The Transnistrian region is economically dependent on the Republic of Moldova, and this that creates conditions for a peaceful dismantlement of the Tiraspol regime, thinks PAS lawmaker Oazu Nantoi.
“In February 2002, the 5+2 format was created in Bratislava, where Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE are mediators, and we and those on the left bank (of the Nistru River) are parties to the conflict. The situation has changed dramatically after the annexation of Crimea. Obviously, Ukraine does not want to sit at the negotiating table with Russia anymore, in any format”, MP Oazu Nantoi said during a public affairs show on TVR Moldova.
“But the phenomenon we call the Transnistrian conflict cannot be solved through negotiations. A completely different approach is required. A peaceful one. When you look at the map, you see that the so-called Transnistria is a narrow strip of land that economically depends one hundred percent on the Republic of Moldova. And it is blocked by Ukraine, which has become a partner of Chisinau. And so, it becomes clear that all conditions are there for a peaceful dismantlement of this regime. Provided that there is political will, vision, political commitment and an action plan in Chisinau”, Nantoi added.
In the same context, economist Veaceslav Ioniță, of the IDIS Viitorul think-tank, says that the Transnistrian region survives only thanks to the gas supplied by Russia. The Kuchurgan plant produces gas-based electricity, being one of the biggest contributors to the region’s budget.
“The left bank of the Nistru burns two billion cubic meters of gas annually. Gas that is converted into electricity. The left bank’s budget is extremely dependent on Russian gas, as 40% of revenues come directly from gas. Economically, the left bank is integrated into the European Union just like the right bank of the Nistru: their exports to the European Union are about the same as here. Their exports to the Russian Federation are slightly higher than on the right side: about 17% compared to 7%”, said Ioniță.
The 5+2 format includes Chisinau and Tiraspol as parties involved in the conflict. The OSCE, the Russian Federation and Ukraine act as mediators, and the European Union and the USA have observer status.
