Tiraspol, 30 March. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. Pridnestrovian President Vadim Krasnoselsky and Moldovan President Igor Dodon discussed the issue of free movement at the meeting in Holercani. Vadim Krasnsoelsky informed Igor Dodon about the recent detentions by the Moldovan police of the vehicles carrying Pridnestrovian officials to Kishinev airport. «As far as I understand these facts have not been reported to the president [of Moldova]. I told him that was not encouraging and that colleagues should yet be reserved when making certain decisions," said the Pridnestrovian president during a briefing after the meeting.
As we have already reported, on 18 March the Moldovan road police detained a car with the deputy speaker of the Supreme Council, Galina Antyufeyeva, near the village of Chetrosu on the Bendery — Kishinev motorway.
The vehicle was detained for two hours on the pretext of some claims to the vehicle documents. «By putting psychological pressure and threatening to use force, the road police officers attempted to transport the vehicle to the police inspectorate of Anenii Noi. Appropriate response measures, taken, amongst others, by Pridnestrovie's political representative, helped to avert the escalation, but the car and its passengers remained blocked for a significant period of time," says a statement by Pridnestrovie's foreign ministry.
And two days before, 16 March, a car belonging to the Pridnestrovian government carrying a delegation of the Office of the Head of the Russian Imperial House was stopped by the police near the same village. During the incident, the driver's documents were seized, while the passengers were prohibited from leaving the car. Accompanied by police officers, the delegation was taken to the nearest police inspectorate. As a result of the de facto detention by the Moldovan police, members of the delegation failed to get to Kishinev airport in time and had to take a night flight to Moscow several hours after.
As Vadim Krasnoselsky noted, the Pridnestrovian government's car is still kept in an impound lot in Moldova.
According to the Pridnestrovian president, Igor Dodon, in turn, raised the issue of the free movement of Moldovan citizens in Pridnestrovie. «We do not put any obstacles, and everyone knows it. As far as officials are concerned, we have a notification procedure, that is, it is not a problem either," said Vadim Krasnoselsky.
According to the Pridnestrovian leader, the Moldovan authorities just need to notify in advance that an official is headed to Pridnestrovie, and this official will even be assisted in travelling across the republic. At the same time, as Vadim Krasnoselsky noted, the sides agreed to develop an even simpler and more convenient mechanism for interaction in this area.
The leaders also discussed «the issue of discontinuing politically motivated criminal cases».
The mass initiation of politically motivated criminal cases against Pridnestrovie's officials, businessmen and ordinary citizens is one of the most burning problems in relations between the two countries. In compliance with their legislation, the Moldovan authorities do not recognise Pridnestrovie and the powers of our officials; therefore, criminal charges were often brought on usurpation of power. According to different sources, they are more than 200 in number. To break the ice, President Krasnoselsky put forward a special initiative for Moldova and Pridnestrovie to mutually terminate 10 criminal cases.
«As I have already said, we have submitted a list of ten persons to Igor Dodon. It includes both policemen and other Moldovan officials whose criminal cases have already been discontinued. In other words, we've made the first step. There must be a compromise, and we are looking forward to Moldova's response. Time will show how things will go on," said Vadim Krasnoselsky.
