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Serafim Urechean, Moldovan MP and former mayor of Chisinau: "While both Smirnov and Voronin are in power, nothing will change."

CHISINAU (Tiraspol Times) - A political debate among political parties in Moldova has divided the country's politicians on the issue of Pridnestrovie's right to self-determination and independent statehood.

The new and emerging country, which is better known as Transdniester or Transnistria, declared independence in 1990. Its independence was never recognized by Moldova, which pursues a 17 year old territorial claim on the small country, twice the size of Luxembourg, and considers it part of Moldova due to its incorporate in 1940 inside the Moldavian SSR (MSSR, until 1991 a part of the Soviet Union).

" - I call on the President of Moldova, Vladimir Voronin, and on parliament and the government of Moldova, to immediately recognize the independence of a de facto second Moldovan State, the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, and thus resolve the Transnistrian issue once and for all, and then seek good neighborly relations in all spheres of life: economic, political, social, and building capacity for a future Moldovan confederation," said the leader of the Patria Moldova party, Andrei Tarna.

According to him, the only way viable solution which has been presented to date for solving the Moldovan-Transnistrian conflict is the recognition by Moldova of the independence of Pridnestrovie; known in Moldova by its Romanian name, Transnistria.

" - Moldova must do so in the first place. This is the first step. Then, when normal relations are restored, it can be possible to talk about a federal state on a mutually agreeable basis," says the leader of Patria Moldova.

Hardliners unwilling to compromise

Tarna's proposal was received in Chisinau with mixed reviews. Oazu Nantoi, a hardline anti-independence hawk turned spin doctor, dismissed it outright, as did members of Moldova's ruling Communist Party. Others, such as the former mayor of Chisinau, were willing to consider some aspects of the plan, but only pending the outcome of negotiations between the two sides.

" - The plan, in my opinion, is premature. For seven years, the two sides have not really sat down together at the negotiating table in a serious way. And I think what is most important today, and that is where it must begin, for the process of status settlement, is the resumption of negotiations," Moldovan MP Serafim Urechean was quoted as telling news agency Regnum earlier this week.

Member of Moldova's Parliament Serafim Urechean, the former mayor of Chisinau, is the leader of the Party Alliance Our Moldova (Partidul Alianţă Moldova Noastră), a liberal political party in Moldova. He sees some positive aspects in Tarna's proposal, but thinks it should be handled during face-to-face negotiations between both sides to the conflict.

" - All of the plans for Transnistrian settlement which have been proposed to date have some positive sides. But, the fact is that any plan proposed by anyone from outside the government would not be acceptable at this stage. The Voronin Administration has, for the past seven years, undermined any possibility of a negotiated settlement and of any compromise solutions. But I think that any solution must come about as a result of negotiations. So first, hold talks and then determine the settlement plan that is agreeable to both sides. Because any plans which are proposed in advance of actual negotiations would be unacceptable to either side."

" - Observer countries to the Transnistrian settlement negotiation process should ensure that the parties, Moldova and Transnistria, come together at the negotiating table," says Urechean. "But in my opinion, Vladimir Voronin never really wanted a settlement. Immediately, ever since he came to power in 2001, he transformed the conflict into his own personal rivalry with Igor Smirnov. While both Smirnov and Voronin are in power, nothing will change."

Supporters of Urechean see him as a politician who can break the deadlock and see the Alliance as a social-liberal hope for a new democratic Moldova. Its party symbol depicts a sunrise with the phrase "Moldova Noastră" at the bottom. It was established as a party in 2003 as the merger of the Social-Democratic Alliance of Moldova, the Liberal Party, the Independents' Alliance of Moldova and the Democratic Peoples' Party of Moldova, a party established in 1997 as opposition to the Communists.

Moldovans on the left bank support independence

With few exceptions, the overwhelming majority of ethnic Moldovans who reside on the left bank - in Pridnestrovie - support the country's independence and want to see it become recognized internationally.

" - I like the approach of Patria Moldova for conflict resolution," says the head of the Transnistrian Union of Moldovans, Valerianus Tulgar, an ethnic Moldavian born in what is today the territory of Pridnestrovie.

" - The idea is very good. All right, first Moldavia should recognize Transnistria, and then you can take the talks to new grounds," he told news agency Regnum on 17 April. "In fact, I myself proposed a similar idea as early as 2004 on behalf of the Union of Moldovans in Transnistria," said community leader Tulgar. "Even back then I said that first, Moldova should recognize Transnistria as a sovereign and independent state, and only then would it be possible to build good neighborly relations. But, with this I am not talking about a confederation. I believe that we need to find a number of areas to agree on in the economic field and related to customs, on the free movement of persons across the border of Moldova and Transnistria, just like Russia and Ukraine did before Leonid Kuchma left the presidency. But first, it all starts with Moldova recognizing Transnistria."

" - If we look at the feasibility of the plan, I would point out that Andrei Tarna is only presenting this plan on behalf of a minority political party. If such a plan was sponsored by the legislature or by the executive branch of Moldova then, it would be taken more seriously. Or, if the plan would be signed by a majority of the other political parties in Moldova, then it could also be seen as having a real future," says the leader of the Union of Moldovans in Transnistria. "But right now, in Moldova, the Communist Party is in power. And while they hold all the key levers of government, the plan will just remain a plan."

See also:
» Andrei Tarna: "As a Moldovan, I want Moldova to respect Transnistria's wish for independence" [1]
» "Patria Moldova" joins other ethnic Moldovans in support of PMR independence [2]
» Less than 10% seek to be citizens of Moldova [3]
» Ethnic Moldovans in Pridnestrovie prefer independence over unification with Moldova [4]