Pridnestrovie celebrates 17 years as "de facto" independent country

On 2 September 2007, Pridnestrovie turned 17. Since 1990 the small country has been "de facto" independent

TIRASPOL (Tiraspol Times) - On 2 September 2007, the Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublica, or PMR, marked the 17th independence day in the republic's history. Throughout the length of the unrecognized country celebrations were held with free food, dancing in the streets, and the singing of the national anthem.

Celebrations kicked off in Tiraspol at 9:30 a.m. with a large public flag raising ceremony, raising the red and green flag of Pridnestrovie over the city while singing the national anthem of the republic.

This was followed by a military parade which started at 10:00 a.m. down Tiraspol's main street, passing the statue of A.V. Suvorov, who founded the city in 1792.

At 11:00 a.m., all throughout the small nation, local celebrations were scheduled with dancing in the streets and free food. Live folk music by local bands and circus acts were part of the planned attractions.

The day-long events end with fireworks at 9 p.m., followed by a live, open air rock concert in Tiraspol all night.

Living on its own

The republic - which is also known as Transdniestria, Transdniester and Transnistria - already functions as a fully independent country.

Since declaring independence on 2 September 1990, it has now been on its own for seventeen years. The country is not recognized internationally and does not appear on maps printed outside its borders. But its independence is nevertheless real, and so is the daily existence of its 550,000 citizens. Pridnestrovie functions as an independent country with its own flag, currency, stamps, car plates, passports, parliament and even a national anthem. Since 1990 and the fall of the Soviet Union, Pridnestrovie has ruled its own territory with its own laws and government.

The lack of diplomatic recognition is a problem for the new and emerging country as it seeks to get its voice heard in the world. Most in the international community either ignore the 550,000 people who have created their own country, or else cling to the what the Cato Institute's Leon Hadar calls "a diplomatic fiction." In the case of Pridnestrovie, the fiction is that it is still legally part of Moldova - a country which it has never been part of at any time in history, and with which it shares very little both culturally and politically.

Since the current Republic of Moldova was created in 1991, it has never once been able to exercise any sovereignty over Pridnestrovie. Within the defined and established borders of the Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublica, PMR's own authorities have what political scientists refer to as "a monopoly on violence" - the hallmark of any effective government.

" - So while Pridnestrovie may still suffer from being unrecognized, it is actually much more of a country in the practical sense than, say, Iraq," explains Michael Garner, an American commentator who has studied the issue and believes that it is only a matter of time before Pridnestrovie will find its proper place in the international community.

See also:
» Independence Day celebrations in cities throughout Transdniestria
» Is Pridnestrovie a state?
» Country profile: Pridnestrovie

On the web:
» Dates and facts: Chronological history of Pridnestrovie