OSCE Mission office in Kishinev hosted a meeting of political representatives from Pridnestrovie and Moldova Vitaly Ignatiev and Kristina Lesnik. Experts of the parties in several areas also took part in the discussion.
During the meeting, interlocutors exchanged views on the dynamics and effectiveness of practical implementation of the agreements reached, including a number of existing problematic aspects.
Representatives of Pridnestrovie, in particular, drew attention to the fact that some steps taken by the Moldovan side regarding implementation of provisions of the Protocol Decision on motor transport issues of April 24 in the national legislation contradicts provisions of the agreement reached. Talking to the media after the meeting, Vitaly Ignatiev expressed hope that concerns of the Pridnestrovian side will be heard and that obstacles will not be created to fully launch the mechanism of participation of vehicles from Pridnestrovie in the international road traffic.
“We expect that there is enough time and necessary political will for these agreements to start working on time as determined by all the participants and fixed in the Rome protocol,” the PMR Foreign Minister noted. The diplomat also drew attention to the importance of agreeing and signing a ‘road map’ for implementation of the agreement on telecommunications in a timely manner.
The discussion also focused on the problems of freight railway service. The political representative from the Republic of Moldova, Kristina Lesnik, informed the Pridnestrovian side that the Government Decree of the Republic of Moldova to allow fuel through the Kuchurgan-Novosavitskaya border crossing was prolonged. Vitaly Ignatiev, in his turn, stressed that the problem of delivering fuels and lubricants to the Republic will not be fully resolved until there is a ban on the delivery of fuel along the northern branch of the Pridnestrovian railway.
“To deliver fuel to Pridnestrovie in full by rail is essential. I hope that our experts will continue discussing this issue. Pridnestrovie proposed dates of the meeting of expert (working) groups. We have never refused discussion and believe that any non-tariff barriers create problems and prevent business and fuel consumers from receiving required services,” the diplomat stated.
During his meeting with journalists, the Head of the PMR Foreign Ministry also said that the parties at the last meeting had discussed in detail an issues related to supplies of anti-tuberculosis drugs and drugs against HIV infection in the required quantities to Pridnestrovie with international support. In addition, the interlocutors exchanged views on the progress in comparing drug registries. According to Vitaly Ignatiev, this issue is of fundamental importance in the context of experienced problems with delivery of medicines to Pridnestrovie due to functioning of the joint customs-border control of Moldova and Ukraine at the Kuchurgan border crossing point.
The Foreign Minister noted positive results of the meeting of expert (working) subgroups on human rights, explaining that the focus of experts in this area will be the problems of children left without parental care, as well as socially disadvantaged population groups. In addition, Vitaly Ignatiev drew the attention of the Moldovan side to the need to move forward on the issue of politically motivated criminal cases.
“We need to resolve this problem, which is of a humanitarian nature and creates tensions in other areas. In the framework of protocol decisions of 2016, the topic of criminal cases directly correlates with the issue of freedom of movement, in addition, the agreement on land use also reads that the Moldovan side will work on closure of criminal cases,” the diplomat stressed.
Completing communication with journalists, Head of the PMR MFA said that on June 22 there will be a meeting between political representatives and land users in Dubossary where they will analyse work on issuing certificates of a right to cultivate farmland in the Dubossary district of the PMR. “We expect that this meeting will be practical to the fullest and land users will be able to explain what the existing problems are,” he concluded.
