OSCE Special Representative encourages leaderships in Chisinau and Tiraspol to focus on constructive, forward-looking dialogue

CHISINAU, 18 June 2020 – Concluding his visit to the Republic of Moldova, the Special Representative of Albania’s OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, Ambassador Thomas Mayr-Harting encouraged the Sides to focus on maintaining a constructive, results-oriented and forward-looking dialogue.

In his talks with Moldovan President Igor Dodon, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Cristina Lesnic and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Oleg Tulea in Chisinau as well as Transdniestrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky and Political Representative Vitaly Ignatiev in Tiraspol, the Special Representative discussed the perspectives for progress in key issues for confidence-building, in particular in the area of telecommunications, banking issues, freedom of movement and the Latin-script schools.

“Regarding the newly established posts my interlocutors in Tiraspol insisted that this was a temporary measure linked to the present pandemic and that these posts will be removed as soon as the COVID-19 situation is under control. I stressed the key importance of the freedom of movement between the two banks,” the Special Representative said. “In particular, I also underlined the need to facilitate the access of farmers to their lands and commuters to their places of work even during the pandemic,” he added.

The Special Representative welcomed the resumption of the expert working group meetings and called on the Sides to formulate coordinated responses to all matters related to the settlement process, also in the context of the pandemic, bearing in mind interests of the people on both banks. “Earlier gains in the settlement process must not be lost,” stressed the Ambassador.

Speaking about the way forward, Thomas Mayr-Harting reviewed with the Sides outstanding issues from the “Berlin-plus” package and joint proposals on new confidence-building measures. Among the short-term priorities are the finalization of the telecommunication agreement, an improved internal banking connectivity, the establishment of a new trolleybus line between Bender and the Severny district.

“In my respective contacts with the Sides in Chisinau and Tiraspol I gained the impression that there is a will to make tangible progress in the months to come in finding mutually acceptable solutions to these issues,” said Ambassador Mayr-Harting.

The visit also provided an opportunity for Ambassador Mayr-Harting to exchange views on the negotiations process with the resident Ambassadors of the mediators and observers in the Transdniestrian settlement process.