Today the round table of the Council of Young Diplomats “Formation of Image-building Strategy of Pridnestrovie in the Modern Period” took place in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PMR. Representatives of the Council of Young Diplomats, leadership of the foreign-political agency of Pridnestrovie represented by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PMR Vitaly Ignatiev, director of the Independent Center of Analytical Studies “New Age” Elena Bobkova took part in the work of the round table. Director of the Institute of the CIS Studies Konstantin Zatulin also took part in the event.
During the round table young diplomats presented number of reports devoted to different aspects of image-building of Pridnestrovie in near and far abroad. Member of the Council of Young Diplomats, officer of the PMR's MFA Vera Tabak touched upon the issues of promotion of positive image of Pridnestrovie in the modern period with consideration of existing international realia. According to her, Pridnestrovie shall be capable to withstand numerous information attacks if national image-building and information strategies shall be developed. First steps of rebranding of the Republic's image shall be made after adoption of new Foreign Policy Concept of Pridnestrovie with its core idea of Eurasian integration. “Not only officials should carry out joint national strategy but everybody who is interested in prosperity of our state. It appears necessary to form a team of “professional Pridnestrovians”, if we can call them so, who would be able to provide qualified PR of our state”, – young diplomat noted.
While continuing issue of liquidation of information vacuum member of Council of Young Diplomats, student of T.G. Shevchenko Pridnestrovian State University Yakov Chaikin turned attention to events which took place in Beltsi on August 5, 2012 as a precedent for strengthening public diplomacy in Moldova-Pridnestrovie settlement process. Young diplomat pointed out that today Pridnestrovian image-building strategy is inferior to Moldova's one: “Official Moldova is used to create newsbreaks in order to state its official position on territorial integrity of Moldova, on necessity of soonest possible withdrawal of Russian forces, on European integration as a major foreign political vector”, – young diplomat explained. At the same time, certain events, such as conflict in Beltsi, which prove the fact that union of Moldovan people around the idea of European integration is a myth, get rather poor coverage in Moldova's mass media. At the present time, according to the author, Pridnestrovie should activate its efforts to act on international information platforms to affirm real consolidation of society around the idea of independence of the Republic.
Member of the Council of Young Diplomats Vlad Naumov informed listeners about tourism potential of Pridnestrovie. In particular he made number of proposals on usage of outstanding points of interest in our Republic in order to popularize Pridnestrovie in the media scene.
Vitaly Ignatiev agreed with young diplomats' opinion on the necessity of optimization of systematic positive image of Pridnestrovie. According to him, the Republic needs not only to develop PR technologies but to organize events with broad coverage of international audience and to spread certain elements of Pridnestrovian image-building content.
During the event members of the round table were joined by Konstantin Zatulin. Russian politician noticed high value of such brainstorms. While answering the questions of the members of the Council of Young Diplomats, Russian guest told about the reasons which affect official position of the Russian Federation on Pridnestrovie. According to Konstantin Zatulin this position is determined by lack of common border between the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and the Russian Federation, by position of Ukraine which is still oriented towards European integration. Pro-Romanian climate inside Moldova itself is also not a less important factor. Russian guest expressed his belief that today Pridnestrovian statehood is one of the major factors which prevent integration of Moldova into Romania.
Members of the round table came to consolidated opinion on the necessity of engaging academic and expert communities to discussions of processes connected with formation of positive image of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.
Full text of the Resolution of the Round Table on Formation of Image-building Strategy of Pridnestrovie in the Modern Period can be found here: http://smdip.mfa-pmr.org/index.php?newsid=25
