TRANSNISTRIA HAS ALREADY REACHED TRUE STATEHOOD – VITALY IGNATIEV

Foreign minister of the unrecognized Transnistrian Moldovan republic (PMR) Vitaly Ignatiev met with professors of the Tartu University (Estonia) Eiki Berg and Kristel Vits in Tiraspol.

According to regional ministry of foreign affairs, Ignatiev stated that over 30 years the PMR has reached true statehood and a de-facto vector of settlement has taken shape already.

Talking about perspectives of resolving the Moldovan-Transnistrian conflict, he said that now it is necessary to create conditions for settlement, moving progressively from simple to complex, removing restrictions and blocking elements, resolving problems in people’s interests.

According to Ignatiev, Moldova has been trying to destroy the Transnistria’s economic potential during all the 30 years to force its authorities adopt certain political decisions.

He said that a great problem is the establishment of Moldovan-Ukrainian customs and border control at the Transnistrian section of the joint border.

“This creates risks for suspending the imports of a great list of food and non-food products, including medicines, to the PMR. For already 2 years we are holding negotiations to prevent this problem. We maintains that in this case we have to deal with political pressure with using economic instruments”, the diplomat said.

He added that Transnistria has special trade regime with the European Union since January 1, 2016.

“Since 2012 we have been holding our own, separate negotiations on optimal regime for exporting our goods to the EU, which concluded in 2015. The Transnistrian side has not taken any political commitments Moldova and Ukraine have taken [in the EU Association Agreement]. Meanwhile, we tried to do our best that the trade mechanism to be mutually profitable”, Ignatiev said.