Tiraspol, 25 August. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. On 25 August 1991 the Supreme Council of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic adopted the Independence Declaration of the PMSSR. The document was adopted prior to the Moldovan SSR's secession from the Soviet Union. The former considered the territory of the PMSSR part of its sovereign territory and refused to recognise Pridnestrovie as an independent state.
The adoption of the declaration was preceded by the arrests of some members of Pridnestrovie's Supreme Council and local councils on 22 August, the day after a failed coup attempt by the State Committee for States of Emergency (GKChP). The Moldovan president issued a decree declaring the GKChP illegal and his authority null and void in the republic. At the same time, the Kishinev leadership accused the Pridnestrovian leaders of supporting the GKChP, although neither the president nor the Supreme Council had made any statements in support of GKChP.
«When the August events were taking place in Moscow, the situation was very dramatic for us because Moldova took advantage of the moment to exert pressure on Pridnestrovie one more time and actually attempted to behead the republic through the capture and detention of the most active political leaders. The entire operation called Nevod had been worked out to arrest and bring the most active MPs and Pridnestrovian leader Igor Smirnov to Kishinev. The operation was launched on 23 August," the president's state councillor, Anna Volkova, recalls.
On 24 August Ukraine declared its independence, and it became known that Kishinev would do the same on 27 August.
It was clear that in a month or two the Soviet Union would cease to exist, and it was necessary to determine the future of the republic. Against this backdrop, almost secretly, the 10th session of the Supreme Council was held in Tiraspol on 25 August. The MPs convened for an urgent meeting to adopt an Independence Declaration of the PMSSR, which particularly said that the republic is proclaimed an independent state.
«It was not safe to hold the meeting in the House of Soviets because we expected provocations. That's why the meeting was held in the Office of Civil Defence at the Kirov Plant. It was rather difficult for our representatives from Kamenka, Rybnitsa, Dubossary and Grigoriopol to get there as the main road was under examination. But, nevertheless, there was the quorum, and the Supreme Council discussed the situation and, as a result, passed the Independence Declaration," said Volkova.
On 27 August 1991, Moldova proclaimed its independence and adopted the corresponding law on independence, which declared null and void the law of 2 August 1940 «On the formation of the Moldavian SSR», according to which the Moldavian ASSR became part of the Moldavian SSR.
Thus, in fact, the only document regulating the presence of Pridnestrovie in Moldova was disavowed. But the law, however, did not grant Pridnestrovie the right to self-determination since its text stated that «Transnistria, which has been populated by Moldavians from ancient times, is part of the historical and ethnic territory of our people.»
It is the Independence Declaration of Moldova that became the historical and political basis of Pridnestrovie's self-determination as an independent state.
The text of the Independence Declaration of the PMR states that Pridnestovie has been established a democratic law-governed state designed to ensure the equal rights and obligations of citizens of all nationalities who form the people of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.
«The territory of the PMR is inviolable within established borders and can be changed only by mutual consent of the PMR with other states and taking into account the people's will. The only source of state power in the Republic and the guarantor of its independence is the people of the PMR, whose sovereignty is realised both directly and through representative bodies," states the declaration.
The adoption of declaration marked a new stage in the life of our state. There were many questions and challenges facing the young state: how the economy would develop, whether the old economic ties would remain, what would happen to the money system, how to ensure the security of Pridnestrovian citizens and many others. But, as time shows, the leadership of the republic has coped with all tasks. And very soon, on 2 September, Pridnstrovie will mark its 27th anniversary.
