Moldovan deputy premier's interview on important issues

Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Gheorghe Balan made an exclusive interview with MOLDPRES News Agency.

Question: Recently, a new round of 5+2 negotiations took place in Vienna, where more positive results were unveiled. It is about openness, a more flexible position of the sides involved or, as some experts say, would it be a failure by the authorities in Chisinau?

Answer: Indeed, we find that after several years of negotiations, which often did not yield concrete results, we managed to achieve five important social and economic decisions at the end of this year. It is about the documents signed on 3-25 November 2017, which are aimed at opening the bridge of Gura Bâcului-Bâcioc, ensuring the functioning of Moldovan schools with teaching in Latin script, applying the apostille on the study documents issued in the Transnistrian region, carrying out the “2006 Mechanism” on use of agricultural land located in Dubasari district and the measures of organisation of interaction in the telecommunication sphere.

All these decisions, which are meant to improve citizens’ life, have been taken due to an initiative from Chisinau and Tiraspol, so I reiterate that the political will came from both sides. All decisions were taken jointly and worked longer, and so several priority issues were settled, which were on the negotiation agenda for many years and required a rigorous resolution. We hope these solutions will be a good basis for advancing step by step to achieve the central goal of negotiations: comprehensive settlement of the Transnistrian case, by elaborating a special legal status for the Transnistrian region, based on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of the unitary and indivisible state of Moldova.

Question: The protocol on the proper functioning of the Latin-script schools in the region involves reduction in the price for rent. In addition to this important issue, what other provisions does the document comprise?

Answer: The document provides for many positive aspects, including the extension of the term of the rent contract. Thus, if earlier the contract was signed for one year, now it will be extended to 10 years with further extension. Payments for utilities will be made in the same way, regardless of the language of instruction, which means that the discrimination faced by the Latin-script schools will be eliminated. At the same time, previous rent payments were exaggerated and varied at each educational institution, so that a high school could pay over 600,000 lei/year, and another up to 1.9 million lei/year, although there were no conditions complying with the requirements of the educational process.

Thus, payments will be reduced to a minimum price, and money will be redirected to supporting these schools and developing their capacity. The prices are to be set and included in the contracts, but we agreed they are symbolic.

Also, we will work to provide the schools with new buildings, if necessary, and with the appropriate teaching materials, assets for the educational process. It is worth mentioning that the document also includes the option as the Latin-script schools can use the plots of land where they are located, and this will provide the opportunity to improve the infrastructure in the adjacent area. A very important provision is to ensure free movement of teachers and pupils, eliminating barriers in this respect. Currently, there are eight Latin-script schools in the Security Zone (5 high schools and 3 secondary schools), which operate under the Moldovan educational curriculum and with about 1,400 pupils.

Q: Two other topics concern the apostille of the diplomas issued by the education institutions in the Transnistrian region and providing mobile and stationary telephone connection between the two banks of the Dniestre river. Is there a mechanism for implementation of these provisions? How much will it cost to do?

A: Apostilating diplomas will provide the opportunity to young people who study in the Transnistrian region to continue their studies or work abroad. By applying the apostille to the diplomas in the region, the existence of an institution in the territory of Moldova will be confirmed, the authenticity of the signature, the quality of the signatory and the authenticity of the stamp used on this document will be certified. The diploma and stamp will be neutral, with no pseudostatic symbols and will be issued to graduates/young people from the region willing to go abroad. We do not take responsibility for the quality of the studies, but only confirm that there is the person who signed the diploma and such a stamp. In terms of the quality of studies, the foreign higher education institutions will check the training of young people.

If we refer to an implementation deadline, it is necessary to amend several government decisions, as well as more internal actions to develop a mechanism for access to the graduates database in the region for employees of Moldovan institutions who will verify the veracity of the data. This may take several months and will not involve additional costs.

If we talk about the telephone connection, this process is a long-lasting process that will involve the efforts of authorities, development partners and operators providing these services. The main goal is to restore fixed telephony between the banks and to offer the legal framework required for the operator in the region to provide mobile telephony services. This process may take more time and the additional costs will not be borne by the national authorities, there are no risks or losses for Moldova.

Q: The document we refer to also includes the issue on the access of farmers in Dubasari district to the agricultural land located along Rabnita-Tiraspol route. It is a problem that lasts for years. How real is its practical solution? Has the period already been set when owners will have access to these lands and will be able to carry out farm work there?

A: We agreed that within two months upon presentation of the necessary documents, the owners and farmers in Dubasari district would get access to the lands located along Rabnita-Tiraspol route. Thus, we believe that in early February 2018, people who have offered all necessary documents will already have access to those lands. This problem has not been resolved for years, so the authorities paid compensation since 2014 for the losses incurred by agricultural producers, and for 2014-2016 payments were estimated at about 29 million lei.

These lands represent the main occupation of the labor force in Dubasari district. Thus, after solving this issue, we hope people will have jobs, possibility to process these lands and the standard of living will be restored. It is about 6,400 ha of land, thousands of landowners and dozens of economic agents who have bought or rented these lands. The necessary documents will not be presented annually, but when the contract is signed. If the owner changes, documents will be renewed.

Q: Do you trust that Tiraspol administration will not undermine the achievement of agreed? What will happen if certain provisions included in these protocols will not be met?

A: Sitting at the negotiating table you have to trust the interlocutor. Each decision has a period and an implementation mechanism, so we will soon see if the provisions set in the document are fulfilled or there are some impediments to their implementation. However, if there are any difficulties, there are international partners who will pursue the fulfilment of all commitments made by the sides.

Q: After 25 years, the bridge between the localities of Gura Bacului and Bacioc was reopened, a significant event. However, there are internal customs posts which could create additional barriers to the free movement of people and goods. What is the probability that this European corridor will become accessible and practicable?

A: The bridge is in good condition and is the shortest way from Chisinau to Odessa. We have had dozens of addresses from citizens in the localities in this area to resume the traffic on this bridge, but Tiraspol refuses to open it, although the bridge was functional. If we refer to the posts that are present there, then the number of employees who were from Chisinau remained the same, but unfortunately, we set an increase in the number of collaborators from the representatives of Transnistrian power structures. This issue is discussed in a committee and we hope to find some solutions, as there are promises that this passage will be simplified and the crossing of the bridge will be as accessible as possible for both citizens and economic agents.

Q: Which priority topics in the Berlin+ package are you going to focus on the next period?

A: We are going to analyze the agenda and set what issues we need to address, such as freedom of movement and barriers to the transport of goods. At the same time, we are going to focus on the issue related to the registration plates for means of transport in the Transnistrian region. We are under elaborating a mechanism that would allow the registration of these vehicles and enabling them to move to other states with Moldovan documents internationally recognized.

Also, work is underway to open the Slobodca-Ribnita railway section for the Transnistrian region’s fuel supply. If we refer to criminal cases, Moldovan justice deals with it. We can make an address to see stage of those causes, but all the powers lie with law enforcement and justice. The Transnistrian side wants to file the cases, which, as they say, were initiated for political reasons, and their request would be the cases filed on the names of people living on the left bank of the Dniestre should only be ranked for this reason. However, all competencies fall exclusively to prosecutors, magistrates and officers of investigation, who decide to initiate, suspend or classify some files.

Q: You said after the Vienna Summit that the last achievements in the negotiation process are getting closer to the most important step – establishing a special status for the region. What elements would be behind it and when could it be approved?

A: If we are referring to the time, it is very difficult to set a certain period in which we could approve this status. This topic might take longer. However, the new status should be functional, not disturb the country’s social, economic and political stability, maintain Moldova’s European vector and improve the citizens’ lives.

It is important that the reintegrated state be functional and work in the interest of people on both banks of the Dniestre. At present, the Transnistrian side refuses to discuss some political issues, but before we have had blockages on other topics that we have managed to overcome, and we hope our efforts to start talks on the political settlement will be successful. Discussions are to take place with the mediators and observers belonging to the 5+2 format, and it is important that after identifying a solution, to have a plan for developing the reintegrated state by preserving the European vector and ensuring welfare of people.

(Reporter A. Ciobanu, editor A. Răileanu)