Parliament Passes Law on Main Principles of Status for Transnistria

On Friday afternoon, the Moldovan Parliament approved in two readings the Law on the Main Provisions of a Special Legal Status for Populated Areas on the Left Dniester Bank (Transnistria).

The Provisions of this law will serve the basis for working out status for Transnistria. The Law reads that an autonomous-territorial unit, Transnistria, is established in Moldova. It is Moldova's inseparable part, and - within the plenary powers established by the Constitution and laws of Moldova - it decides questions within its jurisdiction.

The Law stipulates that populated localities on the left Dniester bank may join Transnistria or secede from it on the basis of local referendums and in conformity with the Moldovan legislation.

Transnistria's representative organ is the Supreme Soviet, which is the supreme organs of the Transnistrian legislative power. It is elected through free, transparent and democratic elections. Preparation to and holding of elections to the Transnistrian Supreme Soviet is carried out upon consent of the OSCE and International Electoral Commission under the OSCE mandate and under Council of Europe's monitoring.

The Transnistrian Supreme Soviet adopts the Main Law of Transnistria, and that Main Law may not be in contravention to the Constitution of Moldova.

The Supreme Soviet's plenary powers and the functions of the Transnistrian executive organ are determined through negotiations.

Courts, prosecution organs, the Transnistrian subdivisions of the Information and Security Service and of the Interior are integral parts of the Moldovan judicial and law enforcement organs.

Documentation in Transnistria and correspondence with Moldovan public governance organs, enterprises and organizations situated outside Transnistria are done in the Moldovan language (based on the Latin script) and in the Russian language.

The law permits Transnistria to establish and maintain external contacts in economic, scientific, technological, humanitarian fields in the order determined by the Moldovan legislation.

Land, waters, mineral resources in the Transnistrian territory are the property of the entire people of Moldova and, simultaneously, the economic basis of Transnistria.

All amendments to this Law shall only be introduced by three-fifths of the total number of deputies of the Moldovan Parliament.

President Vladimir Voronin has stated that the nation's intention to have Moldova reintegrated is irreversible.

Presenting the above-mentioned Law in parliament today, the head of state pointed out that its adoption needs not just an arithmetic majority - its needs a political support by all forces in the Parliament.

He stressed, "Moldova is not going to further watch our dear Transnistria being converted into a card of other people's political games... We are now defining our position once and forever. This position is in demilitarization and democratization of the region, and these are conditions for a full-scale Transnistrian settlement. We are thus reaffirming our permanent neutrality and fidelity to the values of democratic development".

He highlighted the importance of the fact that this document stipulates - for the first time ever on the level of the national legislation - the impossibility of using force at country reintegration.

In his words, people in Moldova presume that Transnistria should have its own Supreme Soviet, its own executive power, and that the Moldovan, Ukrainian and Russian languages can freely function in the region.

Vladimir Voronin stated the Moldovan leadership's openness and readiness to fix a list of internal social, political humanitarian guarantees to the population and legal entities.

"But one should not think that Chisinau will be sitting and waiting for changes to take place in Transnistria all by themselves. Chisinau shall be taking a very active part in the settlement negotiation process. We are ready and shall negotiate even with the current Tiraspol administration but only on questions of democratization and demilitarization. And such approach has been fixed in the Law", said President Voronin.

After the Law passing the head of state said he regards this law as "a historic event", and expressed gratitude to the parliamentarians for their political maturity.