The Pridnestrovian authorities have taken a number of practical steps to develop relations with Kishinev, but they do not see similar actions by the Moldovan authorities, the foreign minister of the PMR, Vitaly Ignatyev, said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
«There were two meetings between the leaders of Moldova and Pridnestrovie, Igor Dodon and Vadim Krasnoselsky, since the start of the year — on 4 January in Bendery and on 30 March in Holercani. The presidents discussed issues of current relevance. The meetings itself confirm readiness to cooperate. We believe it is time to move from declarations to practical work, practical cooperation," noted the minister.
According to him, Pridnestrovie has agreed to meet Kishinev halfway on the issue of the abolishment of criminal cases and criminal prosecution against 10 Moldovan officials, including policemen.
«This is also the optimisation of migration legislation. This is the normalisation of the work of Romanian-language schools in Pridnestrovie. This is the resolution of the issue of Moldovan land users possessing farmland in Dubossary district. Pridnestrovie has made a number of reciprocal steps at its level, expecting similar actions on the part of Moldova. However, we haven't seen so far any practical step taken in this direction," said Ignatyev.
The minister noted that «the intention to establish joint Moldo-Ukrainian checkpoints on the Pridnestrovian sector of the border is a very dangerous challenge.
«It is not possible to calculate any scenarios and implications as the problem covers a lot of spheres. But it is clear that these unilateral actions will destabilise the regional situation," said Ignatyev.
According to him, Pridnestrovie has concrete proposals and ideas which have already been voiced. «We will submit a number of proposals to the Russian authorities. It seems to me, our main task in the midst of the unsettled conflict is to prevent a deterioration of the situation, both in political and socio-humanitarian spheres. It is unacceptable to provoke a humanitarian disaster by taking such thoughtless steps," said the minister.
On 13 February, during the visit of Moldovan premier Pavel Filip to Kiev, an agreement was reached with the Ukrainian authorities to accelerate the establishment of joint control on the Pridnestrovian sector of the border. It is expected that the first such post will be open at the Kuchurgan border crossing. The customs services of Moldova and Ukraine plan to establish 13 joint checkpoints on the Pridnestrovian sector of the border. Previously, the minister of economic development of the PMR, Sergey Obolonik, said that such control measures may result in $38 million worth of losses for the Pridnestrovian economy.
