The holding of new parliamentary elections in the Russian Federation confirms Russia’s control over the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova, said the lawyer of Promo-LEX Association Pavel Cazacu. In a comment for IPN, the lawyer noted that after elections to choose the President of Russia were held in the Transnistrian region in March 2018, without the consent of the Moldovan authorities, the situation now repeats. On September 9 this year, new parliamentary elections to choose deputies on the State Duma of Russia were held.
The elections took place in seven constituencies: No. 71 in Amur region; No. 98 in Kaliningrad region; No. 129 in Nizhny Novgorod region; No. 158 in Samara region; No. 163 and No. 165 in Saratov region, and No. 180 in Tveri region. Under the Russian electoral system, the Russian citizens abroad can vote at one of the 225 districts. In the last parliamentary elections held in Russia in 2016, the Transnistrian region was divided into five districts. After the winners in two of these districts became mayors of Kaliningrad and Samara, two seats ewre vacated on the State Duma of Russia. The Russian authorities decided to establish six polling places on Moldova’s territory, three of which in the Transnistrian region, in Dubăsari, Dnestrovsk and Tiraspol.
Pavel Cazacu said the establishment of polling places on the left side of the Nistru is possible based on the unilateral decisions taken by the Russian authorities. Apparently, the constitutional authorities of the Republic of Moldova didn’t give their consent. Also, these elections are held with the generous involvement of the unconstitutional authorities of the Transnistrian region that maximally facilitate the procedures. The involvement of the Transnistrian administration is also seen when the inhabitants of the region are called to vote. Among the most often reasons invoked by representatives of the local administration of the region is the fact that the deputies, when they are elected, will facilitate legislative amendments concerning the simplification of the obtaining of Russian nationality for the inhabitants of the Transnistrian region.
According to the expert, the Transnistrian region during the last few weeks was visited by two deputies of the Russian Duma. These discussed with representatives of the local unconstitutional bodies and paid visits to localities. Strangely or not, but they both represent the political party “United Russia”. In the period, the Transnistrian region was visited by one candidate who ran in elections. This was fielded by “United Russia”.
“We see that deputies of the Russian Duma have access to the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova and the candidates in the parliamentary elections also have access and can campaign there. However, it is regrettable that when presidential or parliamentary elections are held in the Republic of Moldova, the representatives of the Moldovan constitutional authorities do not enjoy the same conditions. These periodic actions represent a confirmation of the existence of permanent political control of the Russian Federation in the Transnistrian region,” stated the lawyer.
According to him, the message that is continuously addressed by the Russian Federation is contradictory. Officially, they say the Transnistrian region is part of the Republic of Moldova. On the other hand, it is noticed that the control, including the political one, over the region effectively does not stop. This control is exercised contrary to the international law, especially because it is followed by an evident lack of responsibility.
In the most recent judgment by the European Court of Human Rights, in the case of Sandu and others versus Moldova and Russia of July 17, 2018, it was reiterated that the regime in Tiraspol continues to survive owing only to the military, economic, financial, informational and political support of the Russian Federation. Thus, the consolidation of the situation in the Transnistrian region, where there are no efficient human rights protection mechanisms, is due to these events that are repeatedly organized by the Russian Federation.
As to the establishment of polling places in the Transnistrian region, the lawyer said Promo-LEX regrets the constitutional authorities’ passivity. Earlier, except for the Russian presidential elections of March 2018, such actions were condemned at official level.
