OSCE Chairman-in-Office considers that Transnistrian referendum will complicate situation in the region

The refrendum organized on September 17 in the Transnitrian region of the Republic of Moldova will further complicate the situation in the region, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht declared. Karel de Gucht recalled a statement he made in July, according to which OSCE will not recognize the results of the referendum organized by the separatist authorities from Tiraspol, specifying that OSCE indicated from the beginning it does not support a unilateral referendum which calls into question the territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova. On the other hand, the cited source says that referendum on Transnistria's future status is a possible option, but that could only be after a political solution has been agreed at the negotiating table and only provided the necessary conditions for a free and fair vote are in place. Also, De Gucht stands against the „suggestive character” of the questions included in the ballot and the lack of basic requirements for free and fair elections, such as freedom of the media, freedom of assembly and political pluralism, in the region which “pre-determined the results of such an exercise”. The inhabitants of Transnistria were called on Sunday, September 17, to an unconstitutional referendum, organized by the leaders of the self-proclaimed republic and was supported by some political circles from Moscow. The voters were asked whether they want Transnistria independent and further join Russia, or if they want to reintegrate into the Republic of Moldova. According to the results unrecognized by the international community, over 97% of the participants pleaded in favor of the first option.