On July 21, the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova adopted a declaration demanding the completion of the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of the unrecognized republic of Transnistria.According to the document, the presence of Russian troops on the territory of the country is a constant threat to the sovereignty, integrity and independence …
On July 21, the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova adopted a declaration demanding the completion of the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of the unrecognized republic of Transnistria.
According to the document, the presence of Russian troops on the territory of the country is a constant threat to the sovereignty, integrity and independence of Moldova, as well as to the whole of Europe. The parliament insists on the deployment of a civilian mission with an international mandate in the Transnistrian region and appeals to international organizations in this regard.
The declaration was supported by 61 MPs (out of a total of 101 MPs) from the ruling coalition of the Liberal and Liberal Democratic parties. The Socialist Party faction left the meeting room and did not vote. The former leader of the Socialist Party, current President of Moldova I. Dodon, who has repeatedly made pro-Russian statements, has already condemned the adoption of the declaration, calling it a provocation that escalates tensions on the eve of the visit of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.
Background
On May 31, representatives of the customs and border authorities of the Republic of Moldova were stationed at the Ukrainian checkpoint “Kuchurhan-Pervomaisk” on the “border” with Transnistria, eliminating the mechanisms of cross-border cooperation that actually existed between Ukraine and the unrecognized TMR. The joint Ukrainian-Moldovan customs and border control started working.
On June 1, the “Ministry of Foreign Affairs” of the TMR expressed outrage over the fact that Moldovan border guards and customs officers started working at the Ukrainian border crossing point, which Transnistrians consider theirs.
On July 11, at a meeting with the Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova said that his country would present an updated concept for the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict in 2017, where
Reasons:
– An attempt by the political forces that are part of the ruling coalition in the Moldovan parliament to rehabilitate themselves in public opinion after the disastrous results of the presidential elections in the fall of 2016, in which pro-Russian politician I. Dodon won, by increasing pressure on Transnistria in accordance with guarantees from European institutions, as well as with the support of Ukraine.
Forecast
In the short term:
– Strengthening of Moldova’s customs and border control over Transnistria (including legal accountability of Transnistrian enterprises to Chisinau) based on coordinated efforts of Ukraine and Moldova – after deployment of Moldovan border guards at Ukrainian checkpoints on the eastern border of Moldova from the side of the Transnistrian region;
– Strengthening of the economic and logistical blockade of Transnistria by Ukraine and Moldova.
In the medium term:
– Initiation and development by the Moldovan side of another attempt to resolve the Transnistrian conflict by developing a “special status” for Tiraspol within a unitary Moldova – similar to the status of Crimea in 1991-2014.
Оleksii Kurinnyi,
Member of the Board of the Foundation for Support of Democratic Initiatives,
expert of the Intermarium Information Center.
