The President began his speech with an analysis of foreign policy factors that had a significant negative impact on the Pridnestrovian economy and, as a result, the socio- economic situation of Pridnestrovians: “2014 was a year of important political events at our neighbors. It should be noted that these events in the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine have not ever had such a clear impact on all spheres of life of Pridnestrovians”. Among the measures that restrict development Yevgeny Shevchuk mentioned the blocking of possibilities of Pridnestrovian citizens and citizens of the Russian Federation to move through the Pridnestrovian-Ukrainian and Moldovan-Pridnestrovian border, as well as through the airport of Kishinev. “Often without explanation Pridnestrovians, possessing Russian passports were denied even to transit,” – he said.
The economic dimension of the blockade lies in the fact that under the slogans of changing the order of foreign trade activities the neigbours of Pridnestrovie - Moldova and Ukraine - introduce additional restrictions on the export and import of Pridnestrovian products. “The imposition on Pridnestrovie of rules of foreign economic activity is an act of coercion by force to spread Moldovan legislation on the territory of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. This happens against our will, contrary to the fundamental documents on the right of the republic to carry out economic activities, ” – emphasized the president.
Pridnestrovie’s attempts to get the cooperation with Moldova moving are not quite successful. “Last year we sent a lot of signals to our partners to ensure the maintenance of our dialogue at the appropriate level on the basis of an accelerated resolution of economic problems in the relations between Kishinev and Tiraspol. Unfortunately, most of these initiatives left unheard,” – noted the head of state.
Yevgeny Shevchuk said that in February 2015 the Pridnestrovian side again put forward an initiative to the negotiation process, aimed at lifting restrictions in mutual trade. “It is based on mutual consideration of interests and is designed to alleviate the plight of both Pridnestrovian and Moldovan economic agents. We believe that the time dictates the need for taking such decisions,” – said the president.
He also reminded that there is an experience of positive cooperation between the parties. “On a number of issues we managed to get closer to the understanding of mutual respect of interests what was reflected in the cancellation of discriminatory excise tax on imports, in resolution of the railway communication problem, cancellation of fees for customs clearance of import and export for the Pridnestrovian economic agents, as well as the cancellation of the environmental fee, ” – he said. At that, Yevgeny Shevchuk added: “Pridnestrovie considered this approach of the Moldovan side as a positive and constructive step that can improve cooperation in the economic sphere.”
Thus, Pridnestrovie admit that “there is no alternative”, but “the dialogue requires proper atmosphere that cannot be created within the constraints of sanctions, blockades”. “It is needed to abandon the practice of criminal prosecution of Pridnestrovian officials as a matter of priority, to close the initiated politically motivated criminal cases. It would be difficult to imagine any significant progress on other vital problems,” – explained Yevgeny Shevchuk.
The President of Pridnestrovie urged the neighbouring countries “to escape from the ideology of sanctions, blocking of economic opportunities, provoking poverty among Pridnestrovians by their actions.” The head of state reaffirmed the commitment to the principle of goodneighbourliness and cooperation.
Yevgeny Shevchuk stressed that the negotiation process is not only the official rounds of the “5 + 2”: “This includes bilateral and multilateral consultations through the “shuttle diplomacy”, work of expert groups, meetings of political representatives of Pridnestrovie and Moldova, the so-called “1+1” format. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is mandated to work in all directions, including auxiliary ones, for proper preparation for the work in the “5 + 2” format, as soon as the existing obstacles are removed. Such work should focus on results rather than on meetings for declarations of intentions.”
Yevgeny Shevchuk paid separate attention to issues of the international legal support for recognition of states. He reminded that international law contains no applicable prohibition of declarations of independence, and the principle of territorial integrity do not preclude the emergence of new states on the territory of existing states. At the same time, “declarations of independence may, and often do, violate domestic legislation, however, this does not make them violations of international law,” – said the president. Along with this, the commitment to the principle of territorial integrity should not be read in isolation, but rather in a broader context in which other principles must be given equal consideration, and in which human rights and other considerations are of particular importance”
The head of state drew attention to the fact that recognition of the right to conduct economic activities is an important measure of respect for the international law, as a whole. In this regard, he noted that the will of the residents expressed in a referendum in Pridnestrovie was repeatedly left outside the decision making on the settlement of the Pridnestrovie- Moldova relations, therefore confirming the fact that applying the principles of the international law is still selective.
The president voiced the elements of the ideology on which the negotiation position of Pridnestrovie is based: “do no harm, favor, be a reliable partner, we have agreed - means we perform”.
Photos by Press Service of the President of the PMR.
