Pridnestrovie celebrating independence referendum anniversary

Eight years ago, 17 September 2006, Pridnestrovie held its seventh nationwide referendum

The republic's residents were to define a national development vector. The Pridnestrovians had to respond to the two questions only: "Do you support  stances towards the independence of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and its subsequent free accession to the Russian Federation?" and "Do you find it possible to reject the independence of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and its subsequent accession to the Republic of Moldova?"

 262 polling stations opened in Pridnestrovie that day. 174 foreign observers form Russia, Ukraine, Moldova (including Gagauzia), Abkhazia,  South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as representatives of several international organisations and West European experts, were monitoring the course of the referendum.

By 3pm the turnout had already exceeded 58%. 78.6% of the Pridnestrovians, or 306,000 out of 389,000 citizens in voters' lists, took part in the plebiscite.

As a result, 97.1% of the Pridnestrovians voted in favour of "the independence and subsequent free accession to the Russian Federation", and 2.3% voted negatively. As for the second question, 3.4% of Pridnestrovie's citizens voted for joining Moldova, and 94.6 % voted negatively.

On 6 October 2006 Russia's State Duma unanimously recognised the legitimacy of Pridnestrovie's independence referendum. Russia's MPs called on international community to take account of the referendum results "in order to provide human rights, peace and security in this region, as well as just settlement of the Pridnestrovian conflict."

The plebiscite revealed the citizens' unconditional support for Pridnestrovie's independence and joining Russia. Following the referendum results, in 2012 the foreign policy concept was adopted with its first and main provision stipulating the development of close relations between Pridnestrovie's and Russia's leadership and enhancement of integration processes, realised under the aegis of the USSR successor.