Tiraspol, 28 September. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. The Pridnestrovian socio-economic situation is steadily deteriorating as now Ukraine has joined the economic blockade imposed by Moldova. The European Union, which totally support the Moldovan authorities in their attempts to stifle Pridnestrovie, is not standing idle either. This opinion was expressed by the director of the CIS Institute, Vladimir Yevseyev, Russia's Svobodnaya Pressa writes.
"The decision to deploy Moldovan customs officers at Ukrainian border posts means that the flow of product goods, which are chiefly imported from Ukraine, will be closed. This does not only imply a shortage of products but also hunger. Russia should not stay aside from this situation as its citizens have in fact become hostage to the policy of the pro-Western leaders of Moldova and Ukraine. The EU fully supports the Moldovan authorities in their attempts to stifle the PMR," said Yevseyev.
The joint border post of Ukraine and Moldova in question was began its work at the Kuchurgan-Pervomaysk border crossing in May.
Moldova, at the same time, is doing everything to make Pridnestrovian enterprises get registered in Moldova. As a result, Pridnestrovian economic agents are subject to double taxation to be able to sell their goods.
"It is clear that the PMR's budget cannot cope on its own with the deteriorating socio-economic situation. There's nothing to do but to ask the Russian leadership to replenish Pridnestrovie's budget just a little bit," noted Yevseyev.
Yevseyev also pointed out the political insolvency of the Moldovan president, calling Igor Dodon "a man who cannot do anything or does not want to do anything", "on whom Russia cannot rely."
"Unfortunately, the hopes we are pinning on Moldovan President Igor Dodon have not paid off. He has turned out to be a man who cannot do anything or doesn't want to. In particular, he announced a referendum to make Moldova a presidential republic. This required to collect a certain number of signatures, according to the Moldovan constitution. Instead, Dodon issued a decree to hold a referendum. It is natural that pro-Western MPs blocked it through the Constitutional Court. It turns out that Russia cannot rely on Igor Dodon in pursuing its policy," notes Yevseyev.
The same opinion is shared by the dean of the Department of Sociology and Political Science of the Financial University under the Russian Government, Alexander Shatilov. According to him, Russia should work more efficiently with the Moldovan elite, "find pro-Russian politicians who could steadily change the Moldovan policies towards Russia or, at least, prevent the deterioration of relations with Pridnestrovie."
"We have seen so far that hopes for Moldovan President Igor Dodon do not pay off. This politician has no political weight and has not been very successful in gaining it," notes Shatilov.
Speaking about if Russia has to impose economic sanctions on Moldova if the situation in Pridnestrovie continues to deteriorate, the Russian expert is convinced that it is necessary to do.
"But for now, we have to act carefully; I'd say selectively. We need to apply smart sanctions against individual members of the Moldovan elite. And, say, any restrictive measures will only push away tens and hundreds of thousands of Moldovan labour migrants from Russia. As practice shows, it is these people who vote for pro-Russian candidates during elections," said Shatilov.
Yevseyev believes, in turn, that in such a situation Russia should exert strong economic pressure on Moldova right up to imposing an embargo of Moldova's agricultural supplies.
"A condition for the lifting of sanctions should be the mandatory unblocking of Pridnestrovie by Moldova and Ukraine. These measures are long overdue as the situation in the PMR deteriorates every day," underscores Yevseyev.
It is naive to believe that the EU will somehow compensate Kishinev for losses if Russia imposes sanctions, the expert is convinced. The EU is never in hurry to act as a philanthropist. The main buyer of Moldova's agricultural products is Russia, while the EU is not going to buy anything from Moldova, much less pay its losses.
