It has been two weeks since Pridnestrovie began to receive all essential goods in “exclusively through the decision of the Moldovan authorities” regime. It is important to recall that since March 16, Ukraine has decided to temporarily suspend the operation of checkpoints on the Ukrainian-Pridnestrovian state border on the recommendation of the Moldovan side. This ban was not easy for Kiev, but having received guarantees and assurances from Chisinau that there would be provided stable transit of goods to Pridnestrovie through Moldovan posts, Ukraine temporarily suspended checkpoint activity on the border with Pridnestrovie.
Reality showed that that decision has been a serious mistake. There began to arise problems since the first day of the Pridnestrovian goods flows redirection through the Tudora-Starokazachye checkpoint. At first, pharmaceutical preparations of Russian and Ukrainian origin purchased for the needs of Pridnestrovie had been standing idle for 5-7 days. Even today, the bureaucratic procedure introduced by Chisinau leads to delays in supplies in most cases, while the interaction of Pridnestrovian drug importers with the relevant authorities of the Republic of Moldova is accompanied by outright rudeness and arbitrariness of the latter.
Right now, computer and telecommunication equipment imported through Ukraine is blocked on the border of Pridnestrovie and Moldova, since the Moldovan side has seen dual-use products in terms of cargo. And now it demands to put it through a special interagency commission in Chisinau, which makes decisions on the import of such goods. The catch is this commission cannot be gathered due to quarantine. In fact, due to the inability of Moldova to normally perform the usurped functionality in Pridnestrovie, there are interruptions in the supply of modems, network equipment, and mobile phones. Despite the fact that these goods are necessary, among other things, for organizing a remote educational process, they have been blocked by Moldovan customs for more than 10 days (the other part - for about a week).
Moldova does not coordinate the transit of certain food items to Pridnestrovie, while specialized Food Safety Authority of the Republic of Moldova has tightened the import procedures for veterinary and phytosanitary products, including plant protection products. Those of them that are not in the Moldovan registers do not get trivial approval by the ANSA of the Republic of Moldova and have been in Ukrainian ports and suppliers' warehouses for weeks. The summer harvest and, accordingly, Pridnestrovian food security directly depend on these supplies` stability.
On top of everything else, there is a ban on the import of vehicles manufactured after 2010 added, as well as a total blockade of deliveries to individual entrepreneurs of Pridnestrovie, as they have no registration with the Agency for State Services of the Republic of Moldova and cannot get it.
In fact, Chisinau gained control over Pridnestrovian imports and uses it to segregate supplies and political blackmail against commercial enterprises of the republic and indirectly against Pridnestrovian authorities, whose duty is to ensure uninterrupted supplies regardless of political risks.
The Pridnestrovian side has repeatedly warned international partners that that practice would not bring to good, and has proposed either to work out a mechanism for unhindered transit of goods destined for Pridnestrovie or to reconsider the decision to close the Ukrainian-Pridnestrovian border, at least at the Kuchurgan-Pervomaisk checkpoint. But it was not heard. Today, the mediators themselves are forced to engage in the problem of Pridnestrovian medicines` delivery and call for constructiveness, but Chisinau seems to be drunk on new leverage.
The latest statements by Moldovan officials leave no doubt about the true intentions of Chisinau, which does not disdain to use even the global pandemic to solve political problems and increase pressure on Tiraspol. The main Moldovan negotiator, Kristina Lesnik, who once had a very successful dialogue with Pridnestrovie, yesterday distinguished herself with statements that can be qualified as a sincere recognition of the politicized approach to cooperation during the spread of the virus.
In an interview with Sputnik, the Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister said that she considered closure of the border with Ukraine in the Pridnestrovian region as an opportunity in the process of reintegrating the country: “Just to be clear, the closure of the Ukrainian border in the Pridnestrovian region is the case that we consider as a future model for reintegration of the country. We are trying to convince economic agents that there will be no harm if we control all the borders of the Republic of Moldova in the near future.” As it turned out, “the import of medicines, the import of food, the way of communication between citizens and other things are all part of the reintegration process”, according to Kristina Lesnik.
From what the official of the Republic of Moldova say, the supply of Pridnestrovie with medicines and food has become a hostage to the reintegration plans of the neighboring state. As we see, Chisinau has once again defiantly wiped its feet on democracy, human rights and humanism.
In Pridnestrovie, Moldovan authorities` actual attitude to Pridnestrovie and its interests has been no secret to anyone for about thirty years. And the newly appointed political representative of the Republic of Moldova once again made it public.
The revelations of the Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister only confirm the fact that there is no joint fight against the pandemic or any other moral principles for Moldova. There is only a primitive and short-sighted desire to blackmail Tiraspol, putting Pridnestrovian population, business and the economy as a whole through the wringer.
Well, Madam Lesnik, thank you for at least being honest, although cynical.
By the way, tomorrow the ban on the Kuchurgan-Pervomaisk checkpoint operation expires. So far, Kiev has not extended this ban. And it is quite obvious that the Ukrainian side should measure twice before giving Chisinau the next term for bullying the Pridnestrovian population, including pensioners and schoolchildren. We believe that Madam Lesnik`s confession should be taken into account when making the decision.
