The legalization of the Transnistrian registration numbers for particular types of vehicles from the Transnistrian region cannot advance as long as there are no realistic estimates of the effects of this file. The move can entail risks of tax evasion and costs that Moldova should cover in case of road accidents that would involve vehicles registered in Transnistria and of responsibilities that derive from a series of conventions on international transport, IPN reports.

According to a study launched by experts of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul” on March 5, civil society warns about the lack of political feasibility analyses, not only of technical analyses so as to avoid situations when particular unilateral decisions can discredit the excellent relationship between Moldova and Ukraine, offering sovereignty elements to a separatist region that keeps the population hostage. There are contradictions between the technical solutions proposed by the Transnistrians and the strategic objective of the Republic of Moldova to gradually reintegrate the whole region. The process requires steps towards the objective, not against this.

According to “Viitorul” director Igor Munteanu, the reintegration of the Transnistrian region will yet need time and the Government of Moldova needs solid aggregation and socialization instruments in this regard. Moldova should register the people living in the region and their property and should guarantee the ownership rights. This cannot be done by the chaotic, circumstantial conceding of national institutions and mechanisms.

“The bad solutions are taken the easiest. It is enough to fully accept the position of the secessionist or Russian leaders and to treat Moldova as something that can be divided,” said security expert Rosian Vasiloi.

Alin Gvidiani, deputy head of the Reintegration Policy Office of the Government of Moldova, said voices on the left bank of the Nistru promote a compromise-free version by which they would like to obtain unilateral and unconditional concessions from Moldova, like free license plates and certificates of the new type, so as to have free access to international traffic and to simultaneously use the current elements with regional symbols, as now.

The study was carried out with the financial support of the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation, a Project of the German Marshall Fund.