Wider engagement of the OSCE Mission in monitoring the Security Zone was discussed at the Joint Control Commission meeting

At the meeting of the Joint Control Commission on 18 June, the Delegation of the Republic of Moldova proposed for discussion several current topics on unblocking the peacekeeping mechanisms and restoring effective control over the Security Zone.

The document signed in December 2004 on the Principles of Cooperation between the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the Joint Control Commission was brought to attention. One of the principles states that the Mission representatives are mandated to gather and present information on the Security Zone, including on the military situation, to analyze causes and potential political consequences of the incidents, and also to provide recommendations on preventing breaches.

The Delegation of the Republic of Moldova reiterated its proposal to implement this mechanism, which will allow highlighting any deviations from the Security Zone regime. In the same vein, it was proposed to document all the events that took place during recent months in the Security Zone as a solution to unblock the activity of military observers. The Transnistrian side, which had previously been outraged by the failure to sign the reports of the Joint Military Command, this time opposed a trenchant decision. The discussion on both issues will continue during next meetings. 

At this meeting, the Commission appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Roman Slupko as Head of the Ukrainian Military Observers Group.

We would like to remind that starting 16 March, under the pretext of fighting the pandemic, Tiraspol installed 37 illegal check-posts and other improvised fences around localities under the jurisdiction of the constitutional authorities, thus preventing free movement of citizens. Representatives of the Transnistrian side in the Joint Military Command have each time blocked attempts of the military observers to properly document these violations. As a result, the illegal check-posts are still placed in the Security Zone, while public confidence in the Nistru peacekeeping mission is affected.

Delegation of the Republic of Moldova to the Joint Control Commission