More than 80% of the people from the right side of the Nistru River consider that the Transnistrian region must remain a component part of Moldova, shows a poll presented by the Center for Sociological Investigations and Marketing on September 26, IPN reports.
Project manager Vasile Cantarji said that most of the Moldovans consider that Transnistria must remain part of Moldova as it was always like this and the region is inhabited by Moldovans. However, only 20% of the respondents know what is going on in the Transnistrian region and only 10% consider that the Transnistrian conflict is a personal priority.
The survey shows that 47% of the respondents believe that the Transnistrian problem can be solved by a compromise, namely by declaring Russian as the second official language. 42% think the solution can come as a result of Moldova’s integration into the Customs Union.
Asked to comment on the results of the poll, the head of the Reintegration Office Gheorghe Balan said the citizens of Moldova do not regard the Transnistrian conflict as a major concern because they face other problems that are personal, economic and social in character. When tensions appear at regional level, the people’s concerns about the situation in Transnistria increase. Moldova will receive a new tranche of about €28 million from the European Union for building confidence and strengthening sector cooperation between the two sides of the Nistru River.
Executive director of the Foreign Policy Association Victor Chirila said the technical and financial assistance provided by the EU is aimed at helping the Moldovan institutions to become involved in a more efficient dialogue with the Transnistrian administration and to inform the people about the challenges that must be overcome to resolve the Transnistrian conflict.
The technical assistance program designed to facilitate the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict was launched last March and is implemented by Ecorys and the Swedish Institute for Public Administration, with the assistance of the European Union Delegation to Moldova.
