Tiraspol, 27 December. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. Moldova is doing everything possible to get away from Pridnestrovie as much as possible, which is testified by the decisions made by its government, Pridnestrovian President Vadim Krasnoselsky said, speaking to the teachers and students of Pridnestrovian State University.
During this year the Moldovan Constitutional Court recognised Pridnestrovie as a territory occupied by the Russian troops, which was followed by statements made by the Moldovan parliament and government on the replacement of the peacekeeping operation for a civilian mission. Moldova expelled Russian diplomats from the military attache office and even appealed to the UN with a request to withdraw Russian troops from Pridnestrovie.
In the summer joint Moldo-American drills were held near the Pridnestrovian border, and in December a NATO office was opened in Moldova despite Moldova's neutral status.
In addition to those unfriendly steps, there appeared a document containing a "vision" of joint forms of co-habitation of Pridnestrovie and Moldova, and a decision was made to rename Moldova's state language from Moldavian into Romanian.
The establishment of a Moldo-Ukrainian post at the Ukrainian-Pridnestrovian border added to tensions between Tiraspol and Kishinev. Moldova ignored Pridnestrovie's arguments about the damage its economy might incur, claiming that everyone would benefit from that post.
"I'd like to note that these posts were backed by Moldovan President Igor Dodon, declaring that 'a single state means a single border'. There is no single state; why think it up and deceive everyone around? Besides, Dodon says he has a common, consolidated position on Pridnestrovie with the parliament and the government. And this position aims to destroy the Pridnestrovian statehood, the division of property and withdrawal of Russian troops. What's the common position — to throw away Russia under some slogans about neutral status? A catastrophe will follow the nice words of unity. This may result in tension or even war. It is the peacekeepers that protect peace in our land. So where is a pro-Russian position?" asked the president.
"It seems that Moldova is doing everything to get away from us as far as possible. All of these decisions they make suggest only one thing: they don't see any co-habitation of Moldova and Pridnestrovie. They have decided: we are an independent state. And there's no need to deceive each other," underscored Vadim Krasnoselsky.
Vadim Krasnoselsky noted that it is Russia that remains the most important partner and guarantor of the settlement process. Besides, as distinct from Moldova and Ukraine, there are no titular nations in Russia.
"We close spiritually in terms of the absence of titular nations and in terms of our history and our people's aspiration to be with Russia," explained the president.
The head of state also advised the Moldovan president to avoid insulting Pridnestrovie's leadership and people if he wants to build a normal dialogue with our country. Statements like that have recently become frequent.
"They say in Moldova there is a smuggling scheme between Ukraine, Pridnestrovie and Moldova. Let's inquire of the EUBAM if they know about those schemes, and if they do, let them let us know. Maybe, there's really something out there, or is it just another lie? Let them answer," the president instructed the foreign minister to file a corresponding request to the EUBAM.
He also commented on Dodon's statements that Tiraspol asks Moscow for money.
"Our cooperation with Russia is many-sided. This includes military and peacekeeping cooperation and political relations within the negotiating process. These are first of all cultural and humanitarian relations. And only then financial interaction. We speak about loans.
In order to finally remove the issue of the embezzlement of Russian money in Pridnestrovie,, it is us who requested Russia to audit public expenditures. Two audit companies from Russia worked in the country: one of them was independent, and another was government-affiliated. We opened access to all documents. The famous German audit company Berlin Economics has been working in the country for two years. They know our budget from memory. Where do such statements come from?" asked the president.
"Another interesting statement by Igor Dodon is that Pridnestrovie asks Russia for as much money as it spends on the Sheriff company. You can treat this company in various ways, but I judge by deeds and facts. Today Sheriff is the major taxpayer in our country. It is not us who give, but it is Sheriff that gives us. They are also the major investors and benefactors. The company has nothing to do with any budget rouble. What is the Moldovan president speaking about? Where does he get this information? It is wrong to do so. This is an insult to the Pridnestrovian business," noted Vadim Krasnoselsky.
Advising Russia not to give money to Pridnestrovie, the Moldovan president withholds the fact that his country has long lived on European tranches.
"Mr Dodon so ardently advises Russia not to give money to Pridnestrovie. He'd rather advise with the same ardour that Western Europe should not give money to Moldova. He withholds the fact that tranches from the EU are constantly going to Moldova. There is nothing wrong with it. The economy must develop. But their choice is pro-European, and ours is pro-Russian. We ask our strategiс partner for loans. But no one is allowed to argue with a mockery that Pridnestrovie embezzles Russian money. So if Igor Dodon wants to conduct a normal dialogue, I advise him to avoid insulting the people, elite and president of Pridnestrovie. And we do not need mediators in relations with Russia," the president explained.
The head of state also dwelt on speculation about Russia's natural gas supplies to Pridnestrovie. He recalled that the government had adopted a programme to support socially vulnerable categories of population. "But we do not provide Russian gas free of charge. Pridnestrovie provides the transit of Russian natural gas to Europe, and Russia pays us a certain sum of money in the form of gas for this service. We distribute this gas between pensioners, the poor, defenders of Pridnestrovie and military veterans. Is it wrong? This is the money that we earn. And what we borrow from the gas account, we will return," said Vadim Krasnoselsky.
Erroneous, according to the president, is a statement by Igor Dodon that Pridnestrovie is a kind of anchor for Moldovan statehood, preventing Moldova from joining Romania.
"He said there would be no Moldova without Pridnestrovie, and there would be no Pridnestrovie without Moldova. It is not so. Pridnestrovie exists and has already established as an independent, self-sufficient state with its own elements of power, and we must preserve the independence of our state — this is the basis of our security in this destructible world which surrounds us. We should be confident in our state, protect our state, and only then will we be recognised," underscored the president.
Vadim Krasnoselsky added that recognition is merely a technical issue, but only independent and self-sufficient states are recognised, which Pridnestrovie has been striving for.
