Alexander Korshunov answered questions from RIA News agency

Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic Alexander Korshunov answered questions from RIA News agency about the conduct of voting in the presidential elections of the Russian Federation in Pridnestrovie and about provocations on the day of election.

- How would you comment on the Pridnestrovian vote in the Russian Presidential elections? What does the desire of citizens to take part in voting and the long queues indicate?

Pridnestrovie is a multinational republic. Representatives of 72 nationalities and nationalities live in peace and harmony in the PMR: Moldovans, Ukrainians, Russians, Bulgarians, Armenians, Gagauz, etc. Citizens of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic can have dual citizenship, according to the law. Many Pridnestrovians have citizenship of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, and Bulgaria. Pridnestrovie does not prevent the participation of its citizens in the democratic processes of the countries of their second citizenship. There are more than 220 thousand citizens of the Russian Federation in our republic. Therefore, citizens of the Russian Federation living in Pridnestrovie traditionally actively participate in voting in the elections of the President of Russia.

According to the data presented, 46179 Pridnestrovian Russians took part in the voting this year. This takes into account the minimum number of open polling stations. Let me remind you that 24 polling stations were opened in 2018 in Pridnestrovie during the presidential elections of the Russian Federation, and almost 74 thousand people took part in voting then. It can be stated that due to the small number of polling stations, not everyone was able to vote this year.

I would especially like to emphasize that Pridnestrovian Russians stand in queues for hours at the polling station in order to be involved in the great democratic process.

Pridnestrovians have felt the support of Russia since the very moment of the creation of our state. This is peace on the banks of the Dniester first of all: the peacekeeping format, which has been in force for more than 30 years, has proven its effectiveness, and the need to preserve it is beyond doubt.

It is important to note the humanitarian aspect of the PMR’s interaction with the Russian Federation, starting with various social and youth projects, connections in the scientific and cultural spheres, and ending with economic support at critical moments (economic blockade of 2006, flood of 2008, etc.).

Residents of Pridnestrovie who have Russian citizenship are grateful to the Russian Federation for the opportunity to exercise their constitutional right and join the large electoral process in order to take part in voting for the election of the President of the Russian Federation.

- Unprecedented security measures were taken during these elections. An incident occurred in a military unit in Tiraspol. Do you think this scared the Pridnestrovians? Did the special services of Pridnestrovie cope with the assigned tasks?

Yes, we assumed the possibility of provocations at the polling stations, so security measures were taken. I can state that the voting process itself was organized at a very high level – there was no crowding, no conflicts either near the polling stations or inside. It is important that the expression of the will of Russian citizens in Pridnestrovie was free, without pressure and violations.

Regarding the incident, the loitering munition attack on a military unit in Tiraspol, of course, caused alarm among both citizens and government authorities. This provocation causes concern and tension. Pridnestrovie is a peace-loving state, we call for all issues to be resolved at the negotiating table.

Based on the incident, the investigative authorities of Pridnestrovie opened a criminal case under the article “sabotage”. A special examination has been appointed to determine the composition of the explosives with which the loitering munition was stuffed.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pridnestrovie drew attention to the fact that the silencing by individual actors of the unprecedented terrorist threat to Pridnestrovie, expressed by a series of terrorist attacks over the past three years, is a negative factor provoking the continuation of terrorist attacks. The appeal to take an active position in order to suppress terrorist actions against peaceful Pridnestrovie was sent to participants in the “5+2” negotiation format.

- How do you feel about Vladimir Putin’s victory in these elections? What does this support from Russian citizens tell Vladimir Putin?

97% of Russian citizens who voted at polling stations cast their votes for Russian presidential candidate Vladimir Putin in Pridnestrovie. In Russia, support for the current president is more than 87%. I am sure that such staggeringly high levels of citizen trust speak volumes. First of all, the fact that today the citizens of the Russian Federation do not imagine another contender for this high position, they see positive changes within their country and understand that Russia is one of the strongest players in the international arena.

The election of Vladimir Putin as President of the Russian Federation is a democratic, legitimate and constitutional choice of citizens of the Russian Federation. Therefore, it would be illogical not to accept and respect this choice.

- How do you plan to further develop relations with the new Government of Russia? What issues does Moscow need to pay attention to first?

Pridnestrovie despite serious geopolitical upheavals will continue to develop relations with the new Government of the Russian Federation. This is trade and economic cooperation, the humanitarian sphere – educational programs and medical joint projects, science and culture. Investments are important to us, although in the current conditions of the blockade from Moldova, when Pridnestrovian enterprises cannot export products and contracts with customers are violated, this is difficult to do.

First of all, we would like Moscow to pay attention to the preservation of peace and security on both banks of the Dniester, to the preservation of the peacekeeping format and the resumption of the negotiation process on the Moldovan-Pridnestrovian settlement (in the “5+2” format).