Representatives of the OSCE Mission to Moldova will observe the celebration dedicated to the first school bell in the educational establishments with Latin script teaching in Transnistrian region. The intention was discussed during a meeting of the head of the OSCE Mission to the Republic of Moldova, Claus Neukirch, with Deputy Prime Minister Vasilii Șova.

According to a press release from the Office for Reintegration, the intention was welcomed and encouraged, and an invitation was extended to exponents of other international partners to get involved in such visits.

“In line with its mandate, the OSCE Mission to Moldova monitors the situation in the Security Zone, where some of the Moldova-administered Latin-script schools are located. To this end, the Mission visits the schools and regularly observes celebrations related to the commencement and the end of the academic year. Since 2018, Chisinau and Tiraspol have been implementing an agreement, which has improved the functioning of the schools and ensured continuity of the education process. This 
agreement is part of the “Berlin-plus” package of confidence-building measures identified by the two Sides,” was further stated in the commentary offered to IPN Agency.

In the Transnistrian region, there are eight schools that teach in Romanian language. At an event organized at the end of last year by Promo-LEX Association, with the participation of directors of the establishments, it was mentioned that the greatest pressure was felt on September 1 and May 31. Then, students and teachers are monitored by people in civilian clothes or uniforms, they have no right to sing the anthem of the Republic of Moldova or to fly the tricolour. The directors of the schools also spoke about discrimination, stress and fear endured by students and teachers from educational establishments teaching in Romanian language in the Transnistrian region.