Tiraspol, 31 May. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. Pressure on Russia and the peacekeeping operation in the Dniester region — this is how Russian experts commented on the Moldovan authorities' decision to expel five Russian diplomats. They were prescribed to leave the country when the entire world was celebrating the International Day of Peacekeepers.
Four diplomats on the deportation list are acting members of the Joint Control Commission, which is the governing body of the peacekeeping operation. The JCC is composed of Russian, Moldovan and Pridnestrovian delegations, as well as Ukraine and OSCE in an advisory capacity.
«Russia is represented in the JCC by diplomats, that is, employees of the Russian embassy in Moldova. It is against these diplomats that the expulsion procedure is applied, i.e. the work of JCC will be paralysed for some time. The JCC is illegitimate without Russia; therefore, it will not function. What's the purpose of doing it now? A very good question," said the director of the International Institute of Newest States, Alexander Martynov, in an interview with the First Pridnestrovian TV channel.
«The JCC monitors, analyses, draws conclusions. It doesn't hide results from anyone. But the point is that all these people from Kishinev, who have devised all this, do not like the commission's results," said Viktor Baranets, military commentator for the Komsomolskaya Pravda daily.
And in the meantime, the Moldovan border police continue to violate the right of Russian citizens to free movement at Kishinev Airport. Most recently, a Russian peacekeeper was subjected to a thorough inspection. According to Pridnestrovian President Vadim Krasnoselsky, no one is allowed to detain Russian peacekeepers.
Moldovan politicians have repeatedly stated the need to withdraw Russian troops from Pridnestrovie and transform the peacekeeping operation into «a multinational civilian mission». This position is espoused by Moldovan premier Pavel Filip and parliament speaker Andrian Candu, who are active supporters of European integration. President Igor Dodon also stands for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Pridnestrovie.
«It is not Dodon who brought in troops, nor did any other Moldovan politicians. Russian troops, Russian soldiers have been stationed on the Dniester bank since Alexander Suvorov," said Aleksey Martynov.
Experts believe that the decision by the official Kishinev to expel Russian diplomats is another step in the consolidated policy pursued by the Moldovan leadership towards Pridnestrovie. Its aim is to resolve the frozen conflict on the terms that will benefit them.
The Joint Control Commission is the governing body of the peacekeeping operation on the Dniester. It has held regular meetings in Bendery since 1992. All decisions are made consensually by the delegations of three parties — Russia, Moldova and Pridnestrovie. Subsequently, Ukriane and the OSCE joined in the JCC as observers. From mid-2014 to 2017 the official Kishinev blocked the JCC's work. A substantive dialogue resumed following the meeting of the presidents of the PMR and Moldova, Krasnoselsky and Dodon.
