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Transnistrian Conflict on September 16–30, 2007

Sitting of EUBAM Advisory Board

Odessa hosted the 7th Meeting of the Advisory Board of the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) to Moldova and Ukraine on September 26. According to a report on activities presented by EUBAM head, General Ferenc Banfi, the Mission continued in June-August 2007 to observe the implementation of the Joint Declaration of Moldovan and Ukrainian prime ministers, as well as of Moldovan regulations on foreign trade activities by Transnistria-based economic agents. Also, assistance aimed at strengthening capacities of customs and border guard bodies of the two states, improving trans-border cooperation and collaboration between agencies by providing them with technical support has continued. At the same time, EUBAM officers continued to record cases of human trafficking, illegal migration, trafficking in drugs and foodstuffs, particularly along the Transnistrian section of the border. They also detected many forged Moldovan certificates of origin, with an estimated loss of revenue worth 2 million Euros to the Ukrainian state budget. According to General Banfi, the illicit and smuggling activities at the border cannot be completely annihilated, but it is important to maintain the progress achieved and ensure border security.

Moldovan Deputy Interior Minister Sergiu Golovaci has appreciated the results of EUBAM, as the smuggling at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border is not massive at present and shipments are smaller.

At the same time, the EU special representative to Moldova, Kalman Mizsei, said that the EU is satisfied with EUBAM activity, which it sees as a tangible contribution to ensuring the transparency at the border and to settling the Transnistrian problem.

It is worth to note that the EUBAM monitoring and advice have helped establish a mechanism whereby Transnistrian economic agents are able to access the EU preferential trade regime, thus stimulating legal foreign trade in compliance with Moldova’s international trade commitments. According to a communique by the Ministry of Reintegration, the State Registration Chamber of Moldova has registered 86 Transnistrian economic agents temporarily and another 21 agents permanently from January to August 2007. Thus, 355 Transnistria-based economic agents have been registered in Chisinau on a permanent or temporary basis to date.

Novel Transnistria settlement project

Former presidential advisor Sergiu Mocanu has recently presented a novel approach of the Transnistrian problem on behalf of the Initiative Group “Actiunea Populara” (People’s Action). Titled “In European Union with the Territory We Control”, the initiative calls for the set-up of a border “with all necessary attributions” across the Nistru River. Assuming that “the European integration of Moldova, not the reintegration of the country is the No.1 priority,” authors of this initiative assure that such a measure would “decouple the Transnistrian problem from Moldova’s European integration process” rather than “decouple Transnistria from the Republic of Moldova.” According to the authors, such a radical change in the method of management of the Transnistrian crisis is the only way to help Moldova “catch the last Balkan train into the European Union.”

Being a first public action of a new political entity, one may assume that the sensational nature of this initiative was deliberate. It is clear that the proposals lack any ground whatsoever, as well as practical feasibility, not in the least because a border across Nistru would not result in the territorial integrity of Moldova and the EU would never accept a state with territorial problems. However, the flawed nature of the said proposals left aside, they could play the useful role of launching public debates on medium and long-term national priorities, costs of an eventual territorial reintegration and the degree to which population from the right bank of the Nistru is ready to accept them.

Transnistrian authorities abrogate a number of political taxes

The Tiraspol legislature has decided to abrogate the so-called emigration tax paid by Moldovan and foreign citizens to regional migration services while crossing into Transnistria. The tax of about 8 lei (approximately 66 cents) was introduced five years ago with the apparent purpose of financing the Transnistrian migration services. Although many Transnistrian legislators have called for the maintenance of this tax as a compensation for the so-called economic damages produced by Chisinau to Transnistria, in the end the tax was annulled because it affected the image of the separatist region and made the crossing into the region excessively cumbersome.

During the period covered here, Tiraspol leader Igor Smirnov has annulled the 100% customs tax for certain Moldovan products, giving green light to an earlier request by Transnistrian legislators. Tiraspol lawmakers questioned the economic rationale of this tax, which they plan to annul completely at the beginning of next year. Smirnov decreed the 100% “special customs tax” on all Moldovan goods in April 2006 in retaliation to the so-called economic blockade introduced by Chisinau against the breakaway region.

September 1–15, 2007 October 1–15, 2007