Illegally installed posts, unauthorized movement of military equipment in Security Zone addressed at JCC meeting

Chisinau, 15 May /MOLDPRES/- Illegal installation of posts and barriers around the localities under the jurisdiction of constitutional authorities, blocking attempts by military observers from the Joint Peacekeeping Forces to regularly document the violations and unauthorized movement of military equipment through the Security Zone were addressed by Chisinau representatives at the 14 May meeting of the Joint Control Commission. The meeting was held in Bender in compliance with the anti-COVID-19 protection measures and was chaired by head of the Delegation of the Republic of Moldova, the Bureau for Reintegration has reported.

It was pointed out that the abusive actions of the Transnistrian side affected citizens' rights to free movement, healthcare, property and consequently generated the tension in the Security Zone. To the sharp question about the withdrawal of illegal posts from the Security Zone and observance of the basic acts of the peacekeeping mission, Tiraspol representatives did not provide any answer.

At the same meeting, the issue on unauthorized movement of military equipment through the Security Zone was approached, which the Moldovan delegation considers as a new challenge in the Security Zone in the context of the accident that occurred in Butor village, Grigoriopol district, involving an armored vehicle of Transnistrian structures.

Regarding the epidemiological situation in the military units of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces, it was mentioned that the measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, recommended by the authorities are applied and no cases of infection have been registered.

The previous working meeting of the members of the Joint Control Commission took place in Bender on 12 March. After declaring a state of emergency in Moldova and implementing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Joint Control Commission temporarily suspended meetings in Bender and worked remotely. During the same period, under the pretext of managing the state of emergency, the Tiraspol exponents illegally installed several "checkpoints" in the Security Zone. The initiatives of the Moldovan side to hold a videoconference meeting or at the level of the Commission co-chairs to debate pressing issues, in the presence of representatives of Ukraine and the OSCE Mission, were not supported by the Transnistrian side.

The Moldovan delegation will continue to use all available tools to solve problems of peacekeeping mechanism, including the elimination of illegal "checkpoints" in the Security Zone.