The Parliamentary Team of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA) on Moldova, which has the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict problem among its priorities, met in Helsinki after a three-year hiatus. The meeting was held within the summer session of the OSCE PA, which is taking place in Finland’s capital on July 5-9. The lawmakers confirmed the Group’s mandate to contribute to promoting peace, stability and the rule of law in Moldova, while affirming the unity of the state, by engaging in and promoting dialogue between parties and organizations representing different sections of the Moldovan population, IPN reports.

In the meeting, the head of the delegation of Moldova’s Parliament to the OSCE PA Sergiu Sarbu underlined the importance of monitoring the situation in the region and of continuing the dialogue with the participation of the international partners. “Our priorities are to draw the people from the two sides of the Nistru River closer, to intensify economic ties and to encourage the Transnistrian companies to export to the EU. It is important that the Transnistrian region should also benefit from the provisions of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement,” stated Sergiu Sarbu.

He also said that the Transnistrian region should have a special status as part of Moldova so as to enjoy sufficient self-government, noting that the idea of federalizing the region is not accepted.

After the new Government is invested, a delegation of the Parliamentary Team of the OSCE PA on Moldova will pay a fact-finding visit both to Chisinau and to Tiraspol so as to see the progress made in the Transnistrian conflict settlement process on the spot.