At today's meeting between Nina Shatnski and Yevgeny Karpov, Political Representatives of Pridnestrovie and Moldova, in Kishinev the parties tackled preparation for this year's first meeting of the Permanent Conference in the 5+2 format.
As before, Political Representatives focused their efforts on the exchange of opinions regarding issues each party is ready to discuss during the forthcoming meeting. In particular, negotiators reaffirmed mutual willingness to discuss freedom of movement, economic issues, implementation of infrastructural projects, and other socio-economic problems.
In the course of today's meeting, the Moldovan side voiced initiative about preparation of the meeting at the level of leadership of republics. In this connection, Nina Shtanski told the following, “Information which I have received today will be brought to the notice of President of the PMR and, accordingly we will let you know in the near future when in our opinion such meeting could take place, and also present our vision regarding its preparation”. According to the Pridnestrovian Political Representative in the negotiation process, high-level meetings must be arranged in a proper way.
In the course of the meeting special attention was paid to the issue of functioning of Moldovan Latin-script Moldovan schools on the territory of Pridnestrovie. Nina Shtanski marked that currently these schools are actually beyond the control of both Pridnestrovian and Moldovan authorities, but both of them “should create as much prerequisites as possible to settle all disputes and moreover, they should ensure the continuity of educational process”. “There are a number of controversial positions, and today we voiced them to each other. We proceed from the fact that by the end of current education year we have enough time to resolve issues hanging in the air, so that by the first of September of the next education year we won't provide journalists with the conflicting information,” the Minister told. Furthermore, during the meeting the sides agreed to arrange a joint visit to several schools with the participation of participants of the Permanent Conference, in particular, to Moldovan Latin- and Cyrillic-script lyceums located in Tiraspol. Details of the forthcoming joint visit are expected to be discussed at the meeting of expert (working) groups of the sides already on the upcoming Monday, January 27.
In the course of the briefing, Nina Shtanski denied rumors about alleged blocking or cancelling of accounts of Lucian Blaga Moldovan lyceum located in Pridnestrovie. However, functionality of the account is limited. Thus, as the Minister told, the lyceum can further pay for food, utilities and, if necessary, for rent. As one can see, no obstacles impeding continuity of educational process are created on the part of Pridnestrovie.
