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Transnistrian Conflict on April 29 – May 15, 2006

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A new Transnistrian settlement plan?

The mediators and observers in the Transnistrian settlement process are preparing a new draft plan regarding the division of powers between Chisinau and Tiraspol, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, William Hill, told the press on 15 May. According to Hill, the new draft is in full compliance with the Moldovan laws and grants significant powers to Transnistria, including to collect taxes, giving the centre powers in such fields as defence, security, customs and currency.

According to the OSCE official, next week Brussels will host consultations of the mediators and observers, and between 31 May — 1 June, the OSCE Chairman in Office, Belgian Foreign Minister, Karel de Gucht, will visit Chisinau, including to seek ways to boost the negotiations process.

Securisation of the Transnistrian segment of the Moldovan-Ukrainian border

On 12 May in Odessa took place the second meeting of the Consultative Council of the EU Border Assistance Mission, attended by Moldovan and Ukrainian deputy foreign ministers, the Head of the EC Delegation to Ukraine, Iain Boag, and the Head of EU BAM, General Ferenz Banfi.

According to General Ferenz Banfi, since the start of the activity of the mission, many cases of large quantities of smuggling of poultry, cigarettes and alcoholic beverages were prevented. About 90% of smuggled poultry is then exported to Ukraine and other states. The European official called this business “organised criminal activity with the ulterior investment of means in the legal import in Transnistria”. It would be based on the difference between the customs duties perceived by the Ukrainian and Transnistrian authorities. “The Transnistrian authorities either do not want, or are not able to take the necessary measures to counteract such activities,” General Banfi said.

Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Ministry, Andrei Vasilovski, showed happy with the results of the EU BAM, but said European border specialists need to monitor the border for at least two years to be able to dismantle the contraband schemes that have been built for years.

The EU Mission representatives have passed on to the Moldovan and Ukrainian authorities 42 recommendations with a view to creating a modern, integrated border management system. The recommendations foresee, among other things, a more intense exchange of information between Moldovan and Ukrainian customs officials, and setting up a modern system of risk control.

At the same time, the participants in the 12 May meeting concluded that the new customs regime introduced in March 2006 has helped increase the efficiency of the border management system and the transparency of operations of export and import from and to Transnistria.

The EU warns of a possible worsening of situations in Transnistria

In an interview with the web portal EUobserver, EU Special Representative for Moldova, Adriaan Jacobovits de Szeged, warned that the situation in Transnistria could get worse in the next weeks. “I think that Smirnov feels himself threatened by the recent developments, especially the active involvement of the EU and US in the Transnistrian issue…..If you feel your position is in danger, a crisis is often construed useful by leaders,” stated Jacobovits with reference to the incident in the Varnita port.

We would like to remind that on 21 April the Transnistrian militia took by force the control over the river port Varnita, which is under the jurisdiction of Chisinau, on the pretext that in Varnita there is only one port — the branch of the River Port Bender, which is under Transnistrian jurisdiction. On 12 May the court of justice of Anenii Noi district confirmed the property rights of the Mayoralty of the village Varnita over the river port Varnita and instructed Varnita officials to demand the Transnistrians to leave the port.

Within the same interview, Ambassador Jacobovits called for “maximum international support” for the new customs regime at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border. “The new customs regime is a small step towards an eventual reunification of Moldova,” and the Ukrainian President Victor Yushcenko is “ one hundred percent” behind it, said Jacobovits.

Ambassador Jacobovits described Transnistria as “an authoritarian, if not a police state” with camouflaged tanks on the border, no free press and statues of Lenin in the streets. “It strikes you, that you are back in the Soviet Union. Really, the place is very isolated.”

April 12–28, 2006 May 16–30, 2006