Tiraspol, 5 July. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. Despite its neutral status, Moldova has boosted military cooperation with NATO to make Pridnestrovie to refuse its policy of rapprochement with Russia, Pridnestrovian President Yevgeny Shevchuk said in an interview with Russia's TASS.
«Moldova has boosted military cooperation with NATO despite its neutral status stipulated in the constitution. Many military drills with the involvement of alliance servicemen, including field firing, are held at a firing range located within several kilometres form the demarcation Security Zone of the Pridnestrovian conflict. The American servicemen have recently intruded into this zone in flagrant violation of the existing rules and procedures," said Shevchuk. «The aim of these actions is evident: to suppress Pridnestrovie through hybrid war methods, to create unbearable conditions and make people refuse the independence and the policy of rapprochement with Russia.»
According to the president, there are numerous incidents of Romanian aircraft intruding into Pridnestrovie's airspace and photographing military facilities.
«Our analysis shows that Moldova lost its neutral status a long time ago. The key positions in the Moldovan defence ministry are occupied by the people trained in US and NATO military schools. Moldova's defence ministry Anatol Șalaru publicly calls for the refusal of neutrality and accession to NATO. Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO Allied Command Operations Philip M. Breedlove, who has recently visited Kishinev, proposed to provide military assistance to Moldova," said Yevgeny Shevchuk.
The Pridnestrovian president expressed concern that against this background «Ukrainian authorities has put a ban on the transit of Russian cargoes for maintaining the peacekeeping operation in Pridnestrovie, and Moldova's special forces deport Russian military going to their duty station in the ranks of peacekeepers.»
