Transnistrian Conflict on July 30 – August 30, 2005

On 30 July the Moldovan Government adopted two decisions in emergency regime: “Regarding the confirmation of main guarantees to the population of Transnistria” and “Regarding the regulation of the movement of goods that are the object of Transnistria’s external trade”. Both decisions have been adopted at the initiative of President Voronin and as a follow up to the Law on the Basic Provisions regarding the Special Legal Status of Transnistria adopted by the Moldovan Parliament on 22 July 2005.

The guarantees adopted by the Cabinet refer to the property rights of physical and legal entities from Transnistria at the date of entry of the above law into force, and preservation of the current social protection system and access to other social services of all categories of population of Transnistria. In addition, the Moldovan Government guarantees the retention of jobs by all employees of the force departments of Transnistria, prosecutors’ offices, courts, lawyers’ offices, as well as their access to similar jobs in the rest of Moldova.

According to the second decision, the Transnistrian economic agents will have the possibility to obtain the necessary documents for export-import operations for a period of six months. They will be issued IDNO codes and will be provisionally registered in the Moldovan State Register of enterprises and organizations. The customs procedures and control on export-import of goods from and into Transnistria will be exercised by the Moldovan Customs.

The governmental decision also includes provisions regarding the restitution of import rights, issue of forms certifying the origin of goods and other aspects of external trade activity.

According to the text of the decision, the resumption of the registration of Transnistrian economic agents and the issue of documents for export-import operations has been initiated with the aim of reintegrating the country and overcoming the consequences of the conflict. It is also linked to the forthcoming deployment of an international monitoring mission at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border.

Earlier the Ukrainian Government published a series of decisions which have not entered into force yet, on the regulation of the export-import activity at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border, whereby goods from Moldova may be transported into Ukraine only on the basis of customs papers bearing Moldovan stamps, and goods coming from the Transnistrian region will only enter Ukraine through the customs check points where Moldova is present.

The two governmental decisions were launched on 29 July at the closing sitting of the spring-summer Parliamentary session by President Voronin, who noted that “the question of guarantees for the Transnistrian population and the legalization of the Transnistrian economy within the legal space of Moldova, are the most important tasks over the short term. …We have to tell clearly and unequivocally to the Transnistrian inhabitants that the reunification of the country is an advantage for everyone, that there should not be and will not be material or social losses as a result of reintegration”. The President asked the Parliament to adopt by 10 October 2005 the entire legislative basis necessary for the application of guarantees.

The two governmental decisions are part of the stated efforts of the current Moldovan leadership to grant humanitarian, political and economic assistance to the Transnistrian population. It is not clear however if Chisinau will find the financial means necessary to apply into practice the adopted guarantees, especially those related to social protection. Moreover, many questions arise in relation to guarantees on the property rights of physical and legal entities given that the Moldovan authorities have repeatedly condemned and ruled out the privatization process being currently carried out in Transnistria.

e-democracy.md

Transnistrian Conflict on July 30 – August 30, 2005

Archive