Transnistrian customs posts intimidate people, district deputy head

The placement by the Transnistrian authorities of a checkpoint near Pohrebea village of Dubasari district aroused the indignation of the locals as most of them have farmland located beyond the customs post. The people are afraid they will have to show documents of origin for their products, deputy head of the Dubasari district council Maria Jambei has told Info-Prim Neo’s reporter on the spot. The villagers suggested blocking the roads coming from Dorotskaya and Coshnitsa so that nobody is able to pass until the customs posts in the area are not removed. “The Transnistrians argue that these roads are used to smuggle contraband, including drugs. The people are indignant. This represents intimidation of the people living in the security zone. The locals will have to present papers and will be registered,” said Maria Jambei. She also said that the road where one of the checkpoints was set up was repaired by the local authorities of Pohrebea with the villagers’ support. Nobody expected such a post to appear as a similar post existed several hundreds of meters away, but was removed several years ago at the insistence of the Joint Control Commission and embassies. Maria Jambei also said that two months after setting up a checkpoint in Dorotskaya village, the Transnistrians demanded that the people present identification papers, though they moved freely earlier. “Several weeks ago they tried to strengthen their positions. They brought railway cars and forces, but were hindered by our relevant intuitions – the Police Commissar, the Ministry of the Interior and the Joint Control Commission. But the post remained there,” she stated. According to the chairman of Promo-LEX Association Ion Manole, the situation is much the same in Molovata Noua, Cochieri, Coshnitsa, Dorotskaya, Pyryta and now in Pohrebea. The people are dissatisfied by the placement of Transistrian posts as they cannot go freely to their farmland. Prime Minister Vlad Filat Tuesday told the press that the setting up of two customs post near Pohrebea village and the barrage of the Dubasari power plant by the Transnistrian authorities is a challenge. “I warn the public opinion that there will be many challenges in this period preceding the so-called elections in the Transnistrian region. The Government of Moldova will act calmly and responsibly and will not give satisfaction to those who mount challenges. We dealt with this situation in accordance with the principles and agreements that we reached with the foreign partners. We will continue to take steps so as to resolve the issue,” said the Premier.