President receives Acting Foreign Minister

President Yevgeny Shevchuk received the Acting Foreign Minister of the PMR. Vitaly Ignatiev reported to the President about the results of his working visit to the capital of the Russian Federation.

In Moscow, the head of the Pridnestrovian Foreign Ministry held several meetings: with Advisor of the President of the Russian Federation on Regional Economic Integration Sergei Glazyev, Ambassador-at-Large of the MFA of Russia Sergey Gubarev, Assistant to Deputy Prime Minister of the RF, Special Representative of the Russian President for Pridnestrovie D.O. Rogozin Dmitry Loskutov. In addition, Vitaly Ignatiev held an exchange of views with partners from the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, and the leadership of Rossotrudnichestvo.

Vitaly Ignatiev informed Yevgeny Shevchuk that in the framework of Moscow meetings a wide range of issues concerning the situation around Pridnestrovie were raised. As noted by Acting Foreign Minister of the PMR, special attention was paid to the situation in Pridnestrovie’s trade with the European Union from January 1, 2016. We remind the preferential regime for Pridnestrovian enterprises exporting products to the European market expires on December 31, this year. In this regard, the Foreign Ministry was conducting lengthy and difficult negotiations with European partners on the issue of finding a mechanism that would apply to Pridnestrovian economic agents from January 1, 2016. “We can say that the European Union decided that Pridnestrovian economic agents would have the possibility of duty-free access to European markets. In our opinion, this is a stabilizing solution. We hope that this mechanism will work properly and will not be burdened by unilateral requirements or some obstacles on the part of the Republic of Moldova,” - noted Vitaly Ignatiev.

The Foreign Minister also told the President that in the course of the meetings held in the Russian Federation serious attention was paid to the possible consequences of the decision taken by the Moldovan and Ukrainian sides on establishment of joint customs and border posts at the checkpoint “Kuchurgan” on the border with the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. “This decision does not have any legitimacy, as it was taken outside the negotiation mechanism. In our view, any decisions that affect the fate of economic agents and concern Pridnestrovie’s interests should be discussed especially with the Pridnestrovian side,” - said Vitaly Ignatiev. According to the Acting Foreign Minister, the implementation of Ukraine and Moldova’s joint decision can lead to negative complex implications for Pridnestrovie: economic losses, losses due to the possible establishment of additional requirements of tariff and non-tariff nature by the neighbouring countries, certain restrictions in terms of freedom of movement of citizens, goods and services, vehicles of the PMR. “We sent a number of formal requests to the “5+2” participants, the Moldovan and Ukrainian sides to abandon the implementation of the decision. Our position remains unchanged. We need to join forces to get the Moldovan, Ukrainian sides back on track of the political dialogue and constructive solutions that do not worsen the situation, which is already very difficult in relations between Moldova and Pridnestrovie,” - said Vitaly Ignatiev.

Special attention was drawn to the fact that in recent times almost all trips of representatives of the PMR authorities through Kishinev airport have been accompanied by increased checks, including body searches and full check of baggage. The meeting stressed Pridnestrovie regards the facts of unjustified personal search of members of the Government of the PMR as targeted actions humiliating honour and dignity of the representatives of authorities of the republic. It was also noted that such measures constitute a gross attempt to exert political pressure on the participants of settlement process, because many officials are heads of relevant expert (working) groups of Pridnestrovie which is an integral part of the negotiation mechanism.

Following the meeting with Vitaly Ignatiyev President Yevgeny Shevchuk gave a number of instructions.