Tiraspol Times & Weekly Review - people

Igor Smirnov: "There can be no common state with Moldova ... our people made that very clear"

Times staff — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:51:42 -0500

In a direct style with no diplomatic niceties, Igor Smirnov reveals that he broke out laughing when he read his Moldovan counterpart Vladimir Voronin's strategy for solving their territorial conflict. He calls Voronin's plan "wishful thinking" caused by early election campaigning. Pridnestrovie's President also says that future talks will focus on normalizing relations between Moldova and the PMR.

Youth group reminds Moldova of Transdniestria's "fully fledged statehood"

Karen Ryan — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:53:20 -0500

The leader of a civil society youth group in Transdniestria wants status settlement talks between Moldova and the unrecognized country to be restarted. But Moldova must understand that Transdniestria is now "a full-fledged state," says Alena Arshinova. The only thing that the country still lacks is international recognition.

Valerianus Tulgar: "Moldovans in Transnistria overwhelmingly back independent statehood"

Karen Ryan — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 19:55:13 -0600

The overwhelming majority of ethnic Moldovans who live in Pridnestrovie (Transnistria, in Romanian) support independence and statehood rather than absorption into Moldova. That is the conclusion of the leader of the country's largest civil society organization for Moldovans. Valerianus Tulgar is the president of the Union of Moldovans in Pridnestrovie.

Outgoing head of Moldova OSCE Mission “will return to private business”

Times staff — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 08:19:00 -0500

The head of OSCE's Moldova mission will "return to business" in the private sector after leaving the organization prematurely. Louis O'Neill is currently involved in a case of suspected art smuggling in Russia. He left the country before the case could go to trial.

Yevgeny Shevchuk: "We want to treat each other with respect"

Times staff — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 21:08:32 -0500

Unilateral actions usually cause aggression, says Parliamentary Speaker Yevgeny Shevchuk. In this interview, he urges Moldova to scrap a law on Pridnestrovie's future that was passed without any sort of consultation with Pridnestrovie. The young lawyer says that future relations should be based on mutual respect between the two sides.

Grigore Mărăcuţă: "Every nation has the right to choose its own path"

Mihaela Onofrei — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 07:02:18 -0500

Every nation has the right to choose its own path, says Grigore Mărăcuţă, a former Speaker of Parliament. Although he is an ethnic Moldova, Grigore Mărăcuţă is strongly in favor of independence and opposed to a single union-state with Moldova.

Transdniestria tries open border initiative for Moldovans

Jason Cooper — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 23:36:22 -0500

Residents of Moldova will be able to freely enter Transdniestria without paying entry fees. After four years of charging Moldovans a fee on the border, Transdniestria's parliament decided to abolish it and open the borders. The Interior Ministry wanted to keep the fee but was overruled by the country's legislature.

Igor Smirnov: "Moldova should keep its earlier agreements first"

Times staff — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 07:57:58 -0500

The President of Pridnestrovie is willing to sit down with Moldova and discuss future relations. "But we have nothing to talk about before Moldova begins to honor its own earlier signed agreements with us," he says. According to Igor Smirnov, a total of 148 previously signed documents between the two sides have been ignored by Moldova.

Alex Caraman: "There is no possible way we can be part of Moldova"

Mihaela Onofrei — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 12:08:59 -0500

Alexander Caraman is an ethnic Moldovan and a former Vice President of Pridnestrovie. In this interview, he speaks of relations with Moldova and says that although realistic federalization proposals can still be discussed on equal terms between two equal parties, "there is no possible way that we can be part of a single state with Moldova."

American OSCE-head wanted for questioning in smuggling case

Marius Oroveanu — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 13:36:12 -0500

Louis O'Neill, the American head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, is sought for questioning in a smuggling case. He is wanted in connection with an attempt to smuggle Russian artwork. The OSCE Mission has repeatedly stated its opposition to Pridnestrovie's independence.