Former Tiraspol political detainees say Russia’s statement is disrespectful

The former political detainees of the Tiraspol regime, who have been recently awarded the Order of the Republic by Acting President Mihai Ghimpu, describe the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement as “disproportional and disrespectful”, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a news conference on August 9, presidential adviser Stefan Uratu, who was conferred the Order of the Republic for courage in the Nistru war alongside Petru Godiac, Ilie Ilascu, Andrei Ivantoc, Alexandru Lesco and Tudor Popa, denied the assertions that criminal cases were opened against them for murder. “Prosecutor General Valeriu Zubco told me they started no legal case against the “Bujor” group, as the Russian authorities call it,” said Stefan Uratu. According to him, the “Bujor” group was invented by the Russian and Transnistrian authorities in order to open criminal cases against the then political opponents in Transnistria. The former political prisoners denied the Russian Foreign Ministry Sergey Lavrov’s statement that the presidential decree to decorate them blocks the settlement of the Transnistrian dispute. According to them, it is the statements of the Russian officials that encourage the criminals in the breakaway republic. Another awarded combatant, Andrei Ivantoc said that Russia did not have reasons to make public such a statement. He expressed his bewilderment at the position of the Democrat leader Marian Lupu, who told a Russian radio station in an interview that it is not right to make people who committed crimes on the right and left banks of the Nistru heroes. “Lupu promotes the interests of Russia. I think he does not deserve being fielded for the presidency as he is like Voronin,” said Andrei Ivantoc. Tudor Popa said that it is three years since they were released, but Russia does not leave them in peace. “Igor Smirnov is the hero decorated by Russia in our country, while we are considered criminals at home,” Tudor Popa said regretfully. Jurist Stefan Burlaca, who represents the interests of Ilie Ilascu, Andrei Ivantoc and Tudor Popa, said the courts in Moldova are reticent to cases of defamation. According to him, a case of defamation of the three by the leader of the sociopolitical movement “Ravnopravie” Valery Climenco in 2007 has not been yet examined in court. Ilie Ilascu, the leader of the group, did not come to the news conference, though he said he will be present there. According to Stefan Uratu, the mobile phones of Ilascu in Romania and Moldova have been disconnected. Last weekend, Ilie Ilascu issued a statement in reply to the statement made by the Russian Foreign Ministry. He says the war of 1992 was not a fratricide one, but a Moldovan-Russian war in which Russia attacked the young Moldova. On August 2, Acting President Mihai Ghimpu issued a decree, conferring the Order of the Republic on Petru Godiac, Ilie Ilascu, Andrei Ivantoc, Alexandru Lesco, Tudor Popa and Stefan Uratu in gratitude for significant contribution to the National Liberation Movement. The move was criticized by the Russian Foreign Ministry, which said the decree undermines the stability on the Nistru.