Statement  of President

of Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublica

New leadership of the Republic of Moldova, that came to power in 2001, has not created an efficient programme of solving economic and political problems of the Moldovan state. Populist slogans about a priority of the problem of settlement of the relations between Pridnestrovie and Moldova have become a basis for acquiring political dividends in the conditions of the critical socio-political situation within Moldova.

Having faced differences in principle in the positions of the sides to the approaches of building state and legal relations between Moldova and Pridnestrovie, Moldovan leadership has rejected search of mutually accepted decisions and has turned to the methods of pressure using force towards Pridnestrovie.

Thus, on August 31 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova addresseddiplomatic missions, accredited in Chisinau, with a recommendation not to grant entry visas torepresentatives of Pridnestrovien organs of state power. Simultaneously the Moldovan Ministry ofForeign Affairs appealed the CIS countries not to maintain contacts with Pridnestrovienrepresentatives.            

Since September 1, 2001 the Republic of Moldova under far-fetched pretences of fight with smuggling and WTO requirements unilaterally revoked customs stamps and introduced new customs regulations. •

Thus the February 7, 1996 Protocol Decision "On Resolving Existing Problems in the Sphere of Activity of Customs Services of the Republic of Moldova and Pridnestrovie" was violated. The blockading of the external economic activity of Pridnestrovien economic subjects has been the result of Moldovan destructive actions.

Since January 1, 2002 the Republic of Moldova unilaterally changed the procedure of issuing certificates of origin, not recognising the right of performing customs operations by competent organs of Pridnestrovie. Pridnestrovien enterprises were offered to carry out their external economic operations in accordance with Moldovan legislation, what meant their registration and transferring payments to Moldovan budget.

Illegal requirements towards Pridnestrovien economic agents, undermining grounds of their economic activity, have created serious obstacles for Pridnestrovie to exercise its right on conducting an independent external economic activity, laid down in the May 8, 1997 Memorandum "On Principles of Normalisation of Relations Between the Republic of Moldova and Pridnestrovie".

The Moldovan side grossly disregards the July 5, 1995 Agreement "On Keeping Peace and Guarantees of Security Between the Republic of Moldova and Pridnestrovie", the March 11, 1996 Protocol of Agreed Questions, the May 8, 1997 Memorandum "On Principles of Normalisation of Relations Between the Republic of Moldova and Pridnestrovie", as well as a number of documents signed on April 9 and May 16, 2001 personally by President V. Voronin as head of the Moldovan state.

The situation is destructive for Pridnestrovien economy as a whole. Enterprises suffer enormous losses, are not able to export their products in full extent, are not capable to carry out their obligations before foreign partners. It is followed by disruption of economic ties, cancellation of mutually beneficial long-term contracts, what leads to suspension of enterprises work.

Currently, stored stockpiles of finished products reached $60 million, while their usual norm amounts to $15-20 million. Due to the lack of selling products the republican budget has received about $3 million less, arrears of wages amount to $2,5 million, and at enterprises of the Ministry of Industry about 55 000 persons are without work.

Actions of the leadership of the Republic of Moldova create serious obstacles for normal functioning of Pridnestrovien economy and first of all are aimed at undermining economic security of Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublica. Arrears of wages, pensions, social allowances, grants, as a result, will have a negative impact on social position of all people of the republic.

The pressure with the use of force exerted on Pridnestrovie is accompanied by unprecedented informational war using unfounded, not having any connection with reality, charges, discrediting Pridnestrovien leadership and all Pridnestrovien population.

It becomes obvious, that methods of economic policy, destructive for Moldovan economy, insufficiently considered and ineffective moves have led the population of the Republic of Moldova to the line of poverty, and the whole economic sphere of Moldova to default. Attempt to take up Pridnestrovien economic potential, to destabilise the socio-economic situation, to provoke social disturbances pursues the only aim of shifting off the whole weight of the criminal economic policy of Moldovan leadership on the shoulders of Pridnestrovien people.

Analysis of reasons of Moldovan uncompromising political steps clearly shows the intention at any cost to take possession of the Pridnestrovien economic potential to prolong the agony of the totalitarian power in Moldova. According to information we have, President of the Republic of Moldova V.Voronin has promised to transfer a number of Pridnestrovien enterprises to the possession of some Russian businessmen in exchange for political support and lobbying Moldovan leadership interests, as well as helping V.Voronin in spreading the communist regime functioning in Moldova to the Pridnestrovien territory.

In conditions, when interests and political will of Pridnestrovien people are openly disregarded, a large-scaled humanitarian catastrophe in the whole region may be the result of such actions. Further escalation of tensions threatens to develop into a new armed conflict.

Illusion of impunity drives the government in Chisinau to new irresponsible actions, which directly touch not only Pridnestrovien security, but also seriously threaten Ukrainian economic and political interests, social stability, to whose territory a stream of refugees will move, in case Moldovan plans are carried out.

The alternative to it could be a strict implementation of agreements reached earlier, continuing of the civilized political dialogue within the effective five-sided format. However, Moldovan side has rejected the November 22, 2001 Prague initiative of mediators, Ukrainian President's initiative on holding a high-level meeting in Kiev, frustrated the meeting of plenipotentiaries of the sides in Bratislava, scheduled on February 19-20 this year. All this excites most serious apprehensions, arouses anxiety and causes concern in Pridnestrovie.

At the same time, Prinestrovien leadership as before is open to a resumption of the constructive dialogue, which takes into account all opinions and interests of the sides, invariably confirms its commitment to the five-sided format of conducting negotiations and, in this connection, appeals to Russian Federation and Ukraine, as guarantor-states, OSCE and other European institutions to take all possible measures for normalization of the situation round Pridnestrovie.

I invite representatives from Russian Federation, Ukraine, OSCE and other European institutions to visit Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublica to get acquainted on the ground with the real situation, make sure of groundlessness and baselessness of charges towards Pridnestrovie. We hope that we will find understanding from their part.

Igor Smirnov February 18, 2002

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