Answer by the PMR Acting Foreign Minister to the question from the correspondent of Novosti Pridnestrovya News Agency about foreign policy results of the passing year
“The year was really challenging, it characterized by a slippage of the negotiation process, a surge of unilateral actions against Pridnestrovie. These are criminal cases initiated in Moldova against entrepreneurs and Pridnestrovie’s state authorities, the arrests of our citizens, in particular, of the PMR Ministry of Internal Affairs member, unilateral restrictive actions of both personal and economic nature.
The past year, in my opinion, once again revealed the unconstructive approach of the Moldovan side, about which Pridnestrovie repeatedly signaled for international partners. The RM’s representatives voice some declarations, but in fact they use very different methods of “dialogue”. To put it bluntly, the Moldovan side tries to resolve the conflict unilaterally, to make Pridnestrovie stop following its positions, “to go soft”, to abandon the statehood. Such actions are complex and, unfortunately, are not limited to Moldova's efforts, but also simultaneously being made by Ukraine.
On the other hand, this year has showed that we are able to withstand the pressure, has clearly confirmed that Pridnestrovie’s arguments are reasonable and objective. The Greek Court’s decision on Maksim Kuzmichev, the reached agreement on free trade with the EU show that our position is generally reasonable and fair.
By the way, for a long time with the European Union’s hands a wall has actually been built with regard to the Pridnestrovian economy, obstacles to trade with the EU were created, which plays a very important role in the economy of the republic. Such a situation could result in a catastrophe. At the same time, our European partners weighed all the arguments voiced by the Pridnestrovian side, including independent expert estimates which indicated that there is an independently functioning economy in Pridnestrovie, and, accordingly, its own economic interests.
A common understanding of these circumstances has allowed us to reach a compromise and made the positive decision on trade with the EU possible. This confirms that the Pridnestrovian diplomacy chose the right strategy. The tactical mechanisms that we used are also quite effective, we can be persuasive within the framework of a constructive dialogue, and it allows to look with confidence to the future”.
