The MP of the Shor Party Violeta Ivanov said that President Maia Sandu, during her visit to Kiev, didn’t anticipate the possible ecological catastrophe as a result of which the citizens of Moldova and also of Ukraine can remain without the main source of water, IPN reports.
In a press briefing, Violeta Ivanov commented on Maia Sandu’s intention, which was announced in Kiev, to request the European Union to assess the impact of the hydroelectric power plant in Novodnistrovsk. She said that this is a useless action. In accordance with the international treaties signed and ratified by both of the sides, Ukraine is obliged to carry out the assessment at the stage when the construction of the hydroelectric power plant is initiated.
Violeta Ivanov noted the President in Kiev had the occasion of addressing the problem directly, but showed superficiality. “So as not to allow the situation on the Nistru to worsen, I ask to urgently take the following concrete measures: the President of the Republic of Moldova should request her Ukrainian counterpart to fulfill the undertaken commitments concerning the environmental impact assessment and to transmit to the Republic of Moldova the documentation on the environmental impact assessment following the constructions to extend the Nistrean hydropower complex with three more turbines; the President of the Republic of Moldova should ask her counterpart to immediately stop any works to extend the hydropower complex as this is a serious threat to the country’s food security, to the supply of the population of the Republic of Moldova with drinking water and a real threat to the agricultural sector of the Republic of Moldova,” stated the MP.
She also requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration to set the protection of the Nistru River and the sustainable utilization of the water resources as an objective in the draft Association Agenda with the EU for 2021-2027. The Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment is asked to immediately demand that the Ukrainian side should obey the Nisrtean hydrological regime in accordance with the environmental norms set down in the agreement between the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the Government of Ukraine.
The presidential administration hasn’t yet commented on the accusations made by the Shor Party. On January 20, Maia Sandu is to hold a news conference centering on the results of her official visit to Brussels.
