The granting by the EU of the liberalized visa regime for Moldovans will have both positive and negative effects on the process of settling the Transnistrian dispute, considers Vladimir Yastrebcheak, ex-political representative of Tiraspol and negotiator on behalf of the Transnistrian region to the 5+2 talks, IPN reports.

In a roundtable meeting in Chisinau, Vladimir Yastrebceak said it wouldn’t be right for the Europeans to impose the condition of resolving the dispute for granting the liberalized visa regime. He believes that on the one hand, this regime may give an impetus to the conflict settlement talks. On the other hand, the Transnistrians will be asked to meet certain conditions and this can affect the negotiation process between Tiraspol and Chisinau.

According to Vladimir Iastrebceak, even if many people say that the decision to liberalize the visa regime for Moldovans is not political, this is not so. The expert also said that the people living in the Transnistrian region deserve being informed about what they will get from this regime.

Daniela Morari, head of the Foreign Ministry’s Division for Political Cooperation with the EU, stressed that the European partners never imposed conditions for offering the liberalized visa regime. This regime will benefit all the Moldovans who own biometric passports issued by Moldova, including those living on the left side of the Nistru River.