Moldova and Ukraine are facing similar changes that can be overcome by working together, Ukrainian ambassador to Moldova Ivan Gnatishin said in an interview for Ukrinform, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of independence, which the two countries celebrate 3 days apart, IPN reports.
The diplomat noted that Moldova and Ukraine walked basically the same path to independence and now have to overcome similar challenges – to restore their sovereignty and territorial integrity, to unite society, to overcome the issues of the transition period, to give up illusions about the Soviet past and to fight foreign influence.
While the blueprint for building a democratic state with a modern economy is offered in the EU Association Agreement, the two neighbors need to exchange experiences and identify joint solutions concerning security and reintegration issues.
Ivan Gnatishin expressed Ukraine’s gratitude to the Moldovan leadership and people for supporting Ukraine’s democratic tendencies, its sovereignty and independence. The ambassador noted that governmental experts and civil society organizations from the two countries have joined their efforts to fight Russian propaganda and misinformation, especially at international conferences or expert meetings. He thinks this practice should continue and more opportunities for interaction should be found.
As regards the Transnistrian issue, Ivan Gnatishin said that Ukraine supports the unconditional execution of the Istanbul Summit’s decision to withdraw Russian troops and military equipment from Moldova. “We are worried about the size of this ‘treasure’ stockpiled near Colbasna in Transnistria (20,000 tonnes, according to some estimations). If we don’t treat this with the utmost care, there could be sad consequences on a regional level”, said the diplomat.
Ivan Gnatishin added that Ukraine subscribes to Chisinau’s request to change the status of peacekeeping troops in the region from military forces to a civil mission with an international mandate. Ukraine insists that Moldova’s territorial integrity must be respected and that the Transnistrian region needs to get a special legal status within Moldova. The federalization formula is not the best one and could have destructive consequences for the country.
