Tiraspol has accused Chisinau of violating the agreement regarding railway cargo transportation through Transnistria. Before, trains from Ukraine stopped at Slobodka, where the cars were taken over by a Transnistrian engine, so that local companies could transport their cargo as well. After a deal between Moldova and Ukraine, Transnistria was left out of this logistics chain, complained Tiraspol representative Nina Stanski after a meeting with Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Victor Osipov, IPN reports.
”We discovered that the agreement signed in 2012 regarding railway cargo transportation was broken. However, I feel that it wasn't the Moldovan side's intention to make things worse. We discussed and asked them to cancel the requests made by the Moldovan Railways to their Ukrainian colleagues and resume the activity of Slobodka station”, said Stanski.
Victor Osipov, who spoke to the press separately, is of the opinion that the agreement wasn't broken. As regards the Transnistrian police officer arrested in Greece, the official explained that Chisinau initiated the proceedings for extradition. “We don't want to violate the presumption of innocence, but he is under criminal investigation. As far as I know, the case was officially transferred and after a few other procedures, his extradition can begin”, said the Deputy PM.
Another issue on the table was that of the farming fields beyond the Camenca-Tiraspol highway. Osipov says the two sides have diverging opinion on the matter. “We think the simplest way to solve the problem is to return to the mechanism used in 2006, so that people could work their fields”, he explained. Back then, local administration issued permits every year, allowing farmers to work the lands for free.
Osipov added that Moldovan authorities are aware of the problems Transnistrian companies will face when EU trade preferences expire on January 1, 2016. “We want to find a way to allow them to trade and have several proposals in this regard. After we examine them, we'll come up with a plan accepted by Chisinau and Tiraspol, on one side, and Brussels on the other”, said the official
Joint groups of experts from Chisinau and Tiraspol in the fields of ecology, education and economy will meet next week. The next meeting of the political representatives is scheduled for September 10.
