INFORMAL CONFERENCE ON TRANSNISTRIA ENDED IN BAVARIA

An ordinary conference on building confidence in the Transnistrian conflict settlement process, organized with the assistance of the German Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the OSCE, ended in Bavaria on Tuesday.

The Transnistrian ministry of foreign affairs reported in this connection that at the conference’s economic session the main attention was focused on the banking question. Transnistria representatives spoke out at the session for a soonest-possible elimination of all obstacles to opening the accounts of Transnistrian enterprises and companies in Moldovan banks and to conversion of the Moldovan leu currency with a view to organize a full-fledged interaction of the two banking systems one day soon.

The Tiraspol delegation also expressed concern about the importation of various goods to Transnistria in the light of the projected joint border control by Moldova and Ukraine. The delegation continued insisting on the delivery of oil products by the railroad transport through the border-crossing station of Slobodka/Kolbasna and on a soonest-possible fulfillment by Moldova of its commitments in the telecommunication sphere, which should enable a direct mobile communication between Transnistria and Moldova.

At the “Education” panel, Tiraspol raised questions related to realization of Transnistria residents’ right to education in what concerns the previously reached accord on apostilling of diplomas. In particular, consultations were held with the representatives of Ukraine and Germany concerning the problems Transnistrian school graduates face when they decide to continue education in these two countries.

At the “Freedom of Movement” panel, the Transnistrian delegation raised the question of driving licenses to let Transnistrian motorists participate in the international road traffic. The delegation believes Transnistria-issued driving documents must be recognized internationally. The delegation also proposed that the neutral-design license plates be issued not only to private cars but also to buses and trucks of Transnistrian transport companies used for international commercial transportation. The same concerns the receiving by the said companies of corresponding permissive documents.

It was decided to continue the above discussions at the level of profiled expert groups on transport and road issues with attraction of necessary specialists.

During the Bavaria conference, a fruitful technical discussion took place on the acceleration of the project of building a trolleybus line to run from Bendery city through the suburban Varnita village and until the city’s residential community of Severnii [Northern]. Authorized representatives of the European Union confirmed readiness to finance this important infrastructural project.

The ministerial report said nothing about whether or not there was a discussion of the draft Protocol of the results of the meeting in Bratislava, which failed to be signed in the Slovakia capital in early October, so it was decided then to discuss the document in Bavaria.