The OSCE Office in Bendery hosted a meeting between the political representatives of Pridnestrovie and Moldova Nina Shtanski and Yevgeny Karpov with participation of expert (working) groups on economics. The discussion focused on use of land by Moldovan farmers in Dubossary District of Pridnestrovie. We remind that, earlier, the discussion on that topical issue was postponed at the request of the Moldovan side, and during the last meeting between the representatives on political issues of Pridnestrovie and Moldova, the Moldovan side was not ready for substantive work on the renewed mechanism of land use. As then was noted by Nina Shtanski, farmers could already begin to cultivate the land on March, however, they could not do it because there wasn't a new agreed mechanism.
In the course of the meeting the Pridnestrovian side called the Moldovan representatives to reach an agreement on the renewed mechanism of work by Moldovan farmers on Pridnestrovian lands in Dubossary District. The Pridnestrovian side drew the Moldovan colleagues' attention to the need for rapid establishment of a special land use mechanism for conscientious RM's land users. As Nina Shtanski noted, those farmers did not have to be hostages of the unsolved problem.
In this regard, the Political representative of Pridnestrovie stated on Pridnestrovie's intention to approve a special land use mechanism for such category of RM's land users. By instructions of the PMR's President Yevgeny Shevchuk, in the course of the forthcoming PMR's Government session, Deputy Chairperson of the Government of the PMR for International Cooperation Nina Shtanski will initiate the development of the relevant resolution. According to it, as a gesture of goodwill, there will be imposed a zero rate of customs clearance for seventeen conscientious Moldovan farmers upon the transportation of goods, agricultural equipment, pesticides through the PMR's border. The Pridnestrovian representative noted that in order to continue working the farmers would need to address to the State Administration of Dubossary District and to declare their intention to conclude a lease agreement, thus avoiding difficult political and diplomatic arrangements. For other RM's farmers it will be provided a common procedure of land use similar to the current one relating to Pridnestrovian farmers. The discussion of this issue will be continued during the meeting of the expert (working) groups on economics which will take place on April 11 a.c. The experts are expected to agree the land use mechanism which could be approved during the next meeting by the political representatives on April 14, 2014.
Nina Shtanski also informed of certain pressures on Pridnestrovian farmers by the Moldovan side. For example, one of the Pridnestrovian farmers was moving from Bendery city to Kremenchug village in order to cultivate agricultural land with permitted chemical pesticides. Meanwhile, he was arrested by the RM's mobile group of customs service. All pesticides – 2.5 thousand tones –his vehicle and personal belongings were seized and transported to Kishinev, some procedures were taken against the farmer. “We hope that this case is isolated and we will not consider it as a pressure on the Pridnestrovian side as a whole,” – expressed the hope Nina Shtanski.
The Minister informed the Moldovan side that during the Easter holidays the entry to Pridnestrovie would be simplified again for the citizens of Moldova as in the past year. An exceptional mechanism of crossing of the Pridnestrovian border will be proposed for the RM's officials: they just need to inform the Political representative of Moldova in advance who will pass a corresponding united list to the Pridnestrovian side. Any other procedures for this category of RM's citizens will not be provided.
