On February 11, Tiraspol was visited by the EU delegation which included Political Adviser to the EU Special Representative for Moldova Mindaugas Kacerauskis, experts in the sphere of railway communication and a EUBAM representative. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted consultations between European guests and Pridnestrovien representatives. The Pridnestrovien side was represented by PMR's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Simonenko, Director of the State Unitary Enterprise “Pridnestrovien Railway” Sergey Martsinko, representatives of the State Customs Committee of the Republic, First Deputy Head of the PMR's Presidential Administration Anatoly Ladan.
Political Consultatnt to the EU Special Representative for Moldova Mindaugas Kacerauskis announced that the EU experts were intended to discuss “possible technical solutions of the problem of resuming railway communication through Pridnestrovie”. It will be remembered that the full-scale functioning of the Pridnestrovien railway – that since 2004 exists as a separate entity – has been blocked by Kishinev over the last six years. Today only transit freight trains move through Pridnestrovien sector, as well as two passenger trains Chisinau-Moscow and Saratov-Varna. In 2008 the European Union joined resolution of this problem what was preconditioned by the fact that Pridnestrovien sector is part of the IX pan-European transport corridor. According to Mindaugas Kacerauskis, the process of railway issue resolution had recently been marked by some progress, if take into consideration recent propositions of the Pridnestrovien side.
Summing up the conversation, which took place in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Head of the department Sergey Simonenko noted that the Pridnestrovien side had been offered various models for problem resolution based on the world experience. “Our experts will take a close look at them”, told Deputy Minister. At the same time he underlined that no matter what variant it would be, it is important for Tiraspol to preserve independence of the Pridnestrovien railway which is a state property of the PMR.
In his response to the journalists' questions, Sergey Simonenko notified that the issue related to the resumption of the passenger diesel-train Chisinau-Odessa had also been considered at the meeting. “Here exist certain technical aspects that demand additional examination. These include safety of movement, and how to separate competence and authority”, specified Deputy Minister.
He positively assessed the very fact of these consultations. According to Sergey Simonenko, current dead-end situation in the relations between the sides, the assistance of external experts is especially valuable.
