The exact population of the Transnistrian region is not known at present and this is due to the inefficient public communication of the so-called authorities in Tiraspol, Alexandru Flenchea, expert in conflict resolution and former deputy prime minister for reintegration, stated in a debate hosted by IPN. He said that it is practically impossible for the Moldovan authorities and the media from the right bank of the Nistru to gain access to the Transnistrian region.
"We cannot know how many people are there in the Transnistrian region, how many men, women, children, people with disabilities or pensioners are there," said Alexandru Flenchea, noting that the existing data are more or less accurate estimates.
At the same time, there are categories of exact data, such as the number of identity cards issued, the number of people benefiting from medical services in the public health system of the Republic of Moldova or the number of exchanged car licenses.
According to the expert, this week and the previous weeks, the Transnistrian region has been in the focus of the Moldovan government.
As for the possibility for the authorities to go to the Transnistrian region for talks, Alexandru Flenchea said that access would be impossible. The expert told about the ban that was imposed on him when he attempted to organize a meeting with students of the University of Tiraspol: "I was told: you will tell them what they do not need to know, and what they need to know we will tell them." The former deputy prime minister for reintegration noted that this is the reason why Moldovan officials’ access to the Transnistrian region is restricted.
Alexandru Flenchea said that journalists from the right bank of the Nistru are facing the same problem. Representatives of the press service of Sheriff company, of two television channels and a number of newspapers, come without any problem on the right bank, which is "normal and natural" in their case, but journalists from Chisinau do not have the same possibility."
The public debate entitled "The Transnistrian region in the context of the process of Moldova's accession to the EU" was held within the project "IPN News Agency for Social Cohesion and a Pro-European Moldova", which is funded by IMS.
