Moldovan PM speaks about visit to Moscow by Transnistria's leader

The Moldovan authorities will adopt an asymmetric measure regarding Vadim Krasnoselski, as the actions in Moscow can be described as defiance and a provocation meant to lure us into a trap. Prime Minister Vasile Tofan today made statements to this effect. He emphasized that Vadim Krasnoselski is invited to return to Tiraspol, where he will remain for five years, under conditions in which the authorities will impose a ban on him leaving the country.

The official noted that “Vadim Krasnoselski, who does not hold citizenship of the Republic of Moldova, has defied the minimum level of trust which the Moldovan authorities have tried to build in their relationship with the left bank of the Dniester.”

“Russia wants to provoke us and is setting a trap for us. Comrade Krasnoselski has made plans to remain in Moscow with his family; he does not need the comfort of Tiraspol. They are encouraging us to ban him from entering the country, so that they can claim that he is not returning because he is not allowed to do so. We have made a different and asymmetric decision. We are telling Mr. Krasnoselski: if you care so much about what you have or have not achieved in the region, please return to Tiraspol and live in the so-called republic. For our part, we are imposing a five-year restriction on you; we have the necessary instruments to do so. I am very curious to see what his decision will be. My suspicion is that he will not want to return. We want to send the following signal: Comrade Krasnoselski may go to Tiraspol, but he must be prepared to remain there for five years and enjoy the fruits of the administration. We will not allow ourselves to be provoked. We understand that, as we move closer to the European Union, there will be more and more attempts at destabilization, as well as attempts to set traps for us. I believe we must focus on the agenda, and we will succeed in advancing on the path of European integration in the interests of Moldova,” Vasile Tofan said.

The prime minister also explained the context in which Vadim Krasnoselski’s visit to Moscow has taken place, facilitated through the OSCE platform.

“Some citizens will wonder why we allowed him to go to Moscow. The reason is that we are trying to bring the two banks of the Dniester closer together. We want a peaceful solution for the reintegration of the left bank, without provoking a potential escalation. At these discussions, we have more arrangements under which the so-called leaders of this region can occasionally travel. The purpose of this departure, facilitated through the OSCE platform, was to secure the supply of natural gas to the Transnistrian region during the winter. We considered it important, from a humanitarian perspective, for our citizens on the left bank of the Dniester to have gas this winter,” the PM noted.

Vasile Tofan added that, at present, Chisinau and the Transnistrian region were not at the stage of technical and legal discussions, but rather at the stage of political talks.

“Approximately 11per cent of the country’s territory is not controlled by the Chisinau administration. The region has so-called state structures and its own currency. We view what happened in Moscow as defiance, an attempt to lure us into a trap and provoke us. We responded in an asymmetric manner. Thus, Mr. Krasnoselski is invited to return to Tiraspol and is asked to remain there for five years. On this period, we will not allow him to use Chisinau International Airport,” the prime minister emphasized.

The Reintegration Policies Bureau today said that, upon his return to Moldova, restrictive measures would be imposed on Tiraspol leader Vadim Krasnoselski, including a ban on leaving the country for a period of five years. The institution emphasized that it “will examine possible response measures without escalating the situation, taking into account that Russia’s intention to destabilize Moldova is ongoing.”

Vadim Krasnoselski is currently visiting Moscow. During the visit, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded him the Order of Honor of the Russian Federation. The distinction was presented to him for his activity in the Transnistrian region.