Moldova asks EU and USA to cancel visa blacklist for Transdniestrians

Can they find common ground? Moldova's Voronin (left) and Transdniestria's Smirnov, after their April 11 meeting in Bender

BENDER (Tiraspol Times) - During Friday's meeting of Moldova's President Vladimir Voronin and Transdniestria's President Igor Smirnov in Bender, agreement was reached on a coordinated position to urgently convene joint task forces to consolidate measures of trust between Chisinau and Tiraspol. As a first step towards reconciliation, Moldova wants the European Union and the USA to scrap its blacklist of Transdniestrians who are prohibited from leaving the area and visiting the West.

According to Moldova's state-run Moldpres, Vladimir Voronin said that the constructive atmosphere in the Transdniestrian settlement allows Moldova to ask the European Union and the USA to cancel the visa restrictions imposed on Transdniestrian government leaders.

Behind closed doors, the European Union adopted in February 2004 the so-called common position 2004/179/CFSP imposing restrictive measures against Transdniestria, banning the entry into or transit through EU territory of those members of the leadership which it claimed were "responsible for preventing progress in arriving at a political settlement of the conflict in Transnistria."

Travel restrictions remain in place against 17 members of the leadership in Transdniestria in this respect. Earlier this year, the visa ban was lifted for the Speaker of Transdniestria's Parliament, opposition leader Yevgeny Shevchuk, but not for any other political figures.

Direct meetings to continue

Vladimir Voronin and Igor Smirnov agreed on continuing their face to face meetings, so as to gradually settle a number of problems which have accumulated between Chisinau and Tiraspol as a result of tense relations which Smirnov believes are caused by Moldova's failure to recognize Transdniestria's right to self-determination.

The 11 April 2008 meeting between Presidents Voronin and Smirnov was the first high-level event in nearly seven years. During a direct telephone conversation, the two leaders agreed on it a mere four days earlier. At a lower level, Transdniestrian/Moldovan status settlement negotiations were suspended unilaterally by Moldova when its delegation abruptly walked out from the last joint meeting on 28 February 2006, to the surprise of the the OSCE's representatives who were present.

Coming from different sides of the Dniester coast and from different backgrounds it is doubtful whether Vladimir Voronin and Igor Smirnov will be able to agree to a long term deal that can satisfy both of their constituencies.

Voronin, a former Soviet general and leader of his country's Communist party, reached the Presidency of Moldova by being appointed to the post by Parliament. There are no direct Presidential elections in Moldova.

In contrast, Smirnov, a former factory worker, reached the Presidency of Transdniestria through direct democratic elections. When he first ran for political office, during the fall of the Soviet Union, he beat his main opponent - a Communist Party candidate - with a resounding 2-to-1 victory. In subsequent elections, Igor Smirnov has always gone up against Communist candidates. Under Stalin, the young Igor Smirnov's father was jailed for crimes against the state. (With information from Moldpres)

See also:
» Presidents of Moldova, Transdniestria meet for talks in Transdniestria
» Free trade: Transdniestria cancels import duties on Moldovan goods
» Transdniestria tries open border initiative for Moldovans