Tiraspol, 21 March. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. As the acting foreign minister of the PMR noted in an in an interview with TASS, the pressure which is being exerted on Pridnesrovie today aims to restrict the country's economic potential, undermine Pridnestrovie's statehood, psychologically affect citizens, who associate themselves with Russia and the Russian world only.
«The ultimate goal of these steps is forcing Pridnestrovie into Moldova, excluding Russia's interests from the region, increasing the West's expansion in the Eastern Europe, alongside the maximum possible exclusion of Russia's media, military and economic presence. In fact, a hybrid war is being waged against Pridnestrovie, which is part of a global war against Russia," said Vitaly Ignatyev.
The diplomat noted that in this crisis situation «Pridnestrovie relying on the strengthening of contacts and coordination of actions with our strategic partner — the Russian Federation».
«We believe it is necessary and opportune to initiate a full-scale socio-political discussion in Russia to elaborate an integrated multi-level support strategy for Pridnestrovie," said the foreign minister.
Vitaly Ignatyev underscored that «the country's essential task is the reorientation of its foreign trade to the markets of the Eurasian Economic Union and Russia, in particular».
«We are actually talking about Pridnestrovie's return to the traditional Russian market, for which over 50% of all exports had accounted prior to the launch of an economic blockade in 2006. Today, this share is under 8% due to artificial constraints imposed by neighbouring states. The regain of our Russian markets will significantly minimise the negative influence of external factors, serve as an additional catalyst in strengthening Pridnestrovian-Russian ties in the trade and economic sphere," he noted, stressing that it is necessary, first of all, to create favourable conditions for the access of our products to the Russian Federation. This particularly refers to the establishment of loyal customs treatment, clear division between the Pridnestrovian products and those manufactured in Moldova.
«The development of systemic cooperation between the business communities of the two countries could also become a powerful impetus for the arrangement of mutual trade relations. In this context the Pridnestrovian side has initiated a Russian-Pridnestrovian business dialogue 'Pridnestrovie-Russia. Cooperation bridges 2016' within the 4th Pridnestrovian Investment Forum, scheduled for 19−20 May 2016 in Tiraspol. Such a forum would acquaint potential Russian investors and partners with Pridnestrovie's economic potential, favour the process of arranging direct supplies of the Pridnestrovian products to the Russian Federation and concluding new commercial contracts," said Vitaly Ignatyev.
The diplomat also expressed the republic's interest in opening Russia's scientific and cultural centre or any other representative office of Rossotrudnichestvo in Tiraspol for establishing even closer humanitarian contacts between Russia and Pridnestrovie.
«Following the Russian president's decree, it was supposed to open such a centre in the last year. Unfortunately, this has not been done up to now. We have the powerful potential of pro-Russian public organisations, public, sports, military and patriotic unions — all this needs filling with practical results. That is why we'd like to arrange more intensified joint, systemic work in this socio-humanitarian area," concluded the diplomat.
