By stopping the supply of gas to the Transnistrian region, Russia wants to destabilize the situation on the right bank of the Nistru, expert Igor Boţan stated in a public debate hosted by IPN News Agency. According to him, it is unlikely that Moscow will generate a humanitarian crisis on the left bank of the Nistru as the Kremlin's major goal is to cause discontent among the population on the right bank.
Expert Igor Boţan said that the scenario according to which the Transnistrian region will face a humanitarian crisis following a possible halt in the supply of Russian gas is unlikely. According to international law, the responsibility for the security of citizens in an occupied territory lies with the state that occupied that territory.
"I don't believe in the humanitarian crisis. From my point of view, the humanitarian crisis is artificially created. The idea of a humanitarian crisis was launched in society to destabilize the situation in the Republic of Moldova. I think Minister Parlicov did the right thing by going to Gazprom for talks. It was his area of responsibility. This visit sent a clear message that the authorities of the Republic of Moldova are responsible and take into account that, although the territory on the left bank of the Nistru, according to the Constitutional Court’s decision, is territory occupied by the Russian Federation, the authorities take care of the citizens living there. According to the ECHR decisions, the responsibility for what happens on the occupied territory lies with the country that occupied the territory. The authorities of the Republic of Moldova, through their behavior, show goodwill in relation to the citizens from the left bank of the Nistru - about 300,000 people. But the responsibility for their wellbeing, their lives, their security falls on the state that de facto controls this territory," said the permanent expert of IPN’s project.
Igor Boţan noted that Russia will find solutions to prevent a humanitarian crisis on the left bank of the Nistru. The colossal budget allocated by the Kremlin for the war will also be used to provide support to citizens in the separatist region.
"The Russian Federation has told us more than once that the goal is a new world order. To achieve the new world order for which Russia is striving, the existing situation and order must be destabilized. All measures are used for the purpose, including the state budget adopted by Russia. 40% of Russia's budget for next year and for the next three years will be used for what they call defense, that is, for war. Do you think that this amount is not also used for hybrid warfare? In addition, Russia has always taken care of its vassals. Let’s remember the former heads of some of the CIS states or of separatist regimes: Mutalibov, Yanukovych, recently Bashar al Assad. They are all in Russia. So, Russia takes care of its vassals," said Igor Boţan.
He considers that the destabilization of the situation on the right bank of the Nistru is Russia's main goal. The Moldovan authorities should have identified sources for compensating the electricity charges, given that Chisinau will no longer buy electricity at a preferential price from the Kuchurgan power plant.
"I doubt that Russia will let Transnistria end up in a humanitarian crisis. The real goal is to provoke the discontent of the citizens on the right bank of the Nistru and it might even be successful this time. What could the government have done? To secure cheap gas in summer so that the citizens pay a relatively good price. As for the supply of electricity from Transnistria, they should have realized in advance that this will not happen again and resources should have been earmarked for compensating electricity charges,” said expert Igor Boțan.
The public debate entitled "Gas for the Transnistrian region as a national security issue" was staged as part of the series of debates "Developing political culture through public debates". IPN Agency implements this project with support from the German Hanns Seidel Foundation.
