Tiraspol blocks humanitarian aid talks amid energy crisis
Although political representatives from Tiraspol claim safety concerns as their reason for not attending meetings in Chișinău, the same individuals move freely on the right bank of the Dniester River on various occasions, raising questions, according to Oleg Serebrian, the Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration.
These statements were made following Tiraspol's refusal to participate in working meetings aimed at providing humanitarian aid to the region's residents.
"Unfortunately, Mr. Ignatiev's categorical refusal to accept our proposal has canceled this opportunity. We acknowledge this with both regret and bewilderment. The regret stems from the fact that hundreds of thousands of citizens awaiting this meeting and its outcomes, people facing hardship in all localities on the left bank of the Dniester and in Bender Municipality, remain without substantial support. They are being used as human shields by the separatist regime, which acts in the service of foreign interests," stated Serebrian.
The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted that, despite Tiraspol's claims of being under threat, the same individuals have traveled without difficulty to the right bank of the Dniester. "Practically all recent meetings and working groups have taken place in Bender or in a restricted format under false pretenses. Meanwhile, these same individuals have privately crossed to the right bank of the Dniester, and this can be demonstrated," Serebrian added.
"I publicly regret accommodating Tiraspol's request and accepting their conditions, even though no danger exists. Tiraspol can come to Chișinău for meetings, and we continue to await them. We will no longer apply the same solutions used in 2023-2024," declared the Deputy Prime Minister.
According to the Bureau for Reintegration Policies, Tiraspol rejected Chișinău's proposal to organize a meeting of political representatives involved in negotiations over the Transnistrian conflict. The agenda included discussions on humanitarian aid for the Transnistrian region and solutions to the energy and social crises. Chișinău even suggested holding the meeting via video conference, but this proposal was also declined.
It should be noted that the Russian company Gazprom halted natural gas deliveries to the Transnistrian region starting January 1. This has led to widespread disconnections from gas, hot water, and central heating across most localities.
Experts suggest that the ongoing energy and social crisis on the left bank of the Dniester River has been deliberately engineered by the Russian Federation as part of a broader strategy to destabilize Moldova ahead of this year's parliamentary elections. This situation could be leveraged to gain political capital, with the opposition positioning itself as "saviors" in the eyes of the electorate.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
