The meeting of Acting Foreign Minister Vitaly Ignatiev with Head of the European Union Delegation in Moldova Pirkka Tapiola was held at the MFA of the PMR.
The meeting discussed a wide range of topical issues of bilateral interaction of Pridnestrovie with the European Union, including in trade and economic sphere, but also in the context of a number of social and humanitarian projects implemented in Pridnestrovie through international organizations with the assistance of the EU.
The sides put more focus on the current situation in the negotiation process between Pridnestrovie and Moldova. Vitaly Ignatiev drew the European diplomat’s attention to the fact that the virtual absence of contacts at all levels of the dialogue is conditioned by the Moldovan side’s unwillingness for a substantive and meaningful interaction with the representatives of Pridnestrovie. This situation has extremely adverse impact on the prospects for resolution of a number of acute problems in the field of freedom of movement of citizens and vehicles, freight railway communication through the territory of Pridnestrovie, as well as many other issues that directly affect the well-being of citizens.
The head of the Foreign Ministry reiterated the Pridnestrovian side's position on the inadmissibility of the practical implementation of Ukraine and Moldova’s agreement on establishment of joint customs and border control at the checkpoint “Kuchurgan”. The diplomat noted that the politically motivated unilateral decision taken outside the framework of the negotiation process, may adversely affect the socio-economic situation in Pridnestrovie and undermine the functionality of the existing negotiation formats.
The two sides agreed to continue direct contacts on matters of mutual interest.
