Former deputy premier of Russia to be replaced as special representative for Transnistrian region

Chisinau, 22 June /MOLDPRES/- Former Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Rogozin, who also served as special representative of Moscow for the Transnistrian region, will be replaced in this post. The Russian media referring to the authorities writes that the decision is due to “Rogozin’s appointment as head of Roscosmos and issues of Transnistria”.

Rogozin, appointed in May as general manager at "Roscosmos", will not keep the position of special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for the Transnistrian region. Thus, this post, held by Rogozin in 2012, has become vacant. This was informed by sources close to the Moldovan president, the leader of Transnistria and the Kremlin administration, according to rbc.ru. “We will appoint another person in this position," Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Russia will have two representatives for Moldova. One will lead the Moldovan-Russian intergovernmental commission and the other will perform the duties of special representative of the Russian president for the Transnistrian region. Earlier, Rogozin had accumulated both missions.

Sources in Tiraspol said they expect a new special representative to be appointed in the nearest future in order to get involved in the agenda of the region’s work planned for 2018.

Rogozin was appointed Kremlin's special representative in Tiraspol in March 2012 by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, but he held the position after the investiture of May of the same year of the re-elected president, Vladimir Putin.

During his activity as responsible for unrecognized Transnistria, Rogozin managed the financing of several social projects through a public association called "Eurasian Integration". The same structure, along with Rogozin, actively supported the former so-called leader of Transnistria, Yevgeny Shevchuk, who held the office until 2016 when he lost the election against his counter-candidate, Vadim Krasnoselski.

Many experts believe that as Russia’s special representative, Rogozin failed to bring recognition of Transnistria and ensure Transnistrian companies access to the Russian markets.

"The results of his work are controversial. Rogozin faced several problems, and he also had many responsibilities in the government. However, there are several issues left to be resolved on this segment, due to be settled by the one who will replace him," State Duma MP Konstantin Zatulin said.

On 28 July 2017, Rogozin planned  a visit to Chisinau, intending to participate in the 25th anniversary of the peacekeeping operation in the Transnistrian region. Romania banned the plane, with the Russian official on board, from transiting its airspace, and as a result the ship landed in Minsk. Later, Rogozin posted on social networks more insulting posts against Romania and the Moldovan government declared Rogozin an undesirable person.

(Reporter L. Grubîi, editor A. Răileanu)