Annual congress of PMR Young Republicans boots its boss

The Republican Party was founded to strengthen the unrecognized country's statehood. Shown: Pridnestrovie's red and green flag

TIRASPOL (Tiraspol) - In Tiraspol Saturday, the youth wing of the Republican Party (Respublika) changed gears: Supporters of president Igor Smirnov make up the country's third largest political youth group, and they are not happy about it. Now they want to be number one.

In a general shakeup of the party structure, delegates from throughout the length of Pridnestrovie decided to boot their chairman Anatoli Arnaut from the top post for what the congress called a "lack of initiative." Arnaut was seen as not being pro-active enough, having allowed the youth group to slip to third place despite the first-place finish of their candidate, Igor Smirnov, in last December's presidential elections.

The PMR Young Republicans make up country's third largest political youth group, following Breakthrough (Proriv) and the youth arm of the opposition Renewal Party (Obnovleniye).

It is also the least active. Breakthrough, which models its tactics "color revolutionaries" like Otpor and Kmara, is #1 in activity and membership, with not a week going by that its members are not in the streets with their yellow flags and Che Guevara logos.

Axed: Anatoli Arnaut was demoted as head of the young PMR Republicans

The youth arm of the Renewal party is Pridnestrovie's second largest, although the party is currently the country's largest party in terms of representation in both parliament and local city councils. Renewal's youth organization has been active in organizing the Youth Parliament of Pridnestrovie, a "model parliament" (similar to a "Model UN") for young would-be legislators.

Taking third place in the stakes are the Young Republicans, with little street presence and no flagship project like the youth parliament. Although their man, Igor Smirnov, finished first in the presidential elections of 2006, analyst note that neither Renewal nor Breakthrough fielded candidates of their own. Besting the hapless Communists was an easy thing to do, especially for the pro-independence Smirnov - a former political prisoner who enjoys a large amount of genuine support and popularity among voters.

15,000 members support the pro-independence President

The congress was attended by a total of nearly 200 delegates and invited guests. Opening the session, Konstantin Kucherenko gave a report on the work of the past year.

" - The small number of youth delegates is a sign that Respublika has no traction with the young people of the republic," says Marius Culiuc, an activist from a competing youth organization.
" - Their party is doing OK country-wide, and among the general population. But not with the younger crowd."

Respublika was founded on 27 November 2004 as a political organization aimed primarily at protecting the statehood of Pridnestrovie, which many locals - regardless of political persuasion - feel is endangered by the lack of international diplomatic recognition. Pridnestrovie, which is also often called Trans-Dniester or Transnistria, declared independence in 1990 and has existed for the past 17 years as a 'de facto' independent country.

According to Kucherenko, in the past year the youth wing of Respublika participated in international conferences as well as meetings organized at Tiraspol's university campus by college republicans. The organization also played a role in campaigned for independence in the 17 September 2006 PMR independence referendum, which rejected unification with neighboring Moldova by a 97% majority. Later that year, in December 2006, Respublika supported the candidacy of current president Igor Smirnov for re-election.

Konstantin Kucherenko noted that Respublika currently has 15,000 registered members and 47 branches in an equal number of towns and cities throughout the length of the Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublica. The youth arm is divided into seven organizations: Tiraspol, Bender, Dubossary, Slobodzya, Rybnitsa, Kamenka and Grigoriopol. The branch in Dnestrovsk, on Pridnestrovie's Lake Kuchurgan, is part of the main Tiraspol organization.

Dismissing former chairman Anatoli Arnaut, Konstantin Kucherenko was elected new national head of the organization. Nikolai Smolensky chosen as vice president and Olga Kunichenko as Deputy Leader of the council for youth work.

Of the main youth groups, the young Republicans are the only ones who are formally part of the coalition backing PMR President Igor Smirnov. Renewal is in opposition. With regards to the Breakthrough movement, they supported Smirnov's re-election last year but has not taken a position this year. Although invited to join an informal "unity coaliation", Breakthrough has so far declined.

See also:
» More new parties in Pridnestrovie as youth group joins the fray