Central authorities advocating for Chisinau-Tiraspol confidence-building initiatives

President Vladimir Voronin strongly supports the idea of carrying out altogether the initiatives on strengthening confidence between Chisinau and Tiraspol, aimed at contributing actively to the settlement of the conflict in the five-plus-two format, and at determining the status of Transnistria within Moldova, a communiqué from the presidential press service reads. At a meeting attended by Speaker Marian Lupu and PM Vasile Tarlev, the head of state stressed that the launched proposals are neither populist nor declaratory, but have a practical character aimed at protecting the rights and improving the situation of people living in the Transnistrian region. Reintegration Minister Vasile Sova informed that over January-September 2007 exports from Transnistria have seen a 7.6 percent rise as compared to the corresponding period in 2005 and stood at 5.8 billion lei. Nine months into this year, the GSP Plus preferences have brought some 100 million lei to the businesses in Transnistria. In this connection, Vasile Sova remarked the opportunity of strengthening confidence-building measures between Chisinau and Tiraspol, pointing out that the Moldovan authorities have already implemented a series of actions to support the population on the left bank of the Nistru River. The Government has recently launched the idea of setting up 7 groups of experts that would work out and implement joint projects concerning infrastructure, railroad rehabilitation, public health and social protection, education and youth-related issues, free circulation of people in the security zone, disarmament and demilitarisation.