RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

Transdniester, an unfrozen conflict?

The Romanian Foreign Ministry says the adoption of the so-called state border law in Transdniester is an act of defiance that will attract the disapproval of the international community.

Transdniester, an unfrozen conflict?
Transdniester, an unfrozen conflict?

, 21.06.2013, 15:37

After long hours of closed-door talks on Thursday, Parliament in Chisinau failed to adopt a declaration regarding the situation in Transdniester. In recent months things have taken a serious turn for the worse, all the more so as on June the 10th, the leader in Tiraspol, Yevgeny Shevchuk promulgated a law on the so-called “state border” of the breakaway region, which also includes Varnita village, east of the River Dniester, inhabited by a predominantly Romanian-speaking community which accounts for 80% of the local population, and currently under Moldovan authority.



Chisinau has criticised the decision, while experts fear the latest developments might spiral into an armed conflict. Transdniester is the commonly used reference for the so-called Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic, a breakaway region, which de jure continues to be under the territorial sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova. Seen as an autonomous region at international level, it proclaimed its independence in 1990, accusing Moldova for seeking union with Romania.



Internal tension spiralled into civil war in 1992, when the Russian army also intervened, on the separatists’ side. The region has a majority Slavic population, particularly Russians and Ukrainians, with the Romanian-speakers accounting for 40% of the overall population. The separatist authorities control Moldovan territories east of the Dniester River as well as six other communes and the city of Tighina, located west of the Dniester.



Moldova has criticized this week’s vote of the “state border” law, while some political pundits argue a new war between the two states is imminent. Against this background, Moldovan Defence Minister Vitalie Marinuta says the army is ready to retaliate to any prospective attack launched by the forces of the breakaway regime.



In turn, Moldovan president Nicolae Timofti agreed to the idea that the series of provocations have to do with Moldova’s rapprochment to the European Union. Timofti hinted at the Russian Federation’s interest to cause instability in the Dniester region. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin has recently said in an interview that his country cannot withdraw ammunition from Transdniester for fear Chisinau might obstruct the political resolution of the conflict.



The new law adopted in Tiraspol is due to come into effect starting next week, although it has already prompted disgruntled reactions from the OSCE, the US and Romania. The Romanian Foreign Ministry has labelled it an act of defiance, which will attract the disapproval of the international community. The Ministry has already sent a message in that respect to the Irish presidency of the EU.

Maia Sandu (Photo: presedinte.md)
Today in the News Monday, 04 November 2024

Moldova stays on path to Europe

Moldova’s pro-European president Maia Sandu won a new  4-year term in Sunday’s second round run-off, with over 55% of the votes cast in the...

Moldova stays on path to Europe
The head of the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP), Toni Grebla
Today in the News Monday, 04 November 2024

Election campaigns in Romania

    The campaign for the general election in Romania started last week, at midnight on Thursday, and will end on 30 November. During this...

Election campaigns in Romania
November 1 - National Radio Day
Today in the News Friday, 01 November 2024

Radio Romania 96

Radio Romania has celebrated 96 years since it first entered the listeners houses from Romania and abroad. On November 1 1928 the Romanians were able...

Radio Romania 96
(Photo: pixabay@Engin_Akyurt)
Today in the News Thursday, 31 October 2024

Romanians’ concerns

Romanians and Austrians are the most satisfied with their lives among the inhabitants of Central and Eastern Europe, but the former are significantly...

Romanians’ concerns
Today in the News Thursday, 31 October 2024

Republic of Moldova, crucial final

On November 3, the citizens of the Republic of Moldova have to choose, for the position of head of state, between the pro-European Maia Sandu, the...

Republic of Moldova, crucial final
Today in the News Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Drones, a security issue

The Romanian Ministry of National Defense has placed under decisional transparency a bill that improves airspace security measures. The bill, which...

Drones, a security issue
Today in the News Wednesday, 30 October 2024

The Fugitive Law is constitutional

The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) has rejected the referral of the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ) in relation to the so-called...

The Fugitive Law is constitutional
Today in the News Tuesday, 29 October 2024

Challenges of an ageing population

Romanians are getting fewer and older.   The population of Romania in mid-2024 was 21,779,000, down 1% compared to June 1, 2023. According to...

Challenges of an ageing population

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company