Pridnestrovie celebrates the 28th anniversary of the creation of the Supreme Council of PMR. The first meeting of the Pridnestrovian parlament took place on November 29, 1990. There the deputies elected by the people confirmed that formation of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (PMSSR) was a natural consequence of a political crisis in Moldova and became the only form of protection of the civil rights and freedoms of Pridnestrovie. They also supported the project of the new Union State within the USSR and supported the unity of the big country.
The first session of the Supreme Council of PMR on November 29, 1990. A photo from the archive of the Press Service of the Supreme Council
Several months before, on September 2, 1990, the Extraordinary Congress of People's Deputies of Pridnestrovie proclaimed the Republic a part of the USSR. This event became the response to discrimination of Chisinau where the representatives of the radical nationalist People's Front came to the power. Residents of Pridnestrovie recreated statehood on the left coast of the river Dniester with the purpose to protect the rights and to ensure own safety.
Future deputies of the Supreme Council Pyotr Zalozhkov (on the right) and Vladimir Rylyakov (at the left) talk to the French journalists, 1989. A photo from the archive of the Press Service of the Supreme Council
After the declaration on the creation of the Republic the Congress decided to create also the Temporary Supreme Council which had to form legitimate, democratic authorities. Igor Smirnov at that time heading the City Council of Tiraspol was elected as its chairman.
September 21 Temporary SC approved the bill "About Elections", having suggested to submit it for a referendum. After the enactment of the Law the date of parliamentary elections to the Supreme Council was appointed.
Elections took place on November 22-25, 1990 and caused negative reaction of Moldova authorities which understood that the parliament of Pridnestrovie elected by the people will become a powerful political force. In twenty days before, on November 2, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Moldova made the first attempt of a solution by force of the expanding conflict with Pridnestrovie. In Dubasary during collisions with the Moldavian security officers three locals died.
Despite an intense situation, the voting turnout was 81%. To the first Pridnestrovian legislative assembly there went 60 deputies from 63 districts.
Group of deputies of the Supreme Council of the first term. A photo from the archive of the Press Service of the Supreme Council
At the same time only in 24 districts, there were alternative candidacies. It was explained by the rather difficult political situation of those years – to be the deputy of SC PMSSR was unsafe. Subsequently, intelligence agencies of Moldova undertook several operations on the arrest of the Pridnestrovian deputies, and by means of the terrorist cells organized attempts at parliamentarians. Murder of the deputy of the Supreme Council from Slobodzeysky district Nikolay Ostapenko became the loudest crime.
The first meeting of legislative took place on November 29, 1990.
Group of deputies during a break of the first session of the Supreme Council. A photo from the archive of the Press Service of the Supreme Council
Vasily Yakovlev already famous at that time jurist, one of the future authors of the declaration on the independence of PMR and the first Pridnestrovian Constitution, opened a meeting. The elected deputies observed a minute of silence for the memory of the dead during the tragic events in Dubasary on November 2.
According to the agenda deputies defined the structure of the Supreme Council and started the election of its chairman. On this post Vasily Baboy, Stanislav Moroz, Vasily Yakovlev, Igor Smirnov moved forward. The first three deputies took rejection, as a result, the majority voted for Igor Smirnov.
Group of deputies during the first meeting of the Pridnestrovian parliament. A photo from the archive of the Press Service of the Supreme Council
However, at the second session of the Supreme Council Smirnov was elected the chairman of PMSSR, and Grigory Marakutsa later became the speaker of parliament.
At the first session of the Supreme Council, the special Constitutional Commission for development of the main document of the republic was created.
Besides, deputies approved the structure of the legislative. The first term of the Supreme Council was two-chamber and consisted of Council of the Republic and the Soviet of Nationalities.
Council of the Republic consisted of 33 deputies. The Soviet of Nationalities in equal quantity (on eight people) included Russians, Ukrainians, Moldavians, also as representatives of other nationalities. The Soviet of Nationalities had the veto on any bill which could infringe upon the interests of representatives of the people of Pridnestrovie.
The first term of the Pridnestrovian parliament worked during the most difficult period of the history of the Republic – the collapse of the USSR, the growth of opposition with Moldova, the moldo-pridnestrovian war of 1992, the social and economic crisis caused by transition to a market system.
In five years the first parliamentary term held 172 meetings at which various questions were considered and solved. The major legal documents were accepted: about the creation and work of Conciliation Commissions on settlement of the conflict between PMR and RM; about relationship between PMR, RM and other CIS countries; about a social and political situation; about functioning of economy and economic security of PMR; about imposition of emergency in the Republic; about interpretation of laws and others.
Many deputies of the first term were reelected. Today they continue to participate in work of the Pridnestrovian parliament on the platform of the Consultative Meeting of the first deputies of the Supreme Court.
