Moldovan European referendum and Transnistria. Will Tiraspol take part in the Chisinau plan? 

President Maia Sandu said that the referendum on Moldova’s accession to the EU will take place without Transnistria, since it will not be possible to open polling stations in this territory not controlled by Chisinau. Residents of the left bank of the Dniester, however, will be able to vote at polling stations on the right bank, the head of the Republic of Moldova said.

How fair is this? How much does Pridnestrovie need this? What meaning does the President of Moldova put into the future referendum? PolitNavigator has collected expert opinions on this matter.

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Andrey Safonov, political scientist:

– In itself, this scheme seems like a common trap. Why? She ignores the fact that referendums on the PMR’s course towards a union with Russia and international recognition of independence were held in 1991 and 2006. And here they seem to be ignored. Chisinau does not recognize either the statehood of Transnistria or the decisions of the Transnistrian government agencies.

This Chisinau referendum seems to be intended to resolve the issue of the course of the entire former MSSR from scratch. How about - from a sheet of paper? According to the creators of the idea of ​​the Moldovan referendum, under the conditions of an anti-democratic regime, when opposition media are banned and politicians are suppressed, there will be a one-goal game.

That is, the “Niagara Falls” of pro-Western information fakes, without an alternative flow from forces loyal to Russia, will brainwash the hesitant Moldovans and lead to the success of the West’s proteges in the referendum and the re-election of Maia Sandu for a second term. This is where Chisinau will declare: all residents of Moldova, including the inhabitants of the “Transnistrian region” voted for joining the EU! This means that the Transnistrians reject their previous idea of ​​an alliance with Moscow. This means that the decisions of the Transnistrian referendums can be ignored at international negotiations.

This does not suit the Pridnestrovians. And the PMR does not need this. Therefore, Tiraspol will not interfere in the internal affairs of Chisinau - and such non-interference is the cornerstone of Pridnestrovian policy - but there are no grounds for Pridnestrovie’s participation in the Chisinau plan. Let everyone solve their problems themselves. It's logical.

Alexander Korinenko, political scientist:

– President Maia Sandu goes against common logic, namely, he calls a referendum at a time when the country is not ready to join the EU and there is nothing to vote for. Typically, such referendums occur when a country has completed negotiations to join the association. The truth was revealed quite recently - a bill was introduced according to which it would be possible to combine presidential elections and a republican referendum.

_{Sandu, having no achievements other than the illusory steps of European integration, is counting on the voter to equate the reintegration process with presidential candidate Maia Sandu. Our European partners, in turn, want to finally “concrete” Moldova’s European path: the referendum is the highest will of the people, President Sandu is its conductor.}

I believe that Maia Sandu's actions as president have long demonstrated that she doesn't consider the residents of Transnistria to be "oameni buni" (good people). During her presidency, nothing has been done for the negotiation process, other than threats and accusations.

It is no secret what the residents of Transnistria with Moldovan citizenship will vote for: the overwhelming majority - against the radically pro-Western president and her course. I think that residents of the left bank of the Dniester will even be given artificial obstacles if they want to vote, since no one and nothing should disturb the future triumph of Euro-democracy.

Anatoly Dirun, political scientist:

– After it became clear that the referendum on the European choice would be held on the same day as the presidential elections in the Republic of Moldova, the participation of Pridnestrovians in this event should be considered solely from the point of view of participation in the election campaign. About 20–30 thousand residents of Transnistria with Moldovan citizenship traditionally take part in Moldovan election campaigns. And next year will be no exception.

It is still unclear how the team of the President of Moldova plans to promote this topic among residents of the left bank of the Dniester, whether there will be special propaganda products, videos revealing the advantages of Pridnestrovie (as part of Moldova) joining the EU. It is obvious that the very fact of the participation of Pridnestrovians will be considered by the Moldovan leadership as an additional instrument of legitimacy for the upcoming referendum.

_{And even if the majority speaks out against the European vector, everything will look democratic: there are supporters, but there are also opponents to such a course. The presence of a large number of opponents among Pridnestrovians can always be explained by Russian propaganda and once again emphasize the need for the work of the Patriot Center [the national center for protecting information and countering propaganda].}

In practice, the Pridnestrovian business and leadership will be informed of Maia Sandu’s wish not to be too zealous in criticizing the referendum and to launch a wide information campaign on this matter. Fortunately, Prime Minister Dorin Recan has contacts with Pridnestrovian colleagues. One thing is certain: Tiraspol will not remain aloof from these elections. How seriously he will be involved in these processes will become clear after the New Year holidays.