Tiraspol, 22 September. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. A meeting between Pridnestrovian President Yevgeny Shevchuk and Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government, Special Envoy of the Russian President on Pridnestrovie Dmitry Rogozin took place in Moscow. The interlocutors discussed the current socio-economic situation in Pridnestrovie amid negative external factors. They focused on the position of Russian citizens residing in Pridnestrovie and compatriots.
Questions related to the implementation of a number of social projects in Pridnestrovie and the prospects for the development of Russo-Pridnestrovian relations in this sphere were also raised during the meeting.
As the president's press service reports, bilateral working visits at the governmental level were agreed upon in the course of the dialogue, aiming to reform the economy, particularly with regard to the protection of state-owned enterprises and development of small and medium-sized businesses. In addition, it is supposed to hold a number of interagency meetings on the health care system and stabilisation in the country's foreign exchange market.
«Dear Yevgeny Vasilyevich, we are glad to see the President of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic in the building of the Government of the Russian Federation. We often meet. I can even see we are wearing the same watches dedicated to the first flight of Yury Gagarin. This the exact replica of the watch the world's first cosmonaut was wearing during the flight. That is why it is so unexpected we are both wearing these watches today. This means we really enjoy good contacts and synchronise watches, as diplomats say," said Dmitry Rogozin.
He also noted that the problems which the Russian economy is generally facing and which have been caused by the policy of sanctions by the US and its satellites are certainly affecting the situation in Pridnestrovie.
«We know it, monitor it, and do our best to help you in the circumstances we are in. However, I would like you to highlight the problems you encounter as a whole — the executive, legislative branches of power and the head of state — when addressing the problems of ordinary people and tell me in what way the Russian Federation can help you. Welcome again and we are glad to see you!» added Rogozin.
President Yevgeny Shevchuk, in turn, thanked Dmitry Rogozin and through him the leadership of Russia for their system support of Pridnestrovie, for the whole group of social projects for Russian citizens residing in Pridnestrovie and compatriots.
«Indeed, the situation in the region is not easy. It is caused by a number of external factors. This includes neighbouring Ukraine, the situation in Kishinev itself and recent coordinated actions by Kiev and Kishinev against Pridnestrovie. It certainly defers its imprint on the economy which is experiencing serious pressure in addition to the economic problems throughout the region. We are faced with a number of additional restrictions, in particular in transportation, which affects Pridnestrovie's large economic entities. And this external factor is predominant today," said Yevgeny Shevchuk.
«However, we are continuing to implement a number of social projects. I want to thank ANO Eurasian Integration that is about to complete the whole number of projects. At the same time, we are carrying out modernization in the two sectors — health care and education which were defined as priorities. Let me remind you that last year with your support we managed to implement a significant textbook replacement project in all Russian-language schools. It was very positively received. As our school teachers say, this creates the conditions and prerequisites for the citizens of Russia, all Pridnestrovians to study on the basis of modern techniques and enter the most reputable universities. I would like to note that we have a number of problems, and we would like to address you with a request for expert support in a number of areas," said the president of the PMR.
Yevgeny Shevchuk also said that Pridnestrovie was launching a land reclamation project as this is a strategic sphere for the chiefly agricultural country.
«And we see a prospect in the development of this sector of the economy. By the example of the Russian Federation, we can see that with certain impetus agriculture can add to GDP and budget revenues. This is what this project aims at. At the initial stage of the project, I'd ask you to send an expert for us to start the implementation of this project in a more balanced and professional way.
Given that many objects are being built in the health care system, I'd like to enlist your support and invite experts in this sector as well. This is necessary to allow us to move to the next stage of health care modernisation to enhance its quality.
There are economic problems, as I have said. That is why we'd like to invite a number of economic ministry and central bank experts to Pridnestrovie. They would provide expert support to our leaders in order to work out the most efficient measures and minimise negative external influence on the Pridnestrovian economy. The external factors are of paramount importance, but increasing the efficiency of the decisions we make, we hope to minimise the negative consequences," said Yevgeny Shevchuk.
Dmitry Rogozin said that in two weeks he would visit Pridnestrovie in connection with the completion and commissioning of the next social object financed by Russia's NGO Eurasian Integration. Dmitry Rogozin underscored that it was a very important project supervised by the Russian president.
«So I'll be in Tiraspol in early October. And let's do the following: we will send experts from the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Health Care to work with Pridnestrovian colleagues, and during my visit they will report me on the results of their work.
Now regarding Russia's [central] bank. It is an independent from the Russian Government, but I will talk to the central bank's chairman and convey your request to provide support for the specialists who deal with this problem in your country.
I would also like to use this meeting to thank Pridnestrovians, you, Supreme Council, Government for organising work with our voters, citizens of the Russian Federation who permanently live in Pridnestrovie, in the period of the preparation and conduct of the State Duma elections. In general, all the rights of the Russian citizens were observed, including in the framework of a selective approach to these elections, the right to vote. And on the whole, on behalf of all political parties that participated in thus election campaign, I'd like to thank all Pridnestrovians through you for expressing such civil self-consciousness and used their free right to votes for their candidates who would form a new State Duma," said Dmitry Rogozin.
He also raised the subject of the upcoming presidential elections in Pridnestrovie.
«Of course, we understand that the situation in the republic is characterised by a number of serious economic problems. It is clear. Recent years have seen very serious geopolitical changes. The regime of sanctions, which was illegally imposed on the Russian Federation, restrains our abilities to provide assistance to you and, in general, has led to turbulence throughout the region, in Moldova and Ukraine. But we hope, nevertheless, that you will conduct the election campaign under the rule of law and in a stable manner. All candidates will be able to express their views. And we'll see all this as a political process which will not be marred by any, first of all, external and internal factors. Therefore, I think that during my working visit to Tiraspol, I'll also speak with other candidates and get familiar with the course of the election campaign. This is what the Russian Federation, as a guarantor of stability in Pridnestrovie, is interested in, first of all — that the will of Pridnestrovians will be fully realised without any cataclysms. You, as the head of state, understand it perfectly well. So I've just wanted to take advantage of our meeting and transmit this signal to you and other political forces in Pridnestrovie.
In general, we expect, as you've put it right, that this situation will lead this way or another to the normalisation of relations between the Russian Federation and the European Union. These sanctions are not beneficial to anybody, and they are directed against the rights of ordinary people in European countries and in the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and Moldova and, of course, in Pridnestrovie which actually has found itself even more isolated than it has been before. However, we see the light at the end of the tunnel and hope in several months or some period of time — not mid-term or long-term, but short-term — everything will fall into place, and Pridnestrovie will only benefit from it as will the ordinary people in Pridnestrovie," said Dmitry Rogozin.
The deputy prime minister also conveyed words of support.
«Let me one more time convey words of support to the republic from the people we work with and assure you one more time that our experts will come to work and provide all the necessary assistance. We have provided it before and will provide it in the future. So I wish you success, good luck for the benefit of the republic, and we'll talk in more detail there and weigh the situation again. I'll meet both with Supreme Council [members] and with the Supreme Council leadership. I think we'll make sure everything is going in the right direction," said Dmitry Rogozin.
The Pridnestrovian president thanked Dmitry Rogozin, mentioning that Pridnestrovie was about to consider the budget.
«We hope very much that our neighbours will abandon the ideology of sanctions and restrictions as they, as you say, really affect the lives of ordinary citizens. And we'd like you to consider bringing another expert from the Ministry of Economy to provide expert support in the areas of small business, strategic mid-term planning of our budget expenditures.
We also hope that Kishinev and Kiev will abandon the language of ultimatums in, first of all, economic sphere because the most important thing is to secure the environment for citizens regardless of the political situation in the region. We hope that these sanctions against Russia will be lifted soon. In our view, this should alleviate the economic situation in the whole region, not only in Pridnestrovie," said Yevgeny Shevchuk.
Dmitry Rogozin mentioned that he was also a persona non-grata in Ukraine, noting that fact was upsetting, first of all, for Kiev.
«So I'll come to you not via Ukraine, but through Kishinev. I cannot say anything or promise about Ukraine. And I wonder if there's anyone who can with regard to what is going on there.
But I think that on our way to Pridnestrovie we'll have enough time to meet a Moldovan government representative.
They are expressing the position aimed at improving relations with the Russian Federation, which the Moldovan economy is likely to be interested in. And of course, I'll take advantage of these negotiations to raise the question once again of the necessity for Kishinev to radically change its approaches to Pridnesrtrovie and, first of all, undo the actions that aggravated the situation. We'll do it and I think I'll tell you about it during our meeting in Tiraspol. Thank you!» concluded Dmitry Rogozin.
