PREMIER SANDU DOES NOT BELIEVE IN TRANSNISTRIAN CONFLICT SETTLEMENT NOW

Moldovan Prime Minister Maya Sandu presumes that at the present time there are no conditions for a settlement of the Transnistrian conflict. She stated this to journalists on Thursday, commenting on the yesterday’s statement by President Igor Dodon that the Presidential Administration had allegedly prepared a draft concept of a legal status for the Transnistrian region.

“Politically, we haven’t discussed any proposals or concepts on Transnistria, so I do not know what Igor Dodon speaks about. We are remaining on our previous stance: a political solution to the Transnistrian dispute may be worked out only on the basis of preserving the Republic of Moldova’s territorial integrity, with providing a certain autonomy for Transnistria, say, analogous to the Gagauzia model”, said Maia Sandu.

She voiced regret that there are no conditions for resolving the Transnistrian conflict presently.

“Such conditions have to be created. However, presently we are busy trying to change the economic aspect of this conflict. But as long as some people in Transnistria keep making fortunes on corruption and smuggling schemes, it will be next to impossible to achieve a political solution to the conflict”, stressed the Moldovan Prime Minister.

Answering journalists’ question about President Dodon’s forthcoming address from the tribune of the United Nations General Assembly, Maia Sandu offered an opinion that he just cannot present any concept of Transnistrian conflict settlement.

“No matter what high post Mr. Dodon may hold, the destiny of Moldova and the settlement of such problems are not decided by one person”, stated the Prime Minister.

This week, Der Spiegel weekly of Germany published an interview with President Dodon, in which he said that the Presidential Administration had worked out a concept of Transnistrian conflict settlement, according to which the unrecognized Transnistrian Moldovan Republic may receive a special legal status within the integral Republic of Moldova.