Chisinau insists that the farmers who possess land on the left bank of the Nistru River, between Camenca and Dubasari, should be allowed to cultivate it based on ownership certificates, but the Transnistrian administration demands that they should sign lease contracts with representatives of the local Transnistrian administration. After a meeting held in Chisinau on April 14, the political representatives of the sides to the Transnistrian settlement process made statements for the press, IPN reports.

Deputy Prime Minister Eugen Carpov said the element of principle is the ownership right over the land. In 2006, they agreed that the farmers can show a document confirming that they own the land and will be allowed to cultivate it. Now Tiraspol demands that these farmers should also sign a lease contract with the administration of these settlements. “It is a violation of the Transnistrian settlement mechanism,” he stated.

He expressed his regret at the fact that no progress was made in this respect, but said that they agreed to hold more meetings. “The groups of experts will meet on Friday, while we, the political representatives on Saturday, in Tiraspol. We will meet on a non-working day as an exception, as the holidays are coming,” said Eugen Carpov. He added that there are now no formal obstacles for postponing the talks in the 5+2 format and they are looking for an optimal period for everyone. Most probably, a new round will take place in May.

The political representative of Transnistria Nina Shanscki said the farmers who already sowed their land will be able to cultivate it and to harvest the crops. They must register with the local administration and sign lease contracts. Chisinau bans them from doing this because it tries to apply the ownership right on a territory that it does not control. “The Moldovan side asserts that these are the owners, but we do not agree. The current mechanism is temporary. It is valid only this year, until talks are carried out,” she stated.

George Balan, head of the Reintegration Office, has told IPN that Nina Shanscki lies when she says that the farmers from the right bank of the Nistru can cultivate their land in Transnistria and that Tiraspol demands only lease contracts.

The farmers from Dubasari district have this year been banned from cultivating their land located on the left bank of the Nistru, which was given to them by the constitutional authorities. These obstacles served as a reason for some of the residents of Dorotskaya village to demand that the settlement be transferred under the administration of Transnistria. The villagers said they cannot

take even their cattle to pasture without having the identity papers with them.