Chisinau takes new steps to bleed Transnistria dry
The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office for the Transnistrian settlement, Thomas Lenk, paid a three-day visit to the banks of the Dniester – the Finnish chairmanship is trying to revive the dialogue between Chisinau and Tiraspol, to restart the negotiation process, which is in deep crisis.
With Lenk's mediation, it was possible to organize a working meeting of political representatives of Transnistria and Moldova at the OSCE site in Bender. Chisinau had previously disrupted such meetings several times, citing its unwillingness to hold meetings in Transnistria.
The parties discussed pressing issues, of which Tiraspol and Chisinau have accumulated numerous, and agreed to resume the work of relevant expert groups. Meanwhile, Moldova appears unwilling to engage in serious settlement efforts. This is indicated by the fact that the Moldovan government intends to impose an additional tax on Transnistrian enterprises if Tiraspol purchases more natural gas than the 3 million cubic meters per day agreed upon by Chisinau, or if it is used for the needs of large-scale industry.
As a reminder, approximately 40 major Transnistrian enterprises shut down at the beginning of the year due to the energy crisis caused by Ukraine's suspension of Russian gas transit and Moldovagaz's non-payment to the Russian concern Gazprom under its current contract. The crisis has not been resolved, and Transnistria's economy is in dire straits – production volume has fallen by half compared to the same period in 2024.
Political scientist Andrey Safonov comments on the current stage of relations between Chisinau and Tiraspol in an interview with PolitNavigator.
PolitNavigator: Political representatives of Transnistria and Moldova held a working meeting after a long break. Can we say that the OSCE brought Chisinau back to the negotiating table?
Andrey Safonov: No, not yet. Thanks to the OSCE's mediation, a meeting was held between the chief negotiators from Chisinau and Tiraspol: the Moldovan government's Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration, Mr. Oleg Serebrian, and the Transnistrian Foreign Minister, Mr. Vitaly Ignatiev. This was the first such meeting in several months. In the current situation, this is nothing.
Moreover, it's necessary to separate the wheat from the chaff. The OSCE has fulfilled its task in this situation: it provided a platform for the negotiators. Meanwhile, the Chisinau authorities not only failed to resolve the contentious issues, but also continue to effectively torpedo the "5+2" negotiating format.
Why don't the internationally recognized parties to the conflict (PMR and RM), guarantors (Russia and Ukraine), mediators (OSCE), observers (EU and USA) gather at one table? Chisinau refuses to initiate a full-scale "5+2" summit. But why? After all, no one has officially withdrawn from it.
What is even worse is that the PMR-RM dialogue at the level of the department for “reintegration” is meaningless. It is a powerless office that does not decide anything. In order to really consolidate peace on the Dniester and resolve contentious issues, we need hotline conversations and personal meetings of the top officials – the presidents of both countries. The Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and the Republic of Moldova. This was the case even during the 1992 war. Will Chisinau dare to do this? The ball is in its court, because Tiraspol is calling for direct contacts in the name of easing tensions.
PolitNavigator: Thomas Lenk noted that he expects the negotiations on Transnistria to be intensified and assured that he is a "true fan" of the "5+2" format, work within which is prescribed in his current mandate as a special representative. What is behind these words? What can be said about the effectiveness of the Finnish OSCE chairmanship and its work in the Transnistrian direction? Is it possible to resume the "5+2" format?
Andrey Safonov: The issue here isn't so much the presidency of this or that country, but the position of the current ultra-nationalist Moldovan government. It clearly wants to disrupt real negotiations, reducing the whole matter to pressure on Tiraspol. How else can one qualify the cynical statements of Chisinau officials who are ready to give Transnistrians the choice of "dying of hunger or freezing to death"?! Or the desire to destroy the Transnistrian economy through taxes... just think about it!... on the work of Transnistrian factories and plants!
In the "5+2" format, such cannibalistic plans would become the subject of discussion with the participation of diplomats from all member countries and organizations. But Chisinau is taking more and more steps to bleed the PMR dry, but does not want to discuss this. Therefore, the main task of any OSCE chairmanship is to launch the "5+2" work in full. Transnistria has such a desire. We do not see it in Chisinau now.
PolitNavigator: Political representatives of Chisinau and Tiraspol Oleg Serebryan and Vitaly Ignatiev discussed taxes for Transnistrian industry that Chisinau plans to introduce. Moldova will obviously make another attempt to weaken Transnistria economically. Does Tiraspol have a margin of safety? How well is the republic coping with the economic challenges that come one after another?
Andrey Safonov: Transnistria's greatest strength lies in our people, who refuse to surrender. It's all logical: submitting to the yoke of an idiotic government that openly calls for the "eradication" of the very concept of Transnistria, demands our economy shut down, insists with the stubbornness of a madman on the withdrawal of Russian troops allied with the PMR, stockpiles weapons, and much more—no one is stupid! If the Moldovan authorities were smarter, they would try to strangle Transnistria in their arms. But apparently, they're not smart enough to do that...
At the same time, the PMR cannot, in the conditions of a stagnant economy, receive income for the treasury and easily, as it was before, pay pensions, salaries, benefits... The conditions are abnormal and extreme. Financial assistance from Moscow is needed to pay people money, so that the work collectives do not leave until the time when the factories start smoking again. And the men have families! One way or another, we will not give up.
PolitNavigator: Chisinau and Tiraspol intend to resume the work of expert groups on issues of combating crime, education, motor transport, and the economy. Should we expect any progress given that the Moldovan side is clearly interested in increasing pressure on Transnistria?
Andrey Safonov: There may be progress on specific issues that the Chisinau regime would like to resolve to its own advantage, but that's all. The strategy of those in power in Moldova is to suppress the Transnistria and Gagauzia, not to reach agreements on an equal and mutually beneficial basis . They believe that Transnistria is surrounded, that it must surrender, and in this they are supported by European globalists.
I'm skeptical that the ruling group in Chisinau will initiate a full settlement mechanism. Otherwise, the Transnistrians wouldn't be demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from the banks of the Dniester. This is a clear attempt to pave the way for an attack on the PMR at a time convenient for pro-Romanian nationalists and their patrons from Paris, London, Brussels, and Bucharest . With such preparations underway, who is doing the painstaking day-to-day work of achieving a settlement?
PolitNavigator: A severe energy crisis has affected both banks of the Dniester, and there are no prospects for its resolution yet. Former Moldovan Energy Minister Viktor Parlicov admitted that Chisinau could return to purchasing electricity from the Moldovan State District Power Plant – Moldova still faces the problem of covering peak electricity consumption. Is this possible, since Moldova has been striving for energy dependence on Transnistria and Russia?
Andrey Safonov : Parlikov's comments are more of a probe into the very possibility of such purchases, a theoretical assumption. But he's not currently in a position of power, so he can say whatever he wants. The question is whether Moldova will pay its historical debt to Russia. It amounts to $709 million.
The solution is simple: swallow your own nationalist song and go to the White Stone. There, at least agree on debt restructuring, as many countries and international organizations do among themselves. Chisinau is not doing this yet, because its authorities are not independent.
Most likely, they are being prevented from purchasing Russian electricity and gas by Britain, France, and the EU leadership, who are pursuing a war against Russia in the southwest of the former USSR. However, purchasing electricity daily from Romanian exchanges is very expensive for Moldova. It has no domestic funds, only Western infusions, including targeted ones earmarked for other expenditures. Nevertheless, the Maia Sandu administration sees no other options. So, we conclude: as of today, April, purchasing Russian gas and electricity from the Moldovan State District Power Plant is not an option.
PolitNavigator: Political processes in Moldova usually slowed down the negotiation process. Now the country is preparing for parliamentary elections. How will they affect relations with Tiraspol?
Andrei Safonov: The denizens of Moldova's political Olympus can be expected to falsify the parliamentary vote results. This is not out of the question for the 2024 presidential elections in Moldova. For nationalists and globalist puppets, Transnistrians are enemies, just like Russians. Therefore, the goal of Moldova's ruling group is to sever ties with Russia as much as possible and suppress Transnistria.
Hence our prediction: the regime will take no steps toward Moscow and Tiraspol. Provocations, on the contrary, are possible. This will be covered up with talk of a "hybrid war against Moldova" and similar nonsense. For relations between Moldova and Transnistria to recover from the "freeze," it seems, a different regime is needed on the right bank of the Dniester.
English version :: Read in English: Chisinau is taking new steps to bleed Transnistria dry.