The state policies on the reintegration of the Transnistrian region remain stagnant. Small steps are being taken, but it is not known if these steps follow the correct path, director of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul” Igor Munteanu stated in an interview for Radio Free Europe. The expert said that everything that was done until now on this segment consisted of small steps and the followed direction was absolutely incorrect as it went towards the recognition of Transnistria, IPN reports.
According to Igor Munteanu, the recent opening of the Gura Bicului – Bychok bridge that was immediately followed by the setting up of an illegal post of the Transnistrian administration and the recognition of the diplomas of studies issued on the left side of the Nistru, accompanied by the offering of sovereignty elements to the Transnistrians region, show that there is no hope that Moldovan can get what it desires. There is also the farmland owned by people from Cocieri and Cosnita beyond the Ribnita-Tiraspol road, which cannot be cultivated.
The director of “Viitorul” said that very active measures supported by the Russian Federation were taken in 2017. So-called Transnistrian diplomats visited Rome, Strasbourg, London, Tel Aviv and other important cities where they promoted the so-called statehood, but the Moldovan authorities didn’t react. Last year Russia mobilized huge resources to strengthen the defense and security capacities of the Transnistrian regime, with 140 military exercises being held on the left side of the Nistru, but the Moldovan authorities only said that they protest.
As to the initiative to draft a policy that would contain the state view on the Transnistrian settlement proposed by the Bureau for Reintegration Policies, Igor Munteanu said this is related to the past as there was no political will to assume particular responsibilities.
He also said that Moldova should clearly define the results and concrete objective of the Transnistrian conflict settlement talks in the 5+2 format. There is no sufficient institutional effort to define this reintegration course and no transparency in the results or the taken small steps. The militarization of the Transnistrian region creates insecurity effects for the whole region, not only for the Republic of Moldova.
