Ukraine's State Customs Service is demanding that Russia's Black Sea Fleet pay customs fees and duties when importing diesel fuel, the agency's first deputy head, Oleksandr Dorokhovsky told Interfax-Ukraine.
The Customs Service “believes that this operation should be subject
to tax according to current legislation in Ukraine, that is, with
payment of all applicable payments,” Dorokhovsky said.
He said Ukraine and Russia are continuing negotiations on customs
duties on freight brought into Ukraine for the Black Sea Fleet.
“Negotiations are being held. We continue to defend our point of view,”
Dorokhovsky said.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday voiced concerns that Sevastopol
customs is withholding more than 14,000 tonnes of diesel fuel needed by
the Black Sea Fleet.
“Ukrainian customs are demanding payment of taxes, again without
citing the necessary legal grounds. This clearly contradicts both
Ukrainian law and the provisions of the basic agreements on the fleet
concerning noninterference by Ukrainian government bodies in the
internal affairs of Russian military units [and] protection of their
property,” the Foreign Ministry said.
The Russian ministry said that negotiations on customs issues were
halted by Ukraine unilaterally at the end of November 2011 and a
scheduled meeting in October 2012 was not held.
