EU does not recognize results of Transnistrian referendum

The so-called “referendum” organized in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova on September 17, violates the internationally recognized sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova, a declaration of the European Union (EU) says. The EU considers that the situation in Transnistria is not allowing population’s freedom of choice. The EU reiterates the fact that it does not recognize the “referendum” and its results and calls on the mediators and observers involved in the 5+2 negotiation process to publicize declarations on this issue. EU fully supports the territorial integrity of Moldova and calls on both sides involved in the conflict to return to the 5+2 negotiation table and to work on a fast and transparent settlement of the Transnistrian dispute. Countries that will soon adhere to the Union, Bulgaria and Romania, candidate countries Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic, those who are in the process of association and also the potential candidates, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and EFTA countries – Island, Liechtenstein and Norway, European Economic Area (EEA) member countries as well as Ukraine join to this declaration, the declaration says. Romania and Ukraine officially announced that they do not recognize the results of the “referendum” which took place on Sunday in the eastern Moldova. Until now, only the Russian Federation didn’t express its standpoint regarding the Transnistrian regime. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers that after this referendum, the mediators and observers involved in the talks will amplify their joint efforts, in order to create necessary premises for resuming the negotiation process between Chisinau and Tiraspol, and in order to create a settlement model between the two sides. In a declaration of the Russian MFA is mentioned that in light of the political uncertainty and prolonged economic pressure, Transnistria used the method of the direct democracy, the referendum, in order to express its option.