Chisinau and Tiraspol Want to Negotiate?

Sergiu CEBAN

Given all the negative aspects of the Transnistrian settlement, we see some hints of Chisinau and Tiraspol desire to add predictability to their relations and to demonstrate a constructive attitude to everybody

Last Friday, the chief negotiators from Chisinau and Tiraspol met in Bender. Such meetings have not been very frequent in recent years: last time Serebrian and Ignatiev had a tense conversation back in January against the background of the entry into legal force of the new Customs Code, according to which Transnistrian economic operators had to pay export-import duties. Nothing fundamentally new has happened in the relations between the two banks of the Dniester during the past few months. However, despite this, perhaps for the first time in a long time, there is slight hope that the negotiation process will move forward a bit. The OSCE, which traditionally provides a platform for dialogue, tried to focus on the positive, calling the regular talks between political representatives “very constructive”. The head of the OSCE Mission in Moldova, Kelly Keiderling, thanked the sides for maintaining constant contacts and finding solutions to the pressing problems. The organization believes that in difficult times for the whole region, it is important to have as much communication as possible - both formal and informal. Considering the general mood of Moldovan-Transnistrian relations in recent weeks, it is necessary to pay attention to a number of significant indicators. Thus, Chisinau claimed that it will allow the Transnistrian region to receive Russian gas after the transit agreement between Ukraine and Russia expires at the end of 2024. According to the relevant minister, Victor Parlicov, together with Kyiv, they will look for a way to ensure stability on the left bank and exclude possible obstacles to the supply of Russian gas there. Most likely, this signal hints at the preparation of Chisinau and Tiraspol for negotiations on a new energy contract, as the current one expires at the end of the year. In addition, the government approved an annual programme of actions for the country’s reintegration, with a budget of 15 million lei, last week. 13 million will be spent on 26 different development projects in the settlements in the Security Zone (repair of social institutions, heat retention lagging of schools, creation of sports grounds, etc.). Another 2 million will be allocated to the district council of Dubasari to partially compensate the expenses incurred by the owners of agricultural lands behind the Ribnita-Tiraspol motorway due to the toll collected by Tiraspol when travelling through the local checkpoints. Transnistria, on the other hand, granted us a “gesture of good will”. The leader of the Transnistrian administration pardoned one of several prisoners who had been under the political gaze of the authorities for the past few years. The man in question is Victor Plescanov, a Moldovan citizen who since 10 June 2022 was imprisoned in one of the penitentiary institutions on the left bank for “extremism”. Specifically regarding the content of the Bender meeting, the deputy prime minister for reintegration mainly raised the issue of the need to abolish illegal fees, as well as movement restrictions that hinder agricultural work, harvesting, storage and transport of agricultural products by farmers in the Dubasari district. The eight Romanian-language schools in the Transnistrian region were discussed. Moldovan side called for the return or provision of buildings suitable for the educational process, the reduction of utility tariffs to the level of 2023, and the elimination of the habit of sending summons to their pupils to register for military service in Transnistria. According to official press releases, the most important issue for Tiraspol representatives is to solve problems of importing medicines and medical equipment. For the latter, as it turned out, the parties have almost found the necessary technical solution, and the delivery, as Serebrian stated, should happen within ten days. Besides, the usual set of problems of the left bank is focused on the economic sphere, especially after Chisinau’s decision to charge customs fees. The familiar law on separatism and the resumption of vehicle registration offices in Tiraspol and Ribnita were also on the agenda. It is noteworthy that this time, in addition to appealing to its traditional topics for this year, Tiraspol unexpectedly urged to sign a declaration on the commitment of the participants in the negotiation process to peaceful methods of conflict settlement. To some extent, this kind of document does not bind us to anything, but at the same time it correlates well with the statements of politicians on both banks of the Dniester, as well as with the statements of international actors who officially support the preservation of stability in the region. There were no sharp reactions and statements from Chisinau, moreover, when talking to the press, Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Serebrian even refuted his earlier words about the refusal to negotiate with Tiraspol, calling them a loose interpretation of the media. Thus, there is a feeling that such a common and publicly expressed loyalty to the peaceful dialogue can still provide appropriate “profits” in the form of active work within the negotiation process. In addition, the meeting revealed other curious details of international diplomatic efforts to revitalize the Transnistrian settlement. In particular, Tiraspol asked the OSCE and Chisinau to organize an expert event within the framework of confidence-building measures. Serebrian, on the other hand, spilled the beans of diplomatic secrecy by revealing that OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ian Borg had earlier proposed to organize a new meeting of negotiators in Malta. Despite the slight thaw in relations, we cannot say that the Transnistrian settlement has become entirely favorable. Long-standing irritants haven’t gone anywhere, keeping the conflict zealous as usual. In an interview with journalists in May, Prime Minister Dorin Recean stressed that Chisinau continues to insist on the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Transnistrian region and will demand that Moscow fulfil its commitments. Whether in response to this or to regular exercises with the U.S. military, the Russian command in Transnistria notified on 16 May that the Russian contingent of the joint peacekeeping force would conduct exercises from 17 May to 17 June to test the movement and capabilities of armored vehicles stationed at peacekeeping posts in the Security Zone. Maia Sandu’s recent comments that she refrains from visiting the left bank, as she believes that such visits may become a destabilizing factor in the conflict in Ukraine, are in the same vein. It seems that the head of state is not planning any direct contacts with the Transnistrian administration until the hot phase of the war is over. Nevertheless, given all the negative aspects of the Transnistrian settlement, we see some hints of Chisinau and Tiraspol desire to add predictability to their relations and to demonstrate a constructive attitude as well as the remaining potential for finding compromise solutions. Most likely, politicians on both banks of the Dniester are aware that the resumption of negotiations is not far off, and by that time it would be great to find a mutually acceptable model of dialogue with a content satisfactory to all sides.