The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PMR expresses its sincere appreciation to the author for his visit to Pridnestrovie and for his attempt to clear up the current situation in Pridnestrovie itself and around it. At the same time, the format and the manner of rendering the content of the conversation between the correspondent and the Minister in printed version of “Komsomolskaya Pravda” raises doubts over conscientiousness of those people who bear responsibility for preparing and publishing such an authoritative newspaper.
We have to cite a number of examples proving a rather negligent attitude of “Komsomolskaya Pravda” towards the principles of not only journalistic but elementary ethics as well.
In his answer to the question about Ukraine's reaction to the possible unilateral recognition of Pridnestrovie's independence by Russia, Vladimir Yastrebchak suggested that Pridnestrovie if recognized by Russia “would cause allergic reaction in some representatives of the political elite of Ukraine and Moldova.” “Usually, when influence of one country suddenly increases in the region it provokes sharp counteraction of other states, hence, it is necessary to see the perspective and foresee consequences. The fact that Pridnestrovie and Russia have no common boundaries is also important enough,” marked Vladimir Yastrebchak. (This answer was published on the PMR's MFA's web site in the announcement of the press-service of foreign department on November 4, 2009, titled as “Vladimir Yastrebchak: It is important to gain the victory but more important is to retain it” http://mfa-pmr.org). However, the author rendering the Minister's answer in a peculiar way, totally changes formulations of both the journalist's question and the Minister's answer. Pridnestrovie has never regarded Ukraine and doesn't regard it presently as “unfriendly state” in issues of ensuring rights and freedoms for the Pridnestrovian citizens, many of them being also the citizens of Ukraine.
It is to be reminded that Ukraine is a country-guarantor in the Moldova-Pridnestrovie relations settlement and a member of the peace-keeping operation. A close cooperation has been established between Pridnestrovie and Ukraine in the sphere of culture and education. Ukraine is one of the major economic partners of Pridnestrovie. PMR's MFA lets edition assume all the responsibility for the way of interpreting the question and Minister's answer regarding the problem of Pridnestrovie's international recognition by other states. Vladimir Yastrebchak has never used and couldn't use the phrase like “Recognition by the states which our life doesn't depend on will give nothing…” with respect to Abkhazia and South Ossetia which are bound with the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic by long-lasting brotherly relations and on which the progress of our cooperation with other states is largely dependant. We remind to Mr. Varsegov and other “co-authors” of the publication that it was spoken about the possibility for Pridnestrovie to be recognized by the third countries which are not directly connected with the issue of Moldova-Pridnestrovie settlement in historical, cultural, humanitarian or any other aspect. The Minister noted then, such work is in progress but Pridnestrovie counts not on recognition of PMR's sovereignty by separate states – the very fact that will not facilitate the republic's state, but rather on the full-scale international recognition that is seen as an outcome of Moldova-Pridnestrovie relations settlement.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PMR sets a high value on the collaboration with the Russian media, including such popular editions as “Komsomolskaya Pravda”. However, publications of this kind can hardly to the full extent match aspirations of the Russian compatriots in Pridnestrovie who look upon Russia as their Motherland and who pin their hopes for the future with it.
