Transnistria's parliament nixes common state with Moldova

The parliament building in Tiraspol, Pridnestrovie's capital: No more talk of a common state with Moldova (file photo)

TIRASPOL (Tiraspol Times) - It's over: On the last day of January, parliament decided to revoke a set of earlier decrees aimed at exploring the possibility of forming a common state with the Republic of Moldova.

Parliamentarians passed the resolution of the Parliament of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic - also known as Transnistria - called “On annulment of some instruments enacted by the Parliament of PMR”, cancelling a number of older decrees about the possible creation of a confederation with Moldova.

Pridnestrovie, a de facto independent country, has a multi-party system and a unicameral parliament named the Supreme Council, consisting of 43 members elected by proportional representation by popular vote. In the latest parliamentary election in December 2005, the opposition party "Renewal" won an overall majority and its leader Yevgeny Shevchuk became Speaker of parliament.

In Wednesday's session of the legislature, the first bill to get axed was a 1993 document called “On formation of the Moldavian Confederation” which envisioned a future joint state between two sides. The document had been approved on January 6, 1993, just six month after Moldovan invaders were routed in the 1992 Dniester war and a buffer zone was created between the two sides.

Another document now annulled is the resolution called “On some principles of drafting and approving the Constitution of the Federation to be formed by the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and the Republic of Moldova under treaty” approved in April, 1993.

In addition, PMR representatives for a joint Pridnestrovie/Moldova Commission for drafting a common "Constitution of the Federation" had been appointed. The Commission had done some valuable work from 2003 to 2005, but is no longer active.

The work stopped after the Moldovan government in a surprise move passed its own "Law on Basic Provisions of the Special Legal Status of Localities from the Left Bank of the Dniester" on July 22, 2005, which unilaterally relegated Pridnestrovie's status to a a vague 'autonomous territorial unit' bereft of any confederate status within the Republic of Moldova. The law was passed without any prior consultation with Pridnestrovie, whose government felt that it was a provocation and a breach of earlier bilateral commitments which Moldova had entered into in order to respect the self-government of Pridnestrovie within a confederation.

Moldova status settlement talks to define peaceful co-existence

Future status settlement talks between the two sides will be aimed at defining a set of confidence building measures that can guarantee a peaceful co-existence and increase cooperation on solving mutual problems.

The decision to not seek common statehood with Moldova is a result of the will of the voters, explains sources in parliament. "But at the same time, voters also understand that we have many interests in common with Moldova and it is important that we learn to sit down and work out our differences, so that we can work together on sharing a prosperous future as good neighbors."

" - It doesn’t mean that we'll not negotiate," said opposition-leader Yevgeny Shevchuk, 38, the current Speaker of Parliament.
" - We are merely updating our legislation to bring it in conformity with PMR's Constitution and our its provisions. The talks may be resumed for there are still problems on the border with Ukraine and in our relations with Moldova. But it must be a dialogue in the format complying with the Pridnestrovian legislation that is in accordance with our foreign policy objectives."

Chief among those foreign policy objectives is this statement:

"Pridnestrovie's status is that of a separate independent state as per 2 September 1990. Today the Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublica conducts foreign policy from the premise of a sovereign, independent, democratic, legal, and secular state. Pridnestrovie seeks to become a full subject of international law and to establish its relations with other subjects of the international system on the basis of equal rights, cooperation, mutual respect, and partnerships."

In a nationwide referendum held 17 September 2006, voters overwhelmingly reaffirmed their wish for independence. In addition, 94% rejected a common state with the Republic of Moldova. If Pridnestrovie and Moldova will ever be joined in a future common state, this will then only be because the voters want that, and not because of any other reason, states Speaker of Parliament Yevgeny Shevchuk:
" - The document stipulates that any changes to the republic’s status may be considered and approved only if an appropriate plebiscite, i.e. a referendum, is held."

Economic warfare provoking worse relations

In March 2006, Moldova and Ukraine jointly introduced a new regime restricting exports and imports to and from Pridnestrovie across the Moldo-Ukrainian border. Under the new rules, all cargo had to be accompanied by customs and other trade documentation issued exclusively in Pridnestrovie's neighboring country, the internationally recognized Republic of Moldova. In Pridnestrovie, the vast majority of the population perceived that as an economic blockade, designed to starve the small and unrecognized country into submission. The Pridnestrovian government made it clear that it would not be blackmailed into negotiating with a gun to its head, and announced that it would only return to the negotiating table after the trade blockade had been lifted.

In subsequent months, mediators attempted to kickstart status settlement talks. Pridnestrovie, however, made it clear that its economic survival was at stake and that it would only negotiate if Moldova would respect the conditions of a 1997 agreement signed between the two sides which allowed for Pridnestrovie to engage in foreign trade independently of Moldova, the main other party to the dispute.

Moldova refused to budge, "acting under dubious advice from outsiders who miscalculated the resolve of Transdniestria to stand its ground," as a Western European observer puts it. After nearly a year of deepening economic warfare, stalled negotiations, and an inflexible position from Moldova, "the writing is on the wall," says the observer. The outcome was seen on Wednesday in Tiraspol when Parliament ruled out for good any future talks of a common state with Moldova. With Parliament's legally binding decision, a joint state with Moldova is no longer a possibility. End of story.

See also:
» Is a shared state with Moldova still possible?
» Foreign policy objectives urge other countries to recognize Pridnestrovie's nation building efforts

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» Voters support independence by wide margin