Ministry of Reintegration condemns the actions by Transnistrian militia in Corjova on Election Day

The incident occurred on June 3 in Corjova was possible because of the inefficiency of peacekeeping troops which failed to exert their warrant and to prevent the violations, in compliance with the provisions of the Moldova-Russia treaty of 1992 and with the decisions of the Joined Control Commission, a press statement of the Ministry of Reintegration reads. According to the cited source, the act of violence by the Transnistrian administration aimed at compromising the local elections in this settlement. Moreover, the paramilitary bodies of the region tried to provoke Moldova’s law enforcement bodies with the purpose of deepening the crisis and of hindering the process of settling the Transnistrian conflict. In the course of the events, a number of persons were detained and beaten, including Iurie Cotofana, a member of the local and district council. The settlement and the polling station were completely blocked by the Transnistrian militia forces, including specialised units, leading to the failure of the elections. The Ministry of Reintegration affirms that the instigation of the Transnistrian administration and the lack of any response from the peacekeeping troops require a critical approach from intermediaries and observers to the settlement of the conflict, and active actions with a view to stabilising of the situation and avoiding future incidents in the Security Zone. The Ministry of Reintegration hopes that the Russian Federation and Ukraine, as parties to the peacekeeping process, will use all the possible mechanisms to persuade Tiraspol to give up instigations and to return to the negotiating table. According to the Central Election Commission, because of the abusive actions of the forces subordinated to the separatist Tiraspol administration, only about 50 persons were able to vote in Corjova.