The subject of the participation of Transnistrian vehicles in international road traffic was discussed at a meeting with ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions accredited to Moldova. The Reintegration Policy Office said that the external partners were informed that the Moldovan authorities had previously approached the Ukrainian authorities with a request to extend the existing regime for crossing the Moldovan-Ukrainian state border until January 10, 2022. However, from September 1, only cars with neutral number plates will be allowed to enter international traffic in the region.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Vlad Kulminski, Interior Minister Ana Revenco, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration and other public authorities. The heads and representatives of diplomatic missions accredited to Moldova were informed that as of September 1, 2021, the mechanism will be implemented according to which access to international road traffic and crossing the Moldovan-Ukrainian state border will be allowed only for means of transport with neutral number plates.
Referring to the request to extend the deadline until January 2022, the authorities referred to "highlighting elements of sensitivity that could affect the interests of people on the left bank of the Dniester". However, only 5% of the total number of vehicles in the Transnistrian region have been registered with neutral plates. Similarly, the authorities said that "additional measures are needed in order to minimize potential vulnerabilities".
"The request was also motivated by the fact that the Protocol Decision of April 24, 2018, provides for the mechanism of registration with neutral model plates only for vehicles which are not engaged in commercial activities and for vehicles of legal entities registered with the relevant Moldovan authorities and does not cover operators providing goods and passenger transport services, many of which in the event of the application of the new regime will no longer have access to external road traffic. Correspondingly, the cabinet has repeatedly requested the Ukrainian side not to apply these restrictions to the category of means of transport for which the 2018 Protocol Decision did not determine a separate registration mechanism", a Reintegration Office press release said.
The institution further said that in the coming period, efforts will be intensified in order to accelerate the functionality of the registration points for means of transport in Tiraspol and Râbnița as to to ensure their activity at their full potential and in line with received requests. Similarly, active communication will be ensured in the existing Transnistrian settlement dialogue platforms to urgently solve technical issues concerning the documentation of transport units in the Transnistrian region both through the mechanism agreed in the negotiations and in the context of national legislation.
