Defenders of Pridnestrovie made an appeal to the guarantors and mediators of the Moldovan-Pridnestrovian settlement, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the OSCE mediating organization, observers in the negotiation process (USA and EU), as well as to the entire international community with a request to prevent suppressing the fundamental rights and legitimate interests of the Pridnestrovian population. We present the text of the appeal without changes.
“On behalf of the multinational people of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, we appeal to you regarding extremely alarming regional situation around Pridnestrovie, a new round of oppression of the fundamental rights of the PMR citizens and targeted pressure from the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
As a full-fledged participant in the international negotiation format for the settlement of the Moldovan-Pridnestrovian conflict, Pridnestrovie is making every effort to establish full-fledged state-legal relations with Moldova on the basis of equality, mutual respect and exclusively peaceful settlement of disputes in the interests of the people.
In 2016-2018, the parties to the conflict, with the assistance of international partners, made a lot of efforts to reach a number of agreements within the framework of the Berlin + package aimed at resolving long-standing issues and improving the socio-economic situation of the population. These are agreements in the field of education, land use, telecommunications and communications, phytosanitary and veterinary medicine, participation of PMR vehicles in international road traffic. Work continues in a number of other areas.
At the same time, in spite of many positive initiatives for a fair resolution of the problems in the negotiation process, the people of Pridnestrovie become hostage to political instability in Moldova from year to year. Chaotic governments, coalitions and alliances that replace each other use the problem of resolving the Moldovan-Pridnestrovian conflict not to improve the lives of citizens, but to please momentary goals and political ratings in the endless struggle for ministerial portfolios. Decisions and agreements reached under one Moldovan Government become non-binding under another one.
This is clearly evidenced by the demands regularly voiced by Moldovan politicians to withdraw Russian troops from Pridnestrovie and change the format of the trilateral peacekeeping operation on the Dniester, which has proven its unconditional effectiveness. Such statements are only intended to divert the attention of the Moldovan public from the real problems of Moldova and the really topical issues of the negotiation process.
The Republic of Moldova does not fulfill its obligations under the reached agreements, creates artificial obstacles for their subsequent implementation, or even requires their revision. So, through the fault of the Moldovan side, the issue of resuming direct telephone communication between Moldova and Pridnestrovie has not yet been resolved. Contrary to the mechanism for the Pridnestrovian vehicles` participation in international road traffic, agreed in 2018, Moldova prevents citizens with Pridnestrovian driver's licenses from traveling abroad, restricts access to motor vehicles registration points services for many categories of persons, including for cargo and passenger carriers. As a result, ordinary citizens and economic agents are unfairly restricted in freedom of movement, both in private cars and through the services of transport companies.
The restrictions imposed against Pridnestrovie during the COVID-19 pandemic became a special example of the hypocrisy and cynicism of the Republic of Moldova. Thus, in the spring-summer of 2020, at the request of Moldova, Ukraine closed the automobile checkpoints on the Pridnestrovian-Ukrainian border, while the Moldovan authorities introduced administrative and bureaucratic barriers to import any goods in Pridnestrovie, primarily medical products. In 2020, the work of the international payment systems Visa and Mastercard was blocked in Pridnestrovie, while the accounts of Pridnestrovian enterprises in Moldovan banks were closed. In the same period, the Moldovan authorities began to systematically revoke licenses from economic agents of the PMR to conduct foreign economic activity.
These odious measures contradict the agreements of the negotiation process between the Republic of Moldova and the PMR, international norms, human rights, as well as common sense.
One of the most sensitive for the citizens of Pridnestrovie and the republic as a whole was the problem of establishing joint customs and border control of Moldova and Ukraine at the Kuchurgan international point.
Despite many years of efforts to harmonize the mechanism for importing goods in Pridnestrovie through negotiations, the Republic of Moldova unilaterally plans to introduce full-fledged customs and border control at the Kuchurgan checkpoint from July 1, 2021. This threatens to limit the access of Pridnestrovie to essential goods, medicines and medical products, food, phytosanitary products and many other cargos.
In addition to this, in accordance with the agreements reached with Moldova, Ukraine announced a ban on vehicles with Pridnestrovian license plates from entering its territory from September 1, 2021. Considering that many problems have not been resolved within the framework of the functioning of the vehicle registration points, these actions will restrict the ability of more than 90 thousand PMR citizens to travel by personal transport, and will also lead to the termination of the activities of Pridnestrovian passenger carriers.
Thus, the citizens of the PMR may once again face the restriction of their rights, unilateral pressure measures and economic blockades from Moldova and Ukraine, aimed at the socio-economic weakening of Pridnestrovie.
A depressing circumstance is the fact that such oppressions are taking place against the background of the Republic of Moldova's evasion of dialogue on solving urgent problems. The dynamics of meetings at all levels is steadily declining. The work of the 5 + 2 international format is being blocked, which allows international partners to understand in detail the positions of the parties and offer practical recommendations for overcoming existing differences.
Over the years of its formation and development, Pridnestrovie has gained a reputation as a reliable partner capable of conscientiously fulfilling its obligations. However, the people of Pridnestrovie should not suffer because of the unwillingness of the Republic of Moldova to conduct a constructive dialogue and come to mutually acceptable compromises to resolve long-standing problems.
In this context, we appeal to the guarantors of the Moldovan-Pridnestrovian settlement of the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the OSCE mediator organization, observers in the negotiation process, as well as the entire international community with a request to intervene in the situation and prevent suppressing the fundamental rights and legitimate interests of the population of Pridnestrovie. On behalf of all citizens of the republic, we ask you not to allow the introduction of customs and border measures announced by Moldova from July 1, as well as restrictions on Pridnestrovian vehicles` movement from September 1, 2021.
We are convinced that the solution of existing problems by diplomatic methods at the negotiating table is the most effective mechanism in comparison with rough pressure resulting in harm to everyone.”
Republican Organization "Union of TRT Veterans"
Public Organization "Union of People's Militia Fighters"
Joint Council of Labor Collectives of Pridnestrovie
Interregional Public Organization of War Veterans and Military Service Veterans "Back on Deck"
