Republic of Moldova must become more attractive for the population from left side of Nistru - Adriaan Jacobovitz de Szeged

The special representative of EU in Moldova, Adriaan Jacobovitz de Szeged, during the international conference “Ways of democratization for the transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova” held on Wednesday, September 27, declared that Republic of Moldova must undertake measures to improve the human rights system, judiciary system, freedom and mass-media pluralism on the right bank of Nistru River in order to become more popular for the population of Transnistria. According to the official, the transnistrian conflict had both some good and some bad changes. “Several activities are required in order to help solve the transnistrian problem”, the European official declared, and mentioned that some of these improvements should stop the alienation of Chisinau and Tiraspol, should support freedom of mass-media, because, according to the cited source, “both Republic of Moldova from the right banks of Nistru and Transnistria are characterized by the total lack of free mass-media”. On the other hand, political analyst Vladimir Socor claims the idea that RM territory from the right side of Nistru must be attractive for Transnistria is not an excuse for the ongoing transnistrian conflict. The accent should be on the removal from the region of Russian Federation military forces, he declared. Parliament chairman Marian Lupu affirmed that the organization of free and democratic elections in the transnistrian region can only be the final part of the democratization process, which was initiated and was made possible only because the 1999 Istanbul Summit decisions were obeyed and the regional military forces were demilitarized and the democratic values deprivation system was removed. According to Lupu, a democratization of the transnistrian region also requires the creation of a politically neutral sector, as well as support for the social initiatives of NGO’s from both Nistru River banks in order to establish a reintegrated civil society, based on common values and principles. According to the speaker, it is important to take in consideration that the structure reforms in the juridical, economic and social fields in the Republic of Moldova are vital not only for inhabitants of the right bank, but also for the creation of an attractive image of Republic of Moldova for transnistria’s population. This is why the continuation of these reforms are crucial, especially as the conflict solution also depends on their outcome, Lupu concluded. The representative of the European Committee, Raul de Luzenberg, mentioned the importance of the EU Mission of assistance at the Moldo-Ukrainian border and the ongoing reforms from the Republic of Moldova. The conference was held with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Czech Republic and the Institute of Public Politics.