On January 23, 2012, acting Foreign Minister of the PMR, Special Representative of the President for the Negotiation Process, Interaction with Diplomatic Missions and International Organisations Nina Shtanski met with representatives of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. Writer Rory MacLean and photographer Nick Danziger arrived in Pridnestrovie to study the life of common people and present for a western reader an objective picture of the state.
In the course of the conversation, head of the foreign political office of the Republic noted that Tiraspol needs its international image to be improved. According to Nina Shtanski, in the course of two decades “black myths” about Pridnestrovie as a source of arms and drugs smuggling and trafficking in human beings have been spread in the West. This unrighteous image should be broken. Nina Shtanski noted with satisfaction that during 10 days of their stay in the Republic, representatives of the British fund would be able to form an impartial opinion about the country and its citizens.
Discussing specificity of Pridnestrovie, interlocutors marked a unique character of ethnic component in the Republic when in one state three nations in approximately equal proportions live together and hereby preserve high degree of tolerance in their relations. As Nina Shtanski pointed out, this situation had established in Pridnestrovie historically. She emphasized that statehood in Pridnestrovie had been shaping not on the priority of rights of a separate state-forming nation, as it was in majority of the post-soviet states, but rather on the basis of maintenance of interethnic peace and understanding.
Interlocutors also touched upon socio-economic and domestic political situation in the PMR. In her response to the questions of the writer, Nina Shtanski stressed what is taking place in Pridnestrovie is not only the change of a leader but also the change of principles of state administration. The new power received high credit of trust from the people and is intended to justify this trust. Among priorities of the leadership of the Republic Nina Shtanski mentioned stabilization of economy through tax system stimulation. Common citizens, in her words, should perceive improvement of life in order to make those specialists who had left the Republic feel desire to come back to their native land.
In the course of the meeting, an issue regarding replacement of the current peacekeeping operation in Pridnestrovie which after January 1, 2012 events has been actively raised in mass media was touched upon. According to Nina Shtanski, statements by politicians from Moldova demanding replacement of the peacekeeping mission are “inadmissible”. Head of the foreign political office called current format of the peacekeeping operation “the only guarantee of stability and security in the region”.
Representatives of the British fund told that following the results of their trip an illustrated book about Pridnestrovie will be published and thematic photography exhibition will be carried out.
