May Day in Transnistria: participants in rallies for and against the authorities’ policies spoke about unity with Russia (PHOTO)
Chisinau - Tiraspol, May 01 (Navigator, Petr Alekseev) - In Tiraspol, May Day was celebrated with two rallies, which took place at different times, in different places and pursued different goals. However, participants in both events are confident in the need to achieve recognition of Pridnestrovie and rapprochement with Russia.
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The first rally - pro-presidential - took place in the city center. Representatives of public organizations and parties spoke about the protection of workers' rights and approved the actions of the authorities in the field of domestic and foreign policy.
"We support the republic's leadership's policy in terms of realizing the rights of Transnistrians to a dignified life and a secure old age, and most importantly, to the recognition of the independence of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic," said Yevgeny Kakhanovsky, Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Pridnestrovie.
Civic activists, veterans, and young people expressed hope that Russia will begin the process of recognizing Transnistria as an independent state created by the will of the people. The leader of the Transnistrian Communist Party, MP Oleg Khorzhan, recalled that the Supreme Council of the PMR recently sent an appeal to the Russian leadership requesting recognition of Transnistria.
“Today in the State Duma of Russia three factions – the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, the Liberal Democratic Party and A Just Russia, which is almost half of the parliament – are ready to vote for the recognition of Transnistria,” he said.
The parliamentarian also noted that Pridnestrovie, sandwiched between unfriendly Moldova and Ukraine, took care to protect the memory of the Great Patriotic War.
“What is happening today in Moldova and Ukraine is simply indescribable. And when today someone can come to Pridnestrovie and insult our veterans, this is absolutely wrong. That is why parliament introduced an article into the Criminal Code for insulting veterans and the memory of the Great Patriotic War. No scumbag has the right to point at a veteran and say that he is an occupier,” Khorzhan said.
Participants in the alternative rally, which took place in the city's Victory Park, criticized the authorities. They opposed “managerial experiments” - increasing tariffs for housing and communal services, the policy of abolishing benefits for pensioners, transferring medicine and education to a paid basis, and closing websites and forums without a court decision.
Speaking about the events around Transnistria, the speakers stated that it is necessary to more actively express support for Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
The leader of the People's Unity movement, parliamentarian Anatoly Dirun, proposed condemning the large-scale information war against the Russian Federation and expressing support for Russia's defense of its compatriots, wherever they may be.
Igor Dudkevich, Chairman of the Association of Defenders of Transnistria, believes that Transnistria must make every effort to preserve the Russian peacekeeping mission on the banks of the Dniester and seek recognition.
“We wanted to be a subject of the Russian Federation, in my opinion, there is not a single person in Pridnestrovie who would be against this. But the geographical location does not allow this. Political and economic recognition will be enough for us. If we are united in these goals, we will win,” he said.
An unscheduled speech by PMR Interior Minister Gennady Kuzmichev, who happened to be in the park on his day off, was unplanned. Taking the stage at the organizers' invitation, he urged people not to believe the stories of previous speakers—"pseudo-democrats and champions of the people who are not responsible for anything."
Despite dissatisfied shouts from the crowd, the minister continued his speech.
He said that caution must be exercised in the issue with Ukraine.
“Due to the events in Ukraine, our exports have dropped by 23%,” Kuzmichev said, explaining that budget revenues, from which salaries of teachers, doctors, etc. are paid, depend on tax revenues. “One careless word can lead to a humanitarian disaster, and we know what that is.”
“Despite the fact that today there is strife in Moldova, that there is war in Ukraine, there is calm in Transnistria, people can calmly go out into the street, walk, and gather. Almost all serious crimes are solved. The situation cannot be compared with what is happening in Moldova and Ukraine,” the minister emphasized. 
English version :: Read in English May Day in Transnistria: Participants in rallies for and against government policies spoke of unity with Russia (PHOTOS)