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Transnistrian Conflict on November 1–15, 2009

Thawing the negotiation process — impossible goal in the last three years and half

On November 6, 2009 Vienna hosted a “5+2” meeting on the Transnistrian settlement. According to the INFOTAG Agency, Deputy Minister of Reintegration Victor Osipov and his co-worker Ion Stavila represented the Moldovan delegation; Tiraspol foreign minister Vladimir Yastrebcheak represented Transnistria; the special envoy from the Russian Foreign Ministry, Valeri Nesterushkin, represented Russia; the permanent representative of the Ukrainian President in the Transnistrian settlement process, Yuri Kryzhanovsky, represented Ukraine; the high-ranking official of the U.S. Department of State, Dan Rastel, represented the United States; Special Representative Kalman Mizsei represented the European Union; the head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, Philip Remler, represented the OSCE. The purpose of the meeting was to try unblocking the negotiations and develop them in the “5+2” format.

According to Deputy Minister of Reintegration Victor Osipov, an eventual resumption of the negotiation process is preceded by a dialogue on “developing social cooperation with the parties in the area of infrastructure, environment, healthcare and trade.” Now the No.1 task of Chisinau “is to settle as well as possible the complexity of problems faced by population from the left side of the Dniester.” As well, Osipov promised that “Moldova will consider the Moscow-backed Tiraspol’s initiative to hold permanent meetings between representatives of Moldova and Transnistria in the 1+1 format.”

However, Transnistria’s representative Vladimir Yastrebcheak stressed in his turn that Chisinau’s expectations for a soon resumption of the negotiation process are groundless. He noted that the resumption of negotiations should be tackled:

Even more, Tiraspol will keep seeking the signing of a friendship and cooperation agreement by the Republic of Moldova like between two sovereign and independent states.

Constitutional conflict in Transnistria

After the Supreme Soviet of Transnistria held debates on November 18, 2009 and plans to organize on January 24, 2010 the draft constitution worked out by Igor Smirnov’s administration were turned down, the presidential press service released a statement saying the following:

Therefore, the statement concerned hints that should the Soviet Supreme turn down the draft of the Smirnov administration; the latter will start collecting the 15,000 signatures needed to organize a referendum. In this context, it is worth noting that immediately after the debates held by the Supreme Soviet on November 18 to make a conciliation commission with the purpose to finalize the draft constitution, Smirnov accused the parliamentary majority of the “Obnovlenie” Party of “usurping the legislative power” in the Transnistrian region. In reply, one of the “founding parents” of the separatist Tiraspol regime, Grigorii Maracutsa, former chairman of the Supreme Soviet and loyal partner of Igor Smirnov, accused Smirnov of “usurpation of power” (both of them are right in terms of Constitution of the Republic of Moldova). Smirnov argued his viewpoint, invoking the danger against Transnistrian statehood after “the decision-making process was monopolized by legislature, which is accessible to any party (i.e. «Obnovlenie» funded by «friends of the republic»).” For these reasons, a bicameral legislature alone, like foreseen by the draft presidential constitution, would be capable to reduce the danger of “dictatorship of the legislative power” nothing like “installing a dictatorship of Smirnov.” In addition, Smirnov made some revelations related to external funding to Transnistrian political forces (the way Vladimir Voronin has done in connection with the April 7 events in the Republic of Moldova), saying that more than two million Euros have been allegedly allocated by other countries including the Republic of Moldova to strengthen Transnistrian parties. As well, Smirnov denied allegations that Russia’s direct financial support to the Transnistrian Pension Fund would be due to the “collaboration” between “Obnovlenie” Party of former speaker Evgeni Shevchiuk and Russia’s ruling party “Yedinnaya Rossia”.

Russia’s financial support to Transnistria

The Russian Federation released a new tranche worth 2.3 million dollars to Transnistria in early November to complete the Pension Fund. Russia’s support completes the medium pension in the Transnistrian region with approximately 15 dollars. This support was negotiated by the Supreme Soviet of Transnistria and is regarded as distrust with the Smirnov administration, which had earlier abused of the Russian financial assistance. According to statistics, approximately 1/3 of Transnistria’s population is made of retirees whose medium pension amounts to about 60 percent. Russia’s financial aid is cardinal for Transnistria’s survival, as the industrial production of the latter decreased by approximately 40 percent in 2009, compared with 2008, down to about 570 million dollars in January-October 2009. The metallurgical industry and building material manufacturing industry have declined the most — by more than 2/3; the food industry has dropped by about 1/5.

September 19 – October 18, 2009 November 16–30, 2009