A new round of the official negotiations on the Transnistrian settlement process in the 5+2 format is taking place in Vienna on July 16 and 17. The agenda of the talks was compiled based on the proposals of Chisinau and Tiraspol. Ruslana Chernetski, senior consultant of the Reintegration Office’s Analysis and Planning Division, has told IPN that besides socioeconomic matters, the participants will also discuss the so-called legal act on Transnistria’s border.

The negotiations will focus on the ensuring of the free movement of persons and units of transport between the two banks of the Nistru River, the dismantling of the ropeway going near Rezina and Rybnitsa towns and the opening of the bridge in Gura Bacului. Ruslana Chernetski said the negotiators will also confer on the results of the removal of radioactive waste from the Transnistrian region.

In a previous meeting with the special representatives of the Transnistrian conflict settlement from the OSCE, Ukraine, and Russia, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Eugen Carpov said the Moldovan authorities will be very grateful if the observers and mediators of the talks put forward recommendations and proposals for improving the communication between the two banks of the Nistru and for stopping the unilateral actions.

The two-day meeting will bring together representatives of the sides, mediators and observers in the negotiations – Moldova, Transnistria, the OSCE, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the US and the EU. The talks will be chaired by Ambassador Andrii Deshchytsia, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for conflicts.

A concluding press briefing with the participants in the talks will be held via video link with journalists in Chisinau on July 17.