The OSCE Delegation meeting in Pridnestrovie

Meeting with the OSCE delegation led by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani took place today in Bendery. The Pridnestrovian delegation, which included the PMR Supreme Council Deputy Chairman Galina Antyufeeva and the PMR Minister of Foreign Affairs Vitaly Ignatiev, was headed by the PMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky.

According to the press service of the President, this is the first visit to Pridnestrovie of the North Macedonian Chairmanship. The agenda agreed upon by the parties was full of issues that require urgent solutions. The fundamental goal is to outline ways to bring the negotiation process between Pridnestrovie and Moldova out of deep stagnation. If earlier it was about the need to intensify the peaceful dialogue and direct it towards the practical implementation of the agreements, now we need tools for a restart. The format of the “Permanent Conference…” has been idle for the fourth year. Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau failed to change the situation for the better during the chairmanship of the OSCE last year. Moreover, it has aggravated noticeably. The participants of today's meeting outlined the focus on constructive interaction and expressed the hope that 2023 will be more fruitful. Vadim Krasnoselsky called the current visit of the OSCE delegation necessary, emphasizing that its importance is growing due to the geopolitical situation around the republic. The PMR President assessed it as explosive.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani confirmed the importance of maintaining the format of the “Permanent Conference...” in the most difficult geopolitical realities, and expressed gratitude to Pridnestrovie for the support of Ukrainian citizens temporarily staying on the territory of Pridnestrovie. The diplomat considers that the negotiation process should continue – both in the "5 + 2" or "1 + 1" format, and at the level of expert (working) groups.

The European politician spoke about the discriminatory legislative innovations of Moldova, which infringe on the rights and freedoms of Pridnestrovians.

Other issues of concern to both the leadership and citizens of Pridnestrovie were discussed in the course of the meeting in addition to the adoption by the neighboring state of the norms of criminal legislation that provoke the persecution of citizens of Pridnestrovie for political reasons. This is the activation of pressure from Moldova, which intensified with the closure of the Pridnestrovian-Ukrainian border; banking and financial blockade; transport and logistics, foreign economic, administrative and bureaucratic restrictions that infringe on the interests, rights and freedoms of citizens of Pridnestrovie and business entities of the republic; militarization of Moldova; attempts to discredit the current peacekeeping format and the desire to replace it.

Photos are from the website of the PMR President