Helsinki Committee for Human Rights concerned about rise in entry fee to Transnistria

The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights is concerned that the fee paid to enter the Transnistrian region was increased, despite Tiraspol authorities’ promises to cancel this tax as from January 1, 2008. The Committee’s Executive Director Teodor Carnat says that the entry fee to Transnistria has been raised by 1 leu. Moreover, the travellers are asked to complete a complicated immigration form and this allows the Transnistrian functionaries to misuse their authority, Teodor Carnat said. The administration of the Committee considers that Moldova’s state bodies do nothing to combat the illegal offences committed by the Transnistrian authorities and to make sure that the Moldovan citizens move freely, according to their constitutional rights. If the persons that suffered as a result of such actions appeal to the court and ask for pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages, they will be victorious if not in Moldova at least in the ECHR, Teodor Carnat said. The Transnistrian authorities continue to illegally levy a tax for entering the self-proclaimed Transnistrian republic and for crossing its territory. Article 5 of the Moldovan-Russian agreement of 1992 says that the movement of goods, persons and services will be free. The protocol decision of May 2001 signed by Moldova and the Tiraspol administration says that from December 31, 2001 the sides should adjust the legislation to ensure the free movement of individuals, goods and services in Moldova and Transnistria and reduce the number of fiscal and customs posts located at entries and exists.