Today, the OSCE Office in Tiraspol hosted a regular meeting between representatives on political issues of Pridnestrovie and Moldova Nina Shtanski and Yevgeny Karpov. Taking part in the meeting also were representatives of expert (working) groups on economy.
During the meeting the parties managed to discuss a number of issues on economic cooperation. In the first instance, by the initiative of the Pridnestrovian side, the issue on extending the validity of the Protocol Decision “On the Principles of the Resumption of a Full-Scale Freight Railway Communication through the Territory of Pridnestrovie” was discussed.
Political representative of Moldova Yevgeny Karpov stated that the Republic of Moldova does not see any obstacles to prolongation of the Protocol Decision. Following a proposal by the Moldovan representative, Nina Shtanski and Yevgeny Karpov agreed to return to detailed discussion on the technical parameters of extending the validity of the Protocol Decision this December.
Commenting on the issue to mass media, Nina Shtanski emphasized that Pridnestrovie would like to extend the Protocol for an unlimited period of time, adding that validity period of the Protocol had already been extended by a year and a year and a half earlier. We remind the Protocol Decision remains in force till January 1, 2015.
In the course of the meeting a particular attention was paid to the problem of the issuance of the RM's Phytosanitary certificates to Pridnestrovian agricultural enterprises that hampers to export Pridnestrovian products to the RF.
During the meeting the sides discussed the issue on land use in Dubossary District of Pridnestrovie by Moldovan farmers. Nina Shtanski voiced information on applications submitted by Moldovan farmers who wished to cultivate land on equality with Pridnestrovian farmers. By now, 103 applications have already been submitted by land users, 91 applications of which were made by Moldovan farmers. Nina Shtanski informed the total volume of land to be cultivated is slightly over 6600 ha. Thus, all these arable land plots have actually been distributed, only formal land titling for land users is required.
She clarified those Moldovan farmers may sign in coming days relevant agreements with the State Administration of Dubossary District and set to cultivate agricultural land. In that context, Nina Shtanski pointed out again inconsistency of arguments of the Moldovan side that alleged “economic agents of the Republic of Moldova do not have free access” to cultivatable land. She reminded that Moldovan farmers managed to sow winter crops as early as in 2013, as the 2006 mechanism had not already been in force. In 2014 they were allowed to take and transport their crops.
The sides planned to hold a meeting of expert (working) groups on economy for discussing parameters of the agreement on the conditions of land use to be signed between a farmer and the State Administration of Dubossary District of Pridnestrovie.
