Moldovan, Transnistrian, top EU officials address breakaway region’s issue

OSCE Chairperson-in-office, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara and Minister of State at the German Federal Foreign Office Michael Link attended a meeting between Moldovan Prime Minister and Transnistrian leader Yevgeny Shevchuk in Germany on 30 October, the government’s communication and media relations department has reported.

The officials discussed the freedom of movement, possibility of opening the Gura Bicului bridge and aspects on facilitating the passenger and goods transport.

Prime Minister Iurie Leanca informed about the amendments made to the Moldovan legislation, according to which the administrative sanctions for Transnistrian residents travelling on the basis of foreign passports were cancelled. At the same time, Leanca confirmed that the opening of the Bureau for Migration and Asylum’s offices would not create any obstacle to the free movement of the Transnistrian residents. The participants in the talks welcomed Moldova’s decision and Leanca’s arguments, under which the decision did not imply aspects concerning the border control.

Iurie Leanca referred to the association agreement, including the free trade agreement with the EU, and highlighted that the new rules on carrying out the trade and exports would bring benefits to businesspeople, including the Transnistrian ones. Leanca also proposed that the Transnistrian entrepreneurs meet in a working subgroup with experts, who are to include Brussels specialists as well. He underlined that the preferential rules of export to the EU would be kept for the Transnistrian enterprises in the next two years.

During another meeting with the participation of five-plus-two talks representatives, the international actors urged the Transnistrian authorities to take into account the evolutions in the region, so that Transnistria not deviate to self-isolation.

Prime Minister Iurie Leanca asked for the organisation of an international mission to monitor the situation in the Security Zone, with the neutral experts’ involvement, in order to identify and prevent tension hotbeds.

The participants spoke out for regularly holding 1+1 format meetings, in order to avoid unilateral actions and tensions in the Security Zone.

Adapted from moldpres