The Pridnestrovian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vitaly Ignatiev gave an interview to Johanna Melén, the Radio Sweden correspondent. The journalist was interested in a wide range of issues related to the Moldovan-Pridnestrovian negotiation process, republic’s international contacts development and Pridnestrovian statehood’s genesis and prospects.
Speaking about relations settlement between Pridnestrovie and the Republic of Moldova, Vitaly Ignatiev noted that at present, the dialogue between the parties is getting through a period of stagnation because of Moldova avoiding implementing the previously reached agreements. At the same time, according to him, the problems in the negotiation process only worsened during the pandemic. In particular, he talked about repeated cases of Pridnestrovian goods detention when transiting through Moldova, including medicines and medical equipment aimed at combating the COVID-19 spread.
The Minister noted that not a single problem is being solved today, instead new difficulties and issues that hinder relations normalization between Moldova and Pridnestrovie are accumulating. “Any conflict settlement should be based on the interests of the people. Today, the Pridnestrovian population’s rights are infringed upon due to the unresolved conflict and Kishinev’s actions to block the work of our economic agents, to ban freedom of movement, to prosecute citizens of the PMR,” the diplomat said.
During the conversation, Vitaly Ignatiev dwelled in detail on the political, legal and historical aspects of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic formation. Referring to international recognition of PMR’s independence, he emphasized that the Pridnestrovian state has de facto existed for more than thirty years and "all international participants in the settlement take this into account."
“It can be said that the negotiation process has determined the real picture. There are two subjects - Pridnestrovie, that was founded by the will of the people which was expressed through referendums, and Moldova which was formed by parliamentary means. It remains for us to take the main step - to conclude a bilateral agreement on peace, friendship and cooperation in order to remove the negative consequences for the rights and interests of people and exclude any forms of pressure and blockades. I do not see any other realistic way of settlement,” the diplomat said.
During the interview, the Minister spoke as well about relations development between Pridnestrovie and the Russian Federation, the fraternal republics of the Caucasus - Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Artsakh, and other international partners. In addition, he answered questions regarding some artificially replicated myths about the PMR.
