Foreign sociologists praise Transdniester language policy

All three main ethnic groups in Pridnestrovie participate equally in political and cultural life, foreign experts highlighted

TIRASPOL (Tiraspol Times) - During a meeting with Pridnestrovie's Parliament on Tuesday, sociologists from Russia and Ukraine praised the language policy of Pridnestrovie (Transdniester). The unrecognized country has three official languages: Moldovan, Russian and Ukrainian.

The visiting foreign experts in sociology are part of the Eurasian monitor project, which was launched in October, 2004. Since last year, they have been working with sociologists in Pridnestrovie to research the situation of minority languages in the de facto independent republic, which lies between Ukraine and Moldova.

" - Pridnestrovie initially was not chosen to participate in this research, but local experts in sociology applied our methods and conducted an independent research, it came as a surprise," said Igor Zadorin, head of the international Eurasian monitor group. "Now we have an opportunity to compare the results of the research on the situation with the Russian language not only in recognized states."

Pridnestrovie seen as "a good example"

In Parliament, the representatives of the Eurasian monitor project met with members of the PMR Parliamentary Commission for foreign policy and international contacts.

During their meeting with Pridnestrovie's legislators, the experts explained that key tasks of the Eurasian monitor include the monitoring of social and economic moods of people living on the post-Soviet territory, attitudes of voters towards main government institutes, as well as views on social and political events.

However, extensive recent research has been carried out on language policies in the now-independent republics on the territory of the former Soviet Union. It is this project in which Pridnestrovie’s experts took part.

The representatives of the Eurasian monitor think that many post-Soviet states could follow Pridnestrovie’s example, the press service of Pridnestrovie's Parliament reported.

" - The solution to the language problem that Pridnestrovie demonstrates is an optimal solution for our region (South-East Ukraine) as well, it’s a good example," said one of the project participants, Director of the Center for South Ukrainian border zone studies Vladimir Korobov.

" - Pridnestrovie’s legislation gives a chance to all language communities to make progress enjoying equal rights. Pridnestrovie’s experience is of great interest and a solution to a language problem in the context of creating equal legislative, legal and other conditions for the progress of languages," added Korobov.

The group of researchers plan on also including Pridnestrovie in a new project which will be launched by the Eurasian monitor in April 2008. (With information from the PMR Parliamentary press service)

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