Tiraspol, April 16. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. The announced embargo on crossing the Ukrainian border for vehicles with Pridnestrovian license plates is an issue of a purely political nature that was artificially created. This was reported by the PMR Minister of Foreign Affairs Vitaly Ignatiev, in an interview with the First Pridnestrovian TV Channel.
“All possible negotiating principles as well as human rights, including the global declaration on human rights are simply violated by the imposing of restrictions plans. Nowadays this issue is very acute, it seems that Chisinau wants to make problem for people instead of solving these issues. Problems are created artificially and our international participants see it,” the head of the foreign policy department noted.
Chisinau and Kiev announced that from September 1, the border with Ukraine could be closed for transport vehicles with Pridnestrovian license plates. An exception will be made only for vehicles with neutral license plates. Russia and Pridnestrovie are opposing such unilateral actions. Due to the Moldova’s position, at that moment the mechanism of neutral license plates isn’t working to the full extent. More than a hundred cases are known, when car drivers returned neutral license plates and received the Pridnestrovian ones back.
“They [the Moldovan authorities – ed] have introduced a number of artificial restrictions, discriminating against Pridnestrovian residents on the civil law basis. Moldovan citizens, who are living in Pridnestrovie and having the PMR citizenship, are required to obtain a Moldova’s driving license. This contradicts our protocol, that’s why the Russian Federation as well as other states citizens cannot avail of the neutral numbers mechanism at all and, accordingly, cannot avail of their own transport,” the PMR Minister of Foreign Affairs Vitaly Ignatiev explained.
Neutral license plates began to be issued in the autumn of 2018, however only 4% of Pridnestrovian car drivers were received them. Experts from Pridnestrovie as well as the OSCE have identified 15 problems in this mechanism working, but there are solutions for each one. However, due to the position of Chisinau, all problems aren’t being solved.
Meanwhile, Moldova admits Pridnestrovian license plates and driver’s licenses. This’s spelled out in agreements of the year of 2001, which were signed by the Presidents of participating states to conflict. In addition, according to the conclusion of the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine, Pridnestrovian driver’s licenses can participate in international road traffic.
“The solution to the problem is very simple. The Moldovan side, its political representative can simply inform Ukraine that it doesn’t see any problems in the Pridnestrovian vehicles participation in movement on the territory of Ukraine, as well as Moldova. This problem could be concisely solved, but, apparently, it’s necessary to generate an additional political willpower,” Vitaly Ignatiev commented the situation on.
