Tiraspol, December 17. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. PMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky talked with a journalist of the Parlamentskaya Gazeta, the official publication of the Russian Federal Assembly. They talked about the purpose of the trip to Moscow, the importance of maintaining direct contacts with Russian colleagues, topical issues requiring discussion at various levels, the press service of the head of state reports.
– Vadim Nikolaevich, the current president of Moldova, Igor Dodon, said, according to TASS, that after leaving the leaving the presidency, he will go to Moscow to discuss the further development of relations between the two countries. He’s just planning it, but you are already in Moscow. What’s the purpose of your visit?
– Traditionally, by the end of the year, we “synchronize watches” with our Russian colleagues, analyze the work done, and outline plans for the future. The year was very difficult. We have a significant amount of topical issues on the bilateral Russian-Pridnestrovian agenda, requiring both direct and extensive discussion, and this dialogue took place at various Moscow venues. This is a part not only the systematic work, but also a standard part of our cooperation. Continual contacts at the governmental, departmental, parliamentary levels.
In view of my current visit to Moscow, I met with the Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation Dmitry Nikolayevich Kozak. A conversation with him is always specific and informative, no matter what subject of the conversation is about. Dmitry Nikolaevich is well-informed of the current situation both in Pridnestrovie and around it. Naturally, we talked about the prolonged standstill of the negotiation process, about the inadmissibility of any form of removing the peacekeeping mission in its existing, unquestionably effective, format.
We discussed social and economic cooperation, consular services, obtaining Russian citizenship by Pridnestrovians, using maternity capital on the territory of the PMR, insurance policies’ validity and many other things.
– Yesterday, on December 16, you had a meeting with the Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs Konstantin Kosachev. The meeting was also attended by Russian senators Farit Mukhametshin and Sergey Muratov, the PMR Minister of Foreign Affairs Vitaly Ignatiev was from the Pridnestrovian side. What did you talk about?
– The subjects are mostly the same. It’s very important to convey relevant truthful information to representatives of different spheres, government bodies. In this sense, meetings in the State Duma and the Federation Council are of particular importance. Senators, parliamentarians, legislators are people’s representatives who are in directly contact with citizens and leaders, on whose decisions it depends on how events will develop in the future.
The State Duma and the Federation Council are important public platforms. Russian deputies, who always have constant communication with me and with all the Pridnestrovians. Meeting with them are also systematic. They often visit the republic. Some of them have recently watched the elections on the Single Election Day, for which personally me the entire Pridnestrovian people grateful them.
Russian deputies, meetings with whom are also systematic, are always have constant communication both me and with all Pridnestrovians.
Despite the workload and the pandemic factor, they nevertheless arrived and witnessed the democratic and openness of our voting processes. What were we talking about during the meetings? About the same coronavirus pandemic, that swept through the world: we discussed ways to combat its spread, shared experiences based on existing practice. We talked about activation measures of Russian compatriots’ living in the republic supporting, about the most pressing issues, that are still pending, in particular, about simplifying the conditions for obtaining Russian citizenship, creating the possibility of using maternity capital on the territory of Pridnestrovie, using Russian medical insurance for Pridnestrovians’ treatment.
Of course, the agenda also includes issues of economic cooperation. Russia is the most important economic partner for us. Everything, that worries Pridnestrovians is discussed with our friends and colleagues from the State Duma and the Federation Council.
– After the presidential elections in Moldova, the Moldovan-Russian relation configuration may change. In particular, the President-elect Maia Sandu has already stated, that the Operational Group of Russian Forces should be withdrawn from the territory of Pridnestrovie, and Russian peacekeepers should be replaced by civilian OSCE observers. Russia is worriedly supervising how further events on the peaceful settlement of the conflict will develop.
– Yes, the subject of peacekeeping is highly relevant. It worries both Pridnestrovians and Russians. This can be heard not only from the officials’ statements but also in face-to-face communication. The fate of the Russian peacekeepers, protecting the peace and tranquility of the Pridnestrovians was discussed at each meeting within the framework of my current visit. And this isn’t just a vacuous interest, this is the present-day concern.
In recognition of the fact, that the Moldovan-Pridnetrovian conflict has remained unsettled for 30 years, negotiations are stagnated, at the current stage there are no prerequisites and legal grounds for the so-called reformatting of the peacekeeping mission. It’s the peacekeepers, who create the conditions for a peaceful dialogue between Tiraspol and Chisinau, which is conducted at different levels and in different formats. That’s why I doubt that anyone will stand for the destruction of this extremely important stability system not only for Pridnestrovie, but also for international mediators and observers.
