Ensuring free movement through the posts of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces in the focus of the Joint Control Commission

At the weekly meeting of the Joint Control Commission on 8 February 2024, held in Bender, incidents at Joint Peacekeeping Force posts were discussed.

In particular, the repetition of the cases of stopping cars of diplomatic missions accredited in the Republic of Moldova was highlighted. It was pointed out that the senior officials and the chief of the joint staff, delegated by the Russian Federation to the Joint Peacekeeping Forces, violate their duties by allowing such situations.

Representatives of the OSCE Mission and Ukraine to the Joint Control Commission, who took part in the discussion, mentioned that unjustified restrictions on movement were also applied to them.

The Delegation of the Republic of Moldova stressed the provocative nature of the reported violations and warned about the consequences that may occur, unless abuses cease.

Moreover, the OSCE Mission to Moldova reported that its monitoring teams carried out 24 field visits in January, finding new sections of metal bump along the road separating the city of Bender and the village of Varnița, as well as the presence of concrete blocks in the same perimeter.

Regarding the illegal checkpoints established by Tiraspol, the Delegation of the Republic of Moldova renewed its call for their withdrawal from the Security Zone. The proposals of the Chișinău Delegation were rejected by representatives of Tiraspol, thereby demonstrating their disinterest in returning to normal activities of the JCC.

Delegation of the Republic of Moldova to the Joint Control Commission