If the Party of Socialists wins a majority of seats of MP in the parliamentary elections of 2018, as Igor Dodon pledged to do, we will be witness to catastrophic processes for Moldova in the Transnistrian conflict settlement, considers Ion Leahu, ex-colonel of the Security and Intelligence Service and Moldova’s former representative to the Joint Control Commission (JCC). “We will witness what politicians called long ago Transnistrization. This is what is going on in Armenia and is being pushed in Azerbaijan,” Ion Leahu stated in a program on Radio Free Europe, IPN reports.

Ion Leahu reminded that the Socialist President Igor Dodon promised that in 2018 he would concentrate the whole executive power in his hands, noting that this would be much worse than it was during the rule of Vladimir Voronin. “Voronin was different. He indeed had bigger power and, given that he felt more powerful, he had to be even persuaded. Dodon is already convinced. Immediately after he obtains a majority of seats in Parliament, we will witness catastrophic processes for the Republic of Moldova. It will be what politicians called long ago Transnistrization,” he stated.

According to him, Chisinau has never shown consistency in the Transnistrian conflict settlement process. “At least consistency. I do not speak about a profound approach based on foundation stones. In 1996, Mircea Snegur signed with Smirnov a protocol of coordinated problems whereby Transnistria for the first time got officially the right to use state symbols: anthem, flag, stamp, etc. So, the real recognition process started then. Later, in 1997, Transnistrian obtained the right to have free economic relations by the Moscow Memorandum. In 2001, Smirnov and Voronin signed 20 documents. By these, Voronin for the first time pledged to cover the losses that were allegedly caused to Transnistria during the armed conflict,” stated Ion Leahu.

He noted that after 2009, a number of protocols were signed within the talks in the “5+2” format, including the act by which Transnistria is given the same rights as those enjoyed by Chisinau at the negotiating table. Later, there was adopted the small steps tactic for dealing with problems that were mainly related to Transnistria’s interests. “We didn’t obtain at least the removal of the barbed wire fence that surrounds the lyceum in Tiraspol,” said Leahu. According to him, a stricter and harsher policy is needed. Chisinau should work out a strategy and be consistent in implementing this. “Being assisted by the European Union, the international community in general, we can obtain greater and much more efficient things.”