Today, at the OSCE Mission office in Tiraspol, the first meeting between the chief negotiators from Pridnestrovie and Moldova took place after a long pause, in the presence of representatives of mediators and observers.
A wide range of issues on the current agenda of the negotiation process were discussed. First of all, Vitaly Ignatiev drew attention to a set of problems related to the so-called “law on separatism”. According to him, this legal mechanism is repressive in nature, provoking massive violations of the rights and freedoms of Pridnestrovians in the form of unmotivated interrogations, checks, detentions, and refusals to enter the territory of Moldova for further travel to Pridnestrovie. The minister called on the Moldovan side to comply with the recommendations of international bodies, including the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, to repeal these discriminatory norms, which have a negative impact on dialogue.
In light of the worsening problems with drug and arms trafficking through Moldovan territory, the Pridnestrovian side proposed joint efforts to combat cross-border crime and establish cooperation between the parties’ law enforcement agencies, including by resuming meetings of the relevant expert (working) group. In the context of improving the environmental situation, initiatives were presented to the political representative of the Republic of Moldova on the implementation of a number of infrastructure projects, in particular on the modernization of treatment facilities on the Dniester River.
A number of humanitarian issues were discussed during the meeting. The PMR Foreign Minister once again proposed signing a protocol decision on the mechanism for returning children found without legal representatives to their permanent place of residence. In addition, emphasis was placed on ensuring the possibility of registering Pridnestrovian ambulances in the VROs.
Vitaly Ignatiev separately noted the need for a legal assessment of the events of 1992 related to Moldova’s armed aggression against Pridnestrovie and for an end to hate speech against Pridnestrovians in the neighboring state.
Concluding the meeting, the parties agreed to hold the next meeting of political representatives in the near future, as well as to intensify the operation of expert (working) groups in a number of sectoral areas.
