Opposition supports full independence

Supporters of opposition party Renewal showed up in force at a joint political rally in Tiraspol, Thursday

TIRASPOL (Tiraspol Times) - Renewal, a reformist opposition party in Pridnestrovie, swept to power in two elections in 2005, gathering the majority of the votes in both events. The party, the largest party opposed to the government of President Igor Smirnov, is today in control of Pridnestrovie's parliament and its leader, Yevgeny Shevchuk, is chairman and speaker of parliament.

In a statement issued by the party's action committee, and sent to local news outlets, Renewal (in Russian, Obnovlenye) calls on all parties to unite behind the strongest-held wish of the residents of Pridnestrovie: Independence.

"On the eve of event most important for entire Pridnestrovie - its national referendum - the Republican Party "Renewal" issues a call to all social and political unions and party organizations to combine their efforts in order to urge its supporters to vote in the referendum and to vote for the independence of Pridnestrovie," says the statement, noting that the future development of the country is the most basic question facing all citizens today.

Responding to foreign statements that the referendum will not be recognized by authorities in Chisinau, Moldova, and that voters should therefore not bother to show up at the polls, the party instead defends democracy and urges everyone to let their voice be heard: "We hope that all social and political and patriotic forces of the republic will join together and direct all possible efforts for guaranteeing the high presence of citizens to the referendum, showing the will of our multiethnic population."

Disagreement on local issues, not on foreign policy

The statement noted that "the future of Pridnestrovie and the independence of our republic today depends on joining our forces and showing political maturity," indirectly acknowledging a call from the government - led by Igor Smirnov - which has urged opposition parties to put political differences aside and unite behind the common goal of independence.

Renewal and several other opposition groupings have serious differences with president Smirnov and the PMR government on domestic policy issues. Last year, Yevgeny Shevchuk and other opposition members of parliament led a reform drive aimed at stripping Smirnov of many of his powers. Other reform initiatives promoted by the opposition have resulted in changes to the election laws and the creation of an independent human rights Ombudsman in the country.

Mikhael Burla, an opposition MP, explains that there are no disagreements among any of the political parties about Pridnestrovie's continued independence, which all of them (and almost all of their voters) firmly support.

" - The political battle disappears when it comes to foreign policy," says Renewal’s Burla. "In foreign policy, we must follow the will of the voters. And the vast majority, regardless of political stripes, are strongly in favor of independence. Even the ethnic Moldovans who live in PMR have no wish to see our small country be united with Moldova in any way, shape or form."

Pridnestrovie, also known as Transnistria, is located between Moldova and Ukraine. Unlike Moldova, which was part of Romania until 1940 and where most residents speak Romanian, a majority of Pridnestrovie's population is Russian-speaking and historically, it has never been part of an independent Moldova at any time in the past.