PRESIDENT DODON SAYS CONDITIONS FOR TRANSNISTRIAN CONFLICT SETTLEMENT ARE FAVORABLE NOW

Moldova President Igor Dodon believes that conditions presently are favorable for Transnistrian conflict settlement. He stated this during his meeting with the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Slovakia's Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Miroslav Lajcak in Chisinau on Friday.

Dodon drew the diplomat's attention to the "substantial progress achieved over last few years in the framework of implementing a program of measures to build up confidence between the two parts of the country".

The President also said that in the course of his recent meeting with the Tiraspol leadership, the Transnistrian side confirmed that no obstacles would be put to citizens of Moldova residing in the Transnistrian region who would wish to take part in the February 24 Moldovan parliamentary election.

"Upon the whole, it was pointed out [during the conversation] that favorable conditions have settled presently that are opening good perspectives for realization of the confidence-building measures and for resuming political consultations on Transnistrian settlement process in the 5+2 negotiating format", the Moldovan President wrote on his Facebook page afterwards.

Igor Dodon reaffirmed his readiness to build close relations with the Slovakian OSCE Presidency and with the OSCE Mission to Moldova.

Dodon also underlined that conductance of a well-weighted foreign policy by Moldova is opening good perspectives for enhancing the dialog and achieving an international consensus in realization of the concept of a "Big Package for Moldova", which, in its turn, will promote the strengthening of stability and security in this region of Europe", stated President Dodon. As was already reported by Infotag, Miroslav Lajcak is paying his first visit to Moldova as the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in 2019. He has already held negotiations with Moldovan leadership representative, and on Friday afternoon he will go to Tiraspol.