The Pridnestrovians - Pioneers

January 28 – is the significant date in the history of the Pridnestrovian capital and the state as a whole. This day, a quarter-century ago Tiraspol held referendum, which clearly favored giving the city the status of an independent territory on the principles of self-government, regional self-financing and self-financing with full equality of languages. The question of the advisability of entering Tiraspol into Pridnestrovian ASSR in case of its creation was listed on the ballot as the second item.

The idea to express the will of the people by means referendum was not born suddenly, for that matter, and the decision to influence the fate of the region. Its inhabitants, speaking strongly against the pro-Romanian future, in August-September 1989, initiated and actively participated in political strikes. The main requirement at the time - was the introduction in Moldavia two state languages, Russian and Moldavian. Mostly Russian-speaking inhabitants of Tiraspol could not accept the imposed Romanian language and Latin script.

Labor collectives conducted preparatory and organizational work for the Referendum. They took care of all the expenses. Meetings were held everywhere in support of the referendum. The appeals were heard from all the platforms, newspaper pages, leaflets. The result of this campaign became the highest turnout.

Interesting detail: future Pridnestrovians became pioneers in holding referendums on the territory of the former USSR. For more than seventy years of Soviet history that no one took advantage of the opportunity. Perhaps the fact that nobody realized the right until now, has been all these years, in fact, completely declarative. The Institute Referendum was in Constitution, but the corresponding law in Soviet history was not accepted. It appeared only in December 1990 and gave the inhabitants of Pridnestrovie the legitimate opportunity to demonstrate democracy in practice, not in theory. There was a wave of referendums in the region. The first took place in Rybnita December 3, 1989.

Taking into account the lack of legal framework of the Soviet Union the basic law, provisions have been made on the referendum (popular vote) in Rybnitsa and Rybnitsa district. According to this document referendum is valid if it is attended by more than 50% of voters. The issue shall be adopted if it has received more than half of the votes. 81.1% inhabitants of Rybnitsa responded referendum to the call to participate in the first in the Soviet and post-Soviet history.

Tiraspol voted for its vision of further development of the state January 28, 1990. The third on the list was Rashkovo, an ancient village in Kamenka region, a large part of its population - hereditary Ukrainians. In their midst soared mood associated with the restoration of the historic, according to villagers, justice - the re-establishment of autonomy. This idea was based on the existence in the 1924-1940 of Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic as a part of the Ukrainian SSR. Referendum was held March 25, 1990 in Rashkovo. More than 95% of its residents voted for joining the Pridnestrovian autonomous republic.

The referendums was held in all localities of Pridnestrovie till the end of the year. 79% of the population took part in it. it was decided to hold meetings of citizens, which imposed the same questions as in referendums in Kamenka region, whose leaders were heavily influenced by Chisinau. 88% of voters attended it. According to the results of the all over Pridnestrovian results the future capital of Pridnestrovie had the highest electoral activity. Its polling stations reached 92.3% of city dwellers.

If we talk about the people who by a twist of fate and civic engagement were at the helm of the processes occurring in the country, it is impossible to ignore the capital activist Andrey Panteleevich Manoilov. The name of drivers Brigadier association "Tiraspoltrans", headed the commission for the referendum in Tiraspol, today is the name of the former Kommunisti4eskaya Street. This is one of the rarest case of renamed in the modern history of the region. This is a landmark decision for employees of Tiraspol united museum. It so happened that on the street, named after the person who created the Pridnestrovian State (Andrey Manoilov), located Military History Museum Staff Cavalry Brigade Gregory Kotovsky - a man in his time standing at the origins of MASSR.

In principle, all local referendums and citizens' assemblies carried out in 1989-1990, are the links of one chain, which is called a referendum to support the creation by Pridnestrovians of the new state. Republic became a child of democracy.

Later Pridnestrovians again and again held referendums as a way of people's will. March 17, 1991 they participated in a single-Union citizens voting on the preservation of the USSR. Nine months later, the population of the region has publicly stated a desire for independence of PMR. Another two referendums were held in 1995. This time there was voting for the Russian military presence in the republic, and later - for the Constitution of PMR and the entry into the CIS.

Officially not taken place, but, nevertheless, was organized April 6, 2003 held a referendum on amending the Constitution on the right of private ownership of land. Less than 40% of Pridnestrovians participated in it. Such a result - this is an indication as well. It clearly demonstrates, for example, that the question of manipulation of data by referendum in Pridnestrovie can not be carried out. If it did not take place, then it did not take place. Then, people were not ready to answer the question, and it is not the time to talk about the changes in this direction.

The situation is completely different with the referendum in 2006. September 17 absolute majority of Pridnestrovie voted for independence of Pridnestrovie followed by entry into the Russian Federation.

The decision to hold a referendum demonstrates the degree of importance of the issue: it is important to know the opinion of each. Pridnestrovians, which distinguishes active citizenship, rich experience in the use of this democratic instrument. With the help of it, we are building our own history.