Monitoring→Politics→Transnistrian Conflict

Interview with the EU special representative for Moldova published by INFOTAG Agency

On December 16, the EU special representative to the Republic of Moldova, Kalman Mizsei, was interviewed by the news agency INFOTAG. Speaking about the Transnistrian problem, Kalman Mizsei, stated:

• It is important to make Russia and Transnistria accept a new status of the EU and the USA in the negotiation process to be resumed in the “5+2” format;
• Russia’s agreement to make the EU negotiator would be assessed appropriately and would be received very positively by Brussels. In particular, President Medvedev clearly told the Deauville meeting that the formal (official) negotiations in the “5+2” format would restart after the early elections in the Republic of Moldova. The EU develops a diversified strategic partnership with Russia and such a step would have a positive effect on general evolution;
• Transnistria would also enjoy a strong and credible supporter of the rule of, as Tiraspol complains permanently that it is not confident in execution of commitments assumed by the Republic of Moldova. The EU would help remedying suspicions in this respect;
• Empowering the EU as a full-right mediator would be positive for Russia, as well as for Transnistria, as the EU is the strongest neighbour of the Republic of Moldova and the current situation is completely different than in 1992, when EU borders were far;
• The current situation should be also regarded in the light of the single neighbour, which is not represented directly in the conflict resolution process. Romania is a neighbour which develops tight relations with the Republic of Moldova but does not participate directly in negotiations and joins the EU policy in this respect.

Journalist Ernest Vardanian sentenced to 15-year jail term

Moldovan journalist Ernest Vardanian, a resident of Transnistria, was sentenced to a 15-year jail term on December 16. Vardanian was arrested by the security forces (MGB) of the Tiraspol regime on April 7, 2010 and tried under Article 271 of Criminal Code of Transnistria (treason — espionage for the Republic of Moldova) by the supreme law court of the self-proclaimed republic, and will be held in a maximum-security prison. The trial vs. Ernest Vardanean took place behind closed doors and the unconstitutional supreme law court of the self-recognised republic has seemingly sentenced him under a self-denunciation, saying that Vardanian “has recognised all his guilt during the trial,” after last May the MGB released video records on a local TV channel featuring Vardanian saying that yet in 2001, when he joined the State University in Chisinau as student, he was taken in the toils of the Information and Security Service (SIS) of Moldova Since then, Vardanian, who did not run any official office in Transnistria, being just a journalist, allegedly collected information about Transnistria and reported it to the SIS. It is noteworthy that the first deputy security minister of Transnistria Ghenadi Rossihin, confirmed that Vardanian was sentenced to a 15-year jail term and will be held in a maximum-security prison for having gathered information from open sources, analysed reported it to Moldova. According to Rossihin, the analytical work made on basis of open information and reported to enemies is a crime. In this context, the department head of the Transnistrian MGB, Vladimir Bordorean, said that Vardanian was sentenced for cooperation with SIS, collection of information in the detriment of Transnistria, and those who provided him with information involuntarily or for other reasons will be discovered. That means the Transnistrian law forces did not make their decision under concrete evidence. However, on December 17, Vardanian asked Igor Smirnov to assail him, pleading guilty on all charges.

Vardanian’s case mobilised the Moldovan authorities and international institutions to react. The deputy premier for reintegration of the Republic of Moldova, Victor Osipov, convoked a special sitting on the issue, with participation of representatives from the Presidency, Joint Control Commission, Justice Ministry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Interior Ministry, Prosecutor-General’s Office, Information and Security Service, and stated that “the actions of Tiraspol authorities undermine the confidence-building measures between the two banks of the Nistru.” According to Osipov, Moldovan authorities will do their best to release Vardanian.

In this context, the Moldovan Government described the 15-year jail verdict against Ernest Vardanian as “illegitimate, unfounded and one violating fundamental human rights and appeals from public opinion and international community.” Official letters in this respect were addressed to diplomats representing Russia, Ukraine, USA, European Union and OSCE, as well as to Kazakhstan, chair of this organisation in 2010. A similar message was sent to the Special Representative of the Council of Europe secretary-general, a forum playing a primordial role in protecting human rights on European continent.

In consequence, on December 23 the Council of Europe raised concern about this case. The deputy secretary-general of the Council of Europe, Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, said that Vardanian was sentenced while the Council of Europe was doing its best to protect human rights and rule of law in the region. The EU Special Representative Kalman Mizsei has also underlined the special importance of respect for human rights in general and freedom of expression in particular, as well as fundamental rights of detainees, stressing that Vardanian was violated the right to legal advising, the right to be present or be represented by a person he could chose at hearings during preventive arrest, as well as during legal proceedings, as well as the right to contact his family with regularity. The EU special representative noted that holding individuals for being undesired by authorities violates human rights. As well, Mizsei promised that the best will be done to release Vardanian.

OSCE Mission keeps inviting Chisinau and Tiraspol to cooperate

The head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, Mr. Philip Remler met Transnistrian leader Igor Smirnov on December 17 to invite law forces from Transnistria and Moldova to cooperate. As well, Mr. Remler called for the immediate restart of the “5+2” talks. Smirnov stressed that Transnistria gave up negotiations because the problem related to guarantees that previous agreements would be respected was not settled so far. In particular, he noted that the railway transportation issue was not formally confirmed, as the Moldovan Government decision was not published, despite previous promises. In these circumstances, the work of expert teams is irrelevant, as long as the other side does not keep its promises. Smirnov underlined that the conduct of Moldovan authorities “hits the international authority of the OSCE, since Moldova as member of this organisation does not think that it should respect its commitments.” The meeting also focussed on take-over of the OSCE Chairmanship in 2011 by Lithuania, which is expected to pay special attention to the resumption of the formal “5+2” talks. In this respect, the new OSCE chairman-in-office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis is set to visit Chisinau and Tiraspol in February 2011 with the purpose to collect facts about situation and problems relating to the Transnistrian settlement.

Transnistrian economy in 2010 and correlation with demographic condition

According to statistics provided by Moldovan authorities to the news agency INFOTAG, Transnistria-based economic agents exported commodities worth about 354 million dollars in January-November 2010, which is by approximately 2/3 less than in the similar period of 2008. In comparison with 2009, there volume of Transnistrian export increased by 3.5 percent. The export suddenly declined because the Ribnita-based Metallurgical Plant did not function for a long time, and this giant usually covered more than half of the Transnistrian export and one third of GDP. So far, the metallurgical production holds and essential share in Transnistrian export, covering more than 1/3. The light industry ranks the 2^nd place in Transnistrian export, with about 127 million dollars, increasing by about 30 percent. The engineering industry ranks the 3^rd place with about 35 million dollars and increased by 87 percent. Electricity supplies rank the place with about 15 million dollars and decreased by 60 percent compared with 2009. Following is the geography of the Transnistrian export: 46 percent of exports go to the European Union and 34 percent to the CIS. According to the Customs Service of the Republic of Moldova, imports from the Transnistrian region via Moldovan accounted for 104 million dollars, by about 36 percent more than in 2009. 2/3 of imports via Moldovan customs stations come from the EU. As many as 638 Transnistria-based economic agents enjoying the special trade regime with the EU are now registered in the Republic of Moldova. Heart diseases killed 2,189 persons (up by 2 percent), the cancer killed 1,095 people (up by 1.4 percent), cerebral-vascular strokes killed 1,005 persons (up by 2.6 percent), etc. The number of crimes which killed people increased by 2/3 in 2010, compared with 2009. Infantile death rate rose by about 20 percent. The registry recorded 3,722 marriages before early December (up by 5 percent) and 1,900 divorces (up by 1 percent).

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