Tiraspol is not ready to confirm the participation in the next round of the Transnistrian conflict settlement talks in the 5+2 format planned for September 11-12. The Transnistrian side invokes the starting by Chisinau of criminal cases against residents of Transnistria holding responsible posts. Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Eugen Carpov said the criminal cases were started in accordance with the legislation of Moldova and this is not a reason for postponing the negotiations.

Eugen Carpov met with the chief negotiator on behalf of Tiraspol Nina Shtanski at the head office of the OSCE Mission in Chisinau on August 25, IPN reports.

Eugen Carpov noted that persons holding important positions from the right side of the Nistru River cannot travel freely in Transnistria, but Chisinau never invoked this as a reason for interrupting the dialogue within the Transnistrian conflict settlement process.

Nina Shtanski said that she is not ready to confirm the participation in the September round of talks owing to the criminal cases started against persons from Transnistria. Also, Transnistrian experts are convinced that if the mobile phone carriers from the rights side of the Nistru use some of the frequencies purchased recently, the Transnistrians will have problems in receiving the radio, TV and telephone signals. Tiraspol and Chisinau do not need a new communications war, especially because after the war of 2003 the telephone connection between the two banks of the Nistru is ensured by satellite.

In this connection, Eugen Carpov proposed that the experts should meet and solve the problems encountered in this field, by observing the international agreements to which Moldova is a party.

As to the situation of the Moldovan-administered Latin-script schools in Transnistria, the negotiators agreed to stage a meeting of financial-banking experts representing the two sides to decide how to pay the debts of the financial institutions.

The Transnistrian side informed the representatives of Chisinau that they are modernizing the border crossing points on the Nistru and the people living on the right bank will soon not need to fill out migration cards to enter Transnistria.

Earlier, the Transnistrian side refused to take part in the April round of talks, demanding that Parliament should adopt changes to the economic legislation in Tiraspol’s favor.