Disputed status of Transnistria
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{{Politics of Transnistria}}
The '''disputed status of [[Transnistria]]''' arose because of the Transnistrian [[unilateral declaration of independence]] on [[September 2]], [[1990]], which was not recognized by [[Republic of Moldova|Moldova]], nor by other countries and international organizations.
Moldova lost control of Transnistria in the [[1990]] breakup of the [[Moldavian SSR]] and the subsequent [[War of Transnistria]], but never formally ceded the territory. Moreover, the breakaway PMR (abbreviation of ''Transnistrian Moldovan Republic'' in [[Russian language|Russian]]), that has control over the region, has not been [[diplomatic recognition|diplomatically recognised]] (except by [[Abkhazia]], [[South Ossetia]] and [[Nagorno-Karabakh]]<ref>[[BHHRG]], [http://www.bhhrg.org/CountryReport.asp?CountryID=16&ReportID=205 Transnistria 2003: Eye in the Gathering Storm]</ref>, three other post-Soviet unrecognised states), and is [[de jure]] considered to be part of Moldova.
The two main political parties in Transnistria, [[Republic (Transnistria)|the Republican Party]] (''Respublikanskaya Partiya Pridnestroviya'') and [[Renovation (Transnistria)|Renewal]] (''Obnovleniye'') oppose any transfer of sovereignty to Moldova. The [[Social Democratic Party (Transnistria)|Social Democratic Party]] headed by former local MP [[Alexander Radchenko]] is the only functioning party in the region to favor reintegration. However, negotiations under [[OSCE]] auspices have been ongoing since [[1997]] based on the premise that better relations are desirable, and that the restrictions on communications, movement of people, and trade flows must be removed.
In Moldova, the territorial claim to Transnistria ranks rather low among priorities and is not a concern to voters. In contrast, Transnistrians feel strongly about their independence. <ref>[http://www.regnum.ru/english/559636.html Moldova and Transdnestr: equal marriage or civilized divorce?]</ref>
==Historical status of Transnistria==
Although ethnic Romanians/Moldavians have historically made up a large minority of the population, the area was never considered part of the traditional lands of Romanian/Moldavian settlement.<ref>Charles King: "The Moldovans", Hoover Institution Press, Stanford, California, 1999, page 180</ref> The territory east of the [[Dniester]] river belonged to [[Kievan Rus']] and the kingdom of [[Halych-Volhynia]] from the ninth to the fourteenth centuries, passing to the [[Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth]], and then into the hands of [[Russia]] in the eighteenth century.
By this time, [[Principality of Moldavia|Moldavia]] had been in existence for almost five hundred years with the Dniester marking its eastern boundary for all this time. Even with the rise of [[Romania|Romanian]] nationalism in the nineteenth century, the far reaches of [[Transylvania]] were considered the western boundary of the Romanian lands<ref>Charles King: "The Moldovans", Hoover Institution Press, Stanford, California, 1999, page 180</ref> while the Dniester formed the eastern.<ref name="Ivantoc">Nicolas Dima's history of Moldova, published in 1991 as part of a series of East European Monographs, Boulder, Distributed by Columbia University Press, New York. Online at http://ivantoc.org/moldova.htm</ref> The national poet [[Mihai Eminescu]], in his famous poem ''[[Doina]]'', spoke of a Romania stretching only "''from the [[Dniester]] to the [[Tisza]]''" and not farther east.
In [[World War II]], when Romania, aided by [[Nazi Germany]], for the first time in history took control of Transnistria there was never any attempt to annex the occupied territory beyond the Dniester for it was generally considered merely a temporary buffer zone between [[Greater Romania]] and the [[Soviet]] front line.<ref>Charles King: "The Moldovans", Hoover Institution Press, Stanford, California, 1999, page 93</ref><ref>Memoirs of Gherman Pantea, mayor of [[Odessa]] [[1941]]–[[1944|44]], in ANR-DAIC, d.6</ref> Transnistria had never been considered part of [[Bessarabia]]: Two preeminent political figures of the day, [[Iuliu Maniu]] and [[Dinu Brătianu|Constantin Brătianu]] declared that "''the Romanian people will never consent to the continuation of the struggle beyond our national borders''."<ref>Charles King: "The Moldovans", Hoover Institution Press, Stanford, California, 1999, page 94</ref>
==Position of the PMR government advocates==
According to PMR advocates, the territory to the East of the [[Dniester River]] never belonged either to Romania, nor to its predecessors, such as the [[Principality of Moldavia]]. (The first part of the statement is obviously true.) This territory was split off from the [[Ukrainian SSR]] in a political maneuver of the [[USSR]] to become a seed of the [[Moldavian SSR]] (in a manner similar to the creation of the [[Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic|Karelo-Finnish SSR]]). In 1990, a ''Pridnestrovian Moldavian SSR'' was proclaimed in the region by a number of conservative local Soviet officials opposed to [[perestroika]]. (This was immediately declared void by the then president of the Soviet Union [[Mikhail Gorbachov]].)
At the [[dissolution of the Soviet Union]] in [[1991]], Moldova, Transnistrian region included, became independent. Furthermore, the PMR side brings forth the manner in which the Republic of Moldova declared independence, by stating that it considers the [[Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact]] to be null and void. The PMR side argues that if this is so, then the Moldovans themselves have agreed to relinquish Transnistria as this territory never belonged to Moldova, nor to Romania before the signing of the agreement between the [[USSR]] and [[Nazi Germany]].
==Position of the Moldova advocates==
The Republic of Moldova considers itself the rightful [[successor state]] to the Moldavian SSR (which was guaranteed the right to [[secession]] from the Soviet Union under the [[1977 Soviet Constitution|last version of Soviet Constitution]]). By the principle of [[territorial integrity]], Moldova claims that any form of secession from the state without the consent of the central Moldovan government is illegal.
It considers the current Transnistria-based PMR government to be illegitimate and not the rightful representative of the region's population, which has an ethnic [[Moldovans|Moldavian]]/[[Romanian people|Romanian]] [[plurality]] (39.9% as of 1989). The Moldovan side insists that Transnistria cannot exist as an independent political entity and must be reintegrated into Moldova.
According Moldovan sources, the political climate in Transnistria does not allow the free expression of the will of the people of the region and supporters of reintegration of Transnistria in Moldova are subjected to harassment, arbitrary arrests and other types of intimidation from separatist authorities.
Despite the self-proclaimed independence of the region, the majority of population (400,000 out of 542,000) took Moldovan citizenship<ref>[http://azi.md/news?ID=45205 Nearly 400 thousand transnistrians have Moldovan passports (Azi.md)]</ref>, which is considered by Moldova as a sign that the majority of the population oppose separatism.
==Border issues==
During the 1992 [[War of Transnistria]] some villages in the central part of Transnistria which geographically are situated on the eastern bank of [[Dniester]], rebelled against the new separatist [[Transnistria|PMR]] authorities and since then have been under effective [[Moldova|Moldovan]] control. Those villages are: [[Cocieri]], [[Vasilievca]], [[Molovata Nouă]], [[Roghi]], [[Corjova]], [[Mahala]], [[Coşniţa]], [[Pohrebea]], [[Pîrîta]], and [[Doroţcaia]]. The village of [[Corjova]], birthplace of Moldovan president [[Vladimir Voronin]], is in fact divided between PMR and Moldovan areas of control.
In [[2005]] PMR Militia entered Vasilievca, which is located over the strategic road linking [[Tiraspol]] and [[Rîbniţa]], but withdrew after a few days.<ref>[http://www.azi.md/news?ID=33404 Moldova AZI, Transnistrian Militia Withdrew Its Posts from Vasilievca, Accessed 2006-10-18]<br>{{ro icon}}[[Deutsche Welle]]: [http://www2.dw-world.de/romanian/politik/1.129357.1.html Separatist Transnistrian forces occupied Vasilievca]</ref>
At the same time, some areas which are geographically part of [[Basarabia|Bessarabia]] and not Transnistria are under [[Transnistria|PMR]] control. These areas consist of the city [[Tighina]] (Bendery in [[Russian language|Russian]]), and the villages of [[Proteagailovca]], a suburb of Tighina, and [[Gîsca]], [[Chiţcani, Moldova|Chiţcani]], [[Mereneşti]], [[Zahorna]], and [[Cremenciug]], south of Tighina, formally in the [[Căuşeni raion|Căuşeni district]] of Moldova.
The breakaway PMR authorities also claim the villages of [[Varniţa]], a suburb of Tighina, and [[Copanca]], south of Tighina, in the [[Căuşeni raion|Căuşeni district]], but these villages remain under Moldovan control.
These territorial disputes led to the tense situations several times. In [[2005]] PMR Militia entered Vasilievca,<ref>[http://www.azi.md/news?ID=33404 Moldova AZI, Transnistrian Militia Withdrew Its Posts from Vasilievca], accessed [[2006]]-[[10-18]]</ref> and in 2006 there were tensions around Varniţa. In 2007 there was a confrontation between Moldovan and PMR forces in the Dubăsari-Cocieri area; however, there were no casualties.
According to Moldovan sources the mayor of the village [[Corjova]], which is under Moldovan control, was "arrested" by the PMR militsia (police) together with a councillor of Moldovan-controlled part of Dubăsari district in 13 May 2007.<ref>[http://conflict.md/stiri.php?ID=2467 INEFFECTIVENESS OF PEACEKEEPING MECHANISM LEADS TO INCIDENTS IN MOLDOVA'S SECURITY ZONE]</ref>
==See also==
* [[Demographics of Transnistria]]
* [[Four Pillars of Transnistria]]
* [[War of Transnistria]]
* [[Ukraine-Transnistria border customs conflict]]
==External links==
===Transnistrian side===
* [http://www.pridnestrovie.net/taxonomy/term/42 Pridnestrovie.net's ''Independence'' category]
* [http://members.icdiss.org/pmr/b219.pdf State sovereignty of PMR under international law (pdf)]
===Moldovan side===
* [http://eurojournal.org/index.php?id=C0_5_1 EuroJournal.org's ''Transnistria'' category]
* [http://www.moldova.org/download/eng/510/ Trilateral Plan for Solving the Transnistrian Issue] (developed by Moldova-Ukraine-Romania expert group)
===Others===
=====International organizations=====
* [http://www.osce.org/moldova/13426.html OSCE Mission to Moldova: Conflict resolution and negotiation category]
* [http://www.ecmi.de/jemie/download/1-2004Chapter4.pdf Marius Vahl and Michael Emerson, "Moldova and the Transnistrian Conflict" (pdf)] in "Europeanization and Conflict Resolution: Case Studies from the European Periphery", JEMIE - Journal on Ethnopolitics and Minority Issues in Europe, 1/2004, Ghent, Belgium
* [http://iss.europa.eu/occasion/occ60.pdf Research on the European Union and the conflict in Transnistria ]
* [http://www.nycbar.org/PressRoom/PressRelease/2006_0502c.htm New York City Bar: Russia’s Activities in Moldova Violate International Law]
=====Ukrainian side=====
* [http://www.ipp.md/comentarii1.php?l=en&id=38 The Plan for the Transnistrian Conflict Settlement Proposed by Ukraine]
=====Romanian side=====
* [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.countries.romania/browse_thread/thread/94a3f9e8d1e0137c Viorel Dolha "All about Transnistria"]
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
==References==
# {{cite book
| author = Oleksandr Pavliuk, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze
| title = The Black Sea Region: Cooperation and Security Building
| publisher = EastWest Institute
| id = ISBN 0-7656-1225-9
}}
# {{cite book
| author = Janusz Bugajski
| title = Toward an Understanding of Russia: New European Perspectives
| id = ISBN 0-87609-310-1
| pages = page 102
}}
# {{cite news
| url = http://stiri.rol.ro/stiri/2005/12/transnistria_alegeri_nerecunoscute.htm
| title = Transnistria: alegeri nerecunoscute
| publisher = Ziua
| date = [[December 13]], [[2005]]
}}
# {{cite book
| editor = James Hughes, Gwendolyn Sasse (editors)
| title = Ethnicity and Territory in the Former Soviet Union: Regions in conflict
| publisher = Routledge Ed.
| id = ISBN 0-7146-5226-1
}}
[[Category:Politics of Moldova]]
[[Category:Transnistria]]
[[Category:Independence movements]]