Moldova is totally unprepared for the reintegration of the Transnistrian region. Realities show the launch of the political negotiations on the special legal status of the region is unclear and even risky. Not only the Transnistrian administration, but also the Moldovan constitutional authorities show no real interest in such negotiations, executive director of the Foreign Policy Association Victor Chirila said in the Association’s press club meeting, where there was presented a report entitled “Transnistrian Settlement in an Impasse”, IPN reports.
Victor Chirila said Moldova does not have a system reintegration policy and the resources needed for making such an effort. The parliamentary parties do not have a common view on the future political solution, while society is not ready for a possible compromise. Moreover, society is very apathetic to the Transnistrian conflict and its disinterest can generate new arbitrary and obscure ideas like the Kozak Memorandum on the part of the Moldovan political class. In such conditions, it would be opportune for the authorities and the political class to avoid precipitately resolving this dispute.
For a start, the expert recommends making the right bank of the Nistru River a model for the people from the left bank so that these no longer want to become integrated into Russia. The Moldovan authorities must agree a common medium- and long-term view on the country’s reunification and must work out a reintegration policy that would prepare the state institutions, the economy and society from both sides the Nistru.
Victor Chirila noted it is also opportune to carry out a national campaign to regularly inform society about the view on conflict settlement and the reintegration policy. Polls show that only 1% of the population from the right bank consider that the Transnistrian conflict settlement should be a priority for the authorities, while most of the residents from the left bank either want the Transnistrian region to be independent or to become integrated into the Russian Federation.
The expert said partnership relations should be developed between politicians, the authorities and the business communities from both sides of the Nistru. Chisinau should negotiate a solution acceptable to Tiraspol concerning the extension of the Free Trade Area with the EU to the Transnistrian region.
The press club meeting was organized by the Foreign Policy Association (APE) with the support of East Europe Foundation with the resources provided by the Government of Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark/DANIDA.
