The reporter of the Danish television was interested why the Pridnestrovian leadership argues against Pridnestrovie's becoming part of Moldova. As the MFA Head noted, Tiraspol in its policy follows the will of the nation which was more than once expressed at the referendums conducted in accordance with the universally recognized democratic norms. The Minister reminded that the position of the population was confirmed in 2006 as a result of the nation-wide plebiscite. At the same time, as Vladimir Yastrebchak marked, independence for Pridnestrovie is not an end in itself. “Our strategic aim is to ensure rights and freedoms of the population while independence serves as means, guarantee that no one will infringe on these rights,” the PMR MFA Head told.
Following the request of the Dutch journalist, the Minister commented also on the functioning of the Moldavian language in Pridnestrovie on the basis of the Cyrillic graphics. Tom Karstensen wanted to know if this could be regarded as demonstration of Tiraspol's unwillingness to be part of the European area where the Latin script is spread. As the PMR MFA Head noted, the Cyrillics is an original script for the Moldavian written language. At the same time the use of the Latin graphics in the neighbouring Moldova is most likely to be an evidence of “the tendency of this state to identify itself with the Romanian area as much as possible,” told Vladimir Yastrebchak.
The journalist of the Dutch television company also wanted to know the attitude of Pridnestrovie towards accusations of drugs and weapon smuggling and also of the problems with democracy allegedly existing in the region. According to the Minister, because of the geographical position of the PMR these accusations primarily touch upon the neighbouring states – Moldova and the Ukraine and it is first of all in their interests that such myths would not exist. Vladimir Yastrebchak reminded that the European border monitoring mission EUBAM has been functioning in the region for several years already. Its reports bear witness that such accusations were invented.
Speaking about the democratic processes in the republic, the PMR MFA Head brought as an example the discussion unfolded in Pridnestrovie several months ago over some questions of the state system and an active role of the civil society in it.
During the conversation Vladimir Yastrebchak answered also a number of other questions of the Dutch journalist.
