Two Penitentiary Institutions Department officers arrested by Transnistrian militia

Two officers of Moldova's Department of Penitentiary Institutions, who came off duty at penitentiary institution No.8 in Bender, were arrested by the Transnistrian militia yesterday evening. In several hours, they were handed over to Transnistria's state security ministry - MGB, where they are now held, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Victor Osipov said, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. In a communique, the Reintegration Office says the Transnistrian authorities violated again the status of the institutions in Bender town, which are under the constitutional authorities' control. “The commander of the Moldovan peacekeeping forces, Colonel Fondos informed the military observers and district commander about the incident, but, as usual, they refused or could not go to the scene to document the violations. The mechanisms of the peacekeeping mission are blocked by the representatives of Transnistria in the Joint Military Command, who use the “right of veto”,” it is said in the communique. According to the Reintegration Office, this incident points again to the week points of the peacekeeping mission, especially to the fact that the main persons in charge are unable to use the instruments designed to avoid tensions in the Security Zone. Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Victor Osipov informed Tiraspol's political representative to the negotiations Vladimir Yastrebcheak about the incident and is coordinating the steps taken to release the arrested officers.