The Joint Control Commission (JCC) on Thursday approved the withdrawal of a so-called “border checkpoint” on the Nistru River between the villages Cremenciug and Slobozia, pledging to monitor the situation in the area.
However, the Reintegration Bureau said in a press release that the Moldovan side signalled new cases of Transnistrian “border patrols” moving about the Security Zone last week, specifically near the villages of Gâsca, Hagimus, and Hârbovăț and within Bender municipality. What is worse, on March 31 there was an attempt by the Transnistrian “border officers” to arrest four Moldovan citizens for “illegally” crossing “the border” near Chircăiești/Chițcani. The case is investigated by the Moldovan Police.
The Bureau also said that the delegations of Russia and Transnistria to the JCC opposed “without good reason” a proposal by the Moldovan side to improve transparency of military presence in the Security Zone. Russia and Transnistria seem to be “annoyed” by the Moldovan delegation’s goal to demilitarize the Zone, added the Bureau.
The concept of phasing out military presence in the Security Zone dates back to the 20 March 1998 Odessa Agreement, and the Bureau recalls that on 13 July 1999 all the sides to the JCC formally pledged to take concrete steps to this effect.
