The PMR President is meeting with the OSCE delegation led by Bujar Osmani, the Foreign Minister of North Macedonia, chairing this year’s Chairpersonship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. In addition to the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, the group of foreign visitors to Pridnestrovie included Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova Kelly Keiderling, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Thomas Mayr-Harting and other European diplomats. Vitaly Ignatiev, head of the Pridnestrovian Foreign Ministry, Galina Antyufeyeva, deputy chairman of the PMR Supreme Council, and Alexander Stetsiuk, Deputy Foreign Minister of the PMR, are also taking part in the discussions on the Pridnestrovian side. The international meeting takes place in Bendery – in the conference hall of the Old Bastion complex, located on the territory of the Alexander Nevsky Park.
This is the first visit to Pridnestrovie by the North Macedonian Chairmanship. The meeting is not expected to be purely exploratory. The agenda agreed by the parties is rich in issues that need to be resolved urgently. The main goal is to identify ways to bring the negotiation process between Pridnestrovie and Moldova out of the deepest stagnation. Whereas previously it was about the need to boost the peace dialogue and direct it towards the practical implementation of the agreements, now it is about the need for tools to restart it. The format of the Permanent Conference is now in its fourth year. Last year’s Polish Chairpersonship was unable to change the situation for the better. On the contrary, it has worsened considerably. The participants in today’s meeting expressed the aim of constructive engagement and the hope that this year would be more fruitful.
Issues to be discussed: intensification of pressure from Moldova, which increased with the closure of the Pridnestrovian-Ukrainian border; banking and financial blockade; transport, logistics, foreign economic, administrative and bureaucratic restrictions affecting the interests, rights and freedoms of the Pridnestrovian citizens and business entities; militarization of Moldova; attempts to discredit the current peacekeeping format and an attempt to replace it; adoption by the neighboring state of criminal law provisions instigating political prosecution of Pridnestrovians.
Vadim Krasnoselsky expressed his appreciation to the foreign guests for their attention to the republic and the problems faced by Pridnestrovie. The President described the current visit of the OSCE representatives as necessary, pointing to its growing significance due to the geopolitical situation around the republic. The Head of the Pridnestrovian state described it as explosive. “In this complex environment, we witness the stagnating negotiation process between Pridnestrovie and Moldova. The “5+2” format is almost non-operational, and Moldova does not fulfil its earlier obligations under the Berlin and Berlin Plus protocols. Moreover, Moldova has adopted a law on separatism, which, in my opinion, negatively affects the negotiation process. Not to mention the fact that this law endangers the life, health and freedom of Pridnestrovians,” Vadim Krasnoselsky noted.
The PMR President expressed the hope that under the OSCE Chairmanship North Macedonia will be able to restore the full work of the “5+2” format, which, as Vadim Krasnoselsky believes, is the most important platform for negotiations.
Bujar Osmani, in turn, told about his contacts with members of the public, stressing the importance of direct interaction with the civil society. “Our Chairpersonship is about people, how we can work to ease their concerns and struggles. Since in the end regardless of whether we are politicians or leaders of institutions we work for people and their needs,” the OSCE Chairman-in-Office noted emphasizing that this principle underlies the Moldova-Pridnestrovie settlement as well. The diplomat spoke about the importance of keeping the Permanent Conference format on track in the most challenging geopolitical realities. He also commended Pridnestrovie for the support provided to Ukrainian citizens temporarily staying in Pridnestrovie. Bujar Osmani believes that the negotiation process should continue both in the “5+2” or “1+1” formats and at the level of expert (working) groups.
The European politician also expressed his opinion about Moldova’s discriminatory legislative amendments that infringe on the rights and freedoms of the Pridnestrovian people. “I raised this issue with my interlocutors today in Chisinau, and I said clearly that while acknowledging the security concerns, any such legislation should not be enacted in such a way that it would have a negative impact on the settlement process,” Bujar Osmani told and added that the OSCE is ready to engage actively in the confidence-building process between the sides.
The interlocutors expressed their willingness to discuss current issues on the negotiation agenda in full, and voiced their interest in hearing positions of the sides to work out viable solutions.
The meeting between the Pridnestrovian and the OSCE delegations continues without media participation.
