Round Table “Prospects for the development of the Pridnestrovian statehood: modern challenges and threats” was held in T.G. Shevchenko Pridnestrovian State University

02/15/15

The event was organized by the Public Expert Council under the MFA of the PMR with the support of the Pridnestrovian State University and the Media centre “Eurasian Pridnestrovie”.

A round table on “Prospects for the development of the Pridnestrovian statehood: modern challenges and threats”, organized on the initiative of the Public Expert Council under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PMR was held in T.G. Shevchenko Pridnestrovian State University (PSU)on February 11. The event was attended by Deputy Chairperson of the Government of the PMR for International Cooperation, Foreign Minister Nina Shtanski, Rector of T.G. Shevchenko Pridnestrovian State University Vyacheslav Stepanov, members of the Public Expert Council under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PMR, staff of the Foreign Ministry, as well as teachers and students of the PSU.

During the event, the Chairman of the Public Expert Council Nina Shtanski noted that the PEC (Public Expert Council) is an effective platform which allows to develop new approaches to solving existing problems in the foreign policy track, many of which, according to the Minister, require consolidation of the efforts of the state authorities and public.

 “Pridnestrovie has to build in what is happening on the external perimeter, and if, say, we could predict the situation with the development of relations between Moldova and the European Union in the context of the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, and plan our foreign policy activity, then no one could predict the tragedy in Ukraine a few years ago. We could not predict the consequences that would arise for our country, the key points that would be highlighted in relation to our statehood. The meeting of the Public Expert Council is a kind of brainstorming which allows to specify what the current situation gives to a theoretician and practician,”- said the diplomat.

Deputy Foreign Minister of the PMR Igor Shornikov, in his turn, highlighted that global confrontation is unfolding throughout the region today in which the fate of not only Ukraine, Moldova and Pridnestrovie is decided, but also the path of development of the world. In this context, according to the diplomat, Pridnestrovie should maintain stability and continue to strengthen bonds with Russia. “Our task is to preserve the statehood, to wait out hardships. Pridnestrovians have all the opportunities to do this: as at the dawn of the establishment of the republic, the society stand in a cohesive way for the support of the development of integration processes with Russia. Our task is to preserve this consolidation, including in terms of maintenance of social and economic stability, normal functioning of the state. Russia is ready to support us both politically and economically,” - he said.

Director of the Institute of History and Public Administration of the PSU Ilya Galinsky agreed with the expressed position. According to him, at the time it is due to the high social cohesion in Pridnestrovie it was possible to form a state and develop a strategy for post-conflict development. “Throughout its history, Pridnestrovie was committed to create an effective interaction potential of all state and public institutions, overcome socio-cultural and institutional contradictions, designing their own supra-ethnic identity. It is through these actions Pridnestrovie was able to remain as a state, strengthen and work out a strategy for development,” – stressed the expert.

The meeting of the Public Expert Council also touched upon a number of acute and actual issues of social and political life of the country. Particular attention was paid to the prospects of the international legal updating of Pridnestrovie’s statehood.