RESOLUTION OF TRANSNISTRIAN PROBLEM SHOULD BE STARTED FROM RESTORING ORDER - PREMIER SANDU

All kinds of moneymakers had been earning fortunes on the Transnistrian conflict for decades, having converted the region into a convenient source of uncontrolled profits. So, for resolving this knotty Transnistrian conflict, it is first necessary to restore order in this sphere, Moldovan Prime Minister Maya Sandu stated in an interview with Russia's official news agency TASS.

She believes that for this, it is necessary to root out smuggling, start paying for the Russian natural gas accurately, stop dubious schemes with electric energy, and to ensure citizens' free movement to/from both parts of the country. "It is vitally necessary to change economic incentives, when the key stimulus will be the production, creation of new jobs, improvement of the people's wellbeing and not schemes. Then, trust will appear between the Dniester River sides, and the conflict settlement negotiations will go at another pace. All the trade regimes available for Moldova are open for the Transnistrian region as well. Transnistria participates very actively in the regime of free trade with the European Union, which is very profitable for the Transnistrian economy. Moreover, this Transnistria's participation goes on conditions even more advantageous than for the mainland Moldova", stressed the Prime Minister.

Touching on the presence of Russian troops and arsenals in the republic, Maia Sandu reminded that by its Constitution the Republic of Moldova is a neutral state.

"So the presence of the Operational Group of Russian Forces (OGRV) in the Moldova territory contradicts to the Moldovan laws and to the Moldovan Government's will. Not a single previous Government of Moldova has agreed to that, and no future one will agree to the presence of the troops on our land", stated the Moldovan Premier confidently.

Maia Sandu is convinced that the Transnistrian conflict can be solved by using only peaceful, political means.

"In our region, nobody threatens anybody, and there has been long no need to defend anybody. Therefore, an international mission of civilian observers would be quite sufficient for controlling the situation. As for a formula of a lasting conflict settlement, it should be elaborated at the negotiating table", believes Maia Sandu.