The political situation remains the major obstacle to implementing regional development initiatives on both banks of the Nistru River, said Andrei Iovu, expert of the Public Policy Institute. In a study made by him, the expert says the political imperative of strengthening the statehood of the Transnistrian region, pursued by its administration, is above the interest of ensuring socioeconomic development and sustainable cooperation between Chisinau and Tiraspol, IPN reports.

Andrei Iovu also said that the good cooperation practices show that the neutral areas tend to have more success. It is about initiatives concerning sewerage, water supply, waste management, irrigation, ecological projects to protect the Nistru, etc. The projects mustn’t be politicized. They should satisfy the people’s needs.

The author of another study in the field Alexandr Goncear, who heads the Sociological Research Department of the Transnistrian Center for Development and Support of Social Initiatives “Rezonans”, says that in order to ensure regional development on the left bank of the Nistru, the local administration should be reformed, with the public functionaries being afterward trained.

The expert suggests liberalizing the legislation so as to easier attract foreign investments, including development grants. Another necessity is to strengthen the inter-social communication between civil society, the local administration bodies and economic entities.