Tiraspol has threatened that they will not take part in the Transnistrian conflict settlement talks in the 5+2 format, set to take place in Vienna on April 10-11, if Moldova’s Parliament does not annul a legal provision that imposes excise duties on products made in the Transnistrian region, IPN reports.

Tiraspol’s request was communicated to the media by the political representative of Transnistria Nina Shtanski on April 1, after almost 4 hours of discussions with the representative of Chisinau Eugen Carpov and the Ambassadors of Ukraine, the EU, the U.S. and the OSCE at the headquarters of the OSCE Mission in Chisinau.

Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Eugen Carpov told the journalists they presented data showing that the Transnistrian region is blocked neither economically, nor as regards the movement. As to the situation of the Latin-scrip schools in Transnistria, he noted that the joint inspections at them were completed and there were formulated recommendations that can be implemented later.

As regards the money, stamp and vehicle of the Tiraspol Lyceum “Lucian Blaga”, which were confiscated by the Transnistrian security forces in February when the school’s director and accountant were returning from Chisinau with teachers’ salaries, Nina Shtanski said that Tiraspol is ready to return the stamp, but no decision was taken about the money and the car.

The sides agreed to hold a new meeting next week, between the political representatives and the working groups on economy, where they will discuss the problems faced by farmers. Nina Shtanski invoked the lack of clear intervention mechanisms, saying not only the farmers from the right bank of the Nistru River cannot cultivate their land beyond the administrative line. There are 17 persons in Transnistria who are in a similar situation.

Answering journalists’ questions, Nina Shtanski said the status of the Transnistrian region will not be discussed in the 5+2 format talks or in other negotiations because Tiraspol does not need this.