There is a period of stagnation in the negotiation process today. Against this background Moldova and Ukraine in a coordinated manner take measures of comprehensive pressure against Pridnestrovie, said Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pridnestrovie Vitaly Ignatiev at a press conference in MIA “Russia Today”.
“We can say that the activation of these external “steel grips” in which we find ourselves, have coincided with a period of crisis in Ukraine, and in fact since the spring of 2014 the methods which limit the potential for economic development, limit the ability of people to freedom movement have begun to be used systematically against Pridnestrovie,” reminded the head of the MFA of the PMR. He explained that the so-called operation “Border” on the part of Ukraine, which is still ongoing and does not allow citizens who have a Russian passport, reside permanently in the territory of Pridnestrovie and are men aged 16 to 65 years to cross the border of Ukraine.
“This is a number of economic unwarranted actions: the detention of our goods, inspection of goods in transit, which go in the direction of Pridnestrovie, subsequently Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers adopted Resolution No.117, which banned the supply of excisable products to the territory of Pridnestrovie. This is a very powerful article of revenues of our budget and, of course, it is the actions that have been applied and used by Moldova and Ukraine behind the back of Pridnestrovie, on the destruction of mechanism for railway transportation, delivery of goods to the territory of Pridnestrovie,” pointed out the diplomat.
Vitaly Ignatiev said that the mechanism under which the Pridnestrovian side with the help of its locomotives took its cargoes by rail and carried to Pridnestrovie operated for nearly eleven years. “Now we do not have such a possibility, all cargoes are obliged to be registered and to be taken only by Moldovan railway locomotives. Accordingly, our railway loses its functionality, our enterprises bear additional logistical, administrative, financial costs, contractual obligations are violated,” explained the head of the Pridnestrovian diplomacy. All this together can result in a loss of more than $ 4.5 million for the Pridnestrovian economic agents.
According to the Pridnestrovian diplomat, the lack of dialogue paradigm is the main problem of the negotiation process. The Moldavian side refuses to find solutions to the most pressing issues. Therefore, the main task of the PMR Foreign Ministry at this stage is to intensify the work.
“The mechanism existing in the international negotiation process is in a systemic crisis. The Moldovan side dodges the normal dialogue, we cannot solve these issues within the framework of mechanisms that we have there. We have eleven special expert working groups, which are designed to solve problems in a wide range of areas. But, unfortunately, the activities of these groups are sabotaged by our Moldovan partners. Meetings of the political representatives of Moldova and Pridnestrovie, one of which is me, are sabotaged too. I cannot meet my Moldovan counterpart, our Moldovan partners motivate it by the fact that they have an internal Moldovan crisis, and therefore they cannot participate in the negotiation process, which delays solution of specific issues,” said Ignatiev.
“And, of course, the international level of the 5+2 format with participation of all our international partners, which also does not work for the reasons which I have told you. In fact, Pridnestrovie is subjected to the attempts to put handcuffs on it, thereby driving the negotiation process outside the agreements that exist within the framework of this mechanism, trying to present Pridnestrovie not as an equal party of the dialogue, but as the party against which the whole complex of repressive measures can be applied. It does not allow us to solve many issues,” noted Ignatiev.
Pridnestrovie also has certain hopes for German chairmanship in the OSCE as “the German side expressed its intention to focus on the result, demonstrate a pragmatic approach.”
“Our positions coincide completely here, as a whole. We also need concrete results, and not declarations. Therefore, the probability of resumption of meaningful dialogue in the 5+2 format will depend on the willingness of the Moldovan side to solve the practical issues at all levels and move towards finding compromise solutions,” said the head of the PMR MFA.
Source: Novosti Pridnestrovya News Agency
