Transnistria and Gagauzia

MOLDOVA AND UKRAINE MUST STRENGTHEN SMUGGLING COMBATING ON TRANSNISTRIAN BORDER SECTION - EXPERT

15 july, 2019

The visit of Moldovan Prime Minister Maia Sandu to Kiev is important for Ukraine in the context of developing good relations with neighbors, maintains Moldovan expert Leonid Litra, who is working as Senior Analyst at the “New Europe” Center of Ukraine.

Commenting on Moldovan premier’s visit, he said that Moldova and Ukraine must strengthen fight against smuggling on the Transnistrian section of the two countries’ border.

“Currently there is a kind of circle of problematic relations around Ukraine. Belarus is strongly influenced by Russia – a country aggressor, there are bad relations with Poland in terms of historical issues, as well as with Hungary and partially with Romania – on the issue of education. Thus, it is important for Ukraine now to break this circle and improve relations with neighbors”, the analyst said.

According to him, one of important issues of Ukraine-Moldova agenda is the combating of smuggling and the Dniester River ecology.

“Ukraine is planning to build 6 hydropower stations on the Dniester, after which Chisinau risks to remain without water. This issue is discussed, but there is no solution to it so far. As for smuggling, politicians in both Chisinau and in Transnistria were gaining profit from this, as well as the Ukrainian officials to a certain extent. Now, in order to weaken the Transnistrian regime, the smuggling must be cut off and this must be done from both sides, continuing joint control on the Ukrainian border, especially on its Transnistrian section”, Litra stressed.

According to him, the main issues of bilateral agenda are economy and the energy sector.

“First of all, there is great deficit in trade relations currently. Ukraine is selling much more to Moldova than Moldova to Ukraine. The second thing is the energy component. Before, Moldova was buying electricity from Ukraine, while now – from the Moldavskaya power plant [MGRES, in Transnistria, the Republic of Moldova’s largest energy producer]. Moreover, it seems that Moldova is paying twice for this. The MGRES is consuming Russian natural gas, without paying for it. Russia regards this as Moldova’s debt. Plus, Chisinau is paying for electricity produced by the MGRES. Thus, it is very important for Moldova to return to the model of buying electricity from Ukraine, in order to avoid financing Transnistria”, Litra said.

He reminded that Moldova risks facing certain problems in natural gas supplying from Russia after January 1, 2020, when the transit contract between the Naftogaz (Ukraine) and the Gazprom (Russia) expires, as well as the Moldova-Russia contract.

“If Ukraine does not get a transit contract with Russia, this will turn into a great problem both for Moldova and for Transnistria. Thus, Ukraine made a statement that she is ready to supply gas to Moldova in form of reverse in case it will not have a contract with Russia. Ukraine may save Moldova as the reverse from Romania is impossible until interconnectors are built there”, Litra maintains.

Add Comment

Add Comment

  • name
  • email
  • message
Thanks!
Your comment will be published after administrator approval.