Transnistria: o Reintegrare treptata
Transnistria: A gradual Reintegration

Author(s): Nicu Popescu, Leonid Litră
Subject(s): International relations/trade, Security and defense, Transformation Period (1990 - 2010)
Published by: IDIS VIITORUL Institutul pentru Dezoltare şi Initiative Sociale
Keywords: Transnistria; separation; reintegration; Moldova;
Summary/Abstract: Of all the post-Soviet secessionist conflicts, the one in Transnistria has long been perceived as the most "solvable." There is little ethnic hatred and most stakeholders accept, in principle, the need to reintegrate Transnistria into Moldova. The election of a new Transnistrian leader and the support given to the issue by German Chancellor Angela Merkel as part of the security dialogue with Russia have also fueled hopes of a solution to the conflict. However, the conflict will not be resolved through a diplomatic offensive. A quick and reckless solution, based on a big deal with Russia, would almost certainly affect Moldova's integration into the EU. Instead, the EU and Moldova should pursue a bottom-up de facto reintegration policy. The EU should maintain high-level diplomatic pressure on Russia to expand the scale of confidence-building measures between the Republic of Moldova and Transnistria, changing peacekeeping arrangements, and eliminating military checkpoints. The EU should also expand its interaction with the Transnistrian authorities through joint projects and look for ways to connect the region to EU-Moldova cooperation, including free trade. But by far the most important contribution of the EU to the conflict settlement process will come from a firm policy of anchoring Moldova in Europe by supporting the reform process, a visa-free regime and free trade between the EU. and Moldova.

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