:ბორჯომი) and Nabeglavi (ru:Набеглави, ge:ნაბეღლავი,) two popular brands of Georgian mineral water.^[7]. The government claimed that it was a health hazard since it failed to meet water purity standards. The Georgian government responded by stating that the action was an expansion of the wine embargo ^[8] and a part of a political campaign to punish the country for pro-Western policies, a claim President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia reiterated at the Conference on Common Vision for Common Neighborhood held in Vilnius, Lithuania, from May 1 to 4, and attended also by the presidents of the three Baltic states, Poland, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria and the United States Vice-President Richard Cheney ^[9]. May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (126th in leap years). ... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Spa in Borjomi, before 1915 Borjomi is a town and a resort in Kartli province of Eastern Georgia. ... Russian (Russian: русский язык, russkiy yazyk, ) is the most widely spoken language of Eurasia and the most widespread of the Slavic languages. ... Georgian (, kartuli ena) is the official language of Georgia, a country in the Caucasus. ... Mikhail Saakashvili briefing the press at UN headquarters Mikhail Saakashvili (Georgian: მიხეილ სააკაშვილი) (born December 21, 1967), Georgian jurist and politician, is the President of Georgia. ... Location Ethnographic region AukÅ¡taitija County Vilnius County Municipality Vilnius city municipality Elderate Number of elderates 20 Coordinates General information Capital of Lithuania Vilnius County Vilnius city municipality Vilnius district municipality Population (rank) 540,318 in 2005 (1st) First mentioned 1323 Granted city rights 1387 Vilnius ( (help· info), see also... Baltic states and the Baltic Sea The Baltic states or the Baltic countries is a term which nowadays refers to three countries in Northern Europe: Estonia Latvia Lithuania Prior to World War II, Finland was sometimes considered, particularly by the Soviet Union, a fourth Baltic state. ... Richard Bruce Cheney (born January 30, 1941), widely known as Dick Cheney, is an American politician and businessman affiliated with the U.S. Republican Party. ...

As tensions heighten with Russia, the Government of Georgia is considering withdrawing from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a bloc of several post-Soviet countries, a membership of which is largely unpopular within Georgia. Saakashvili said on May 2 that the government would review whether the country was benefiting from being a CIS member^[10] Headquarters Minsk, Belarus Member states 11 member states 1 associate member Working language Russian Executive Secretary Vladimir Rushailo Formation December 21, 1991 Official website http://cis. ... The Post-Soviet states, also commonly known as former Soviet republics, are the independent nations which split off from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in its breakup in 1991. ...

Neither the Georgian or Moldovan wines, nor the Borjomi or Nabeglavi mineral waters have been banned nor restricted in any other country besides Russia ^[11]. Some Russian experts have also criticized the Russian ban on "Borjomi". ^[12]

References

1. ^ BBC "Russian wine move draws protests", 30 March 2006
2. ^ Regnum В ходе последних проверок в Москве пестициды обнаружены в 60% молдавских и 44% грузинских вин
3. ^ Evenimentul Zilei. "Moscova nu crede in vin" 7 April 2006
4. ^ Pravda. "Russian law-makers to outlaw Moldavian wine" 9 March 2005
5. ^ BBC Romanian, "Premierul Tarlev reclamă Rusia la Uniunea Europeană", 11 April 2006
6. ^ RIA Novosti, "NATO official unhappy about Russian sanctions against Georgia", May 5, 2006
7. ^ Reuters Foundation AlertNet, “Russia bans another Georgian mineral water brand”, May 6, 2006.
8. ^ BBC News, "Russia bans Georgia mineral water", 5 May 2006
9. ^ Eurasia Daily Monitor, "Vilnius Conference on Europe’s completion in the East", May 5, 2006.
10. ^ International Relations and Security Network, “Georgia considers withdrawing from CIS”, May 3, 2006.
11. ^ Foreign sales of the Borjomi mineral water
12. ^ BBC Russian, "Запрет "Боржоми" назван политическим решением", May 5, 2006.