COMMENT on the recent concerted statements of Tiraspol and the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Moldova on the situation on the left bank of the Nistru River
The Bureau for Reintegration Policies notes with concern the intensification of anti-Moldovan rhetoric and actions of Moscow and Tiraspol in recent days. We have every reason to believe that a scenario of destabilizing the situation in the country, of defamation of the constitutional authorities and of spreading fear and insecurity among citizens is being pursued.
We would like to specify that, contrary to the statements made by Vadim Krasnoselski, Chișinău came up with proposals, including written addresses, to Tiraspol, which clearly specified the willingness of the Government of the Republic of Moldova to help its citizens in the eastern districts and to establish a dialogue mechanism with Tiraspol in this regard. The answer was one of total rejection of these offers.
Even more striking are the statements made today by the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Chișinău, according to which the Moldovan Government is responsible for the situation in the east of the country. Contrary to what was stated by the Russian diplomatic mission, Chișinău did not stop the delivery of gas to the Transnistrian region, nor did it cancel the contract with „Gazprom”, which is valid until September 2026. The termination of the contract for gas transit through the territory of Ukraine is also an absolutely false pretext, since it is possible to supply natural gas via the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline. We remind that the right bank of the Nistru River does not consume gas imported from the Russian Federation, and the evocation of Chișinău's alleged debt to the Russian company is null and void. Otherwise, neither „Gazprom” nor the Embassy of the Russian Federation make any reference to the debt of about 11 billion US dollars accumulated fraudulently over the years in the left bank of the Nistru River, but speculate an alleged 15-fold lower debt of the company „Moldovagaz” to deprive consumers in the eastern districts of the country of gas and electricity in the middle of winter.
The responsibility for the situation created in the eastern districts of the country is entirely due to Moscow's increasingly dangerous and dishonest geopolitical games, which through these actions question the role of mediator and guarantor of the Russian Federation in the process of negotiations on the Transnistrian settlement. The actions taken by Moscow and its Tiraspol acolytes in recent weeks undermine confidence in all existing negotiation mechanisms on resolving this file and compromise Chișinău's efforts over the past three years to maintain peace and stability in the country and the region.
