First neutral-design licence plates released in Tiraspol

Chisinau, 10 September /MOLDPRES/ - The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, Franco Frattini, handed over the first Moldovan neutral-design licence plates to four first applicants at a Vehicle Registration Office (VRO) in Tiraspol today.

This became possible after Chisinau and Tiraspol had fulfilled the commitment to open two offices for vehicles’ registration in Tiraspol and Rabnita cities from the left bank of Dniester. These offices were inaugurated on 1 September this year and have worked in testing regime so far.   

„ A fully operational mechanism that allows vehicles to participate in international road traffic brings tangible benefits to the population. It is a confirmation of the commendable engagement and political will of the leaderships in Chisinau and Tiraspol to make progress in the settlement process,” Special Representative Frattini said. 

Commenting on the event, the OSCE mediator and new Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, Claus Neukirch, praised Chisinau and Tiraspol for following the output-based approach to advancing the negotiations. “It is very reassuring to see how the outputs of the tireless efforts undertaken by the Sides on the ground are benefiting the lives of people on both banks. The breakthrough we all witness today is the result of the local ownership and the growing trust between the two Sides, which will be the driving force to finalize the remaining issues by the end of 2018 as agreed upon in the Rome Protocol,” Neukirch said.

According to a press release of the OSCE Mission, since the beginning of 2018, in addition to the licence plate agreement, the Sides have implemented agreements on the access to the Dubasari farmland, the functioning of Latin-script schools on the left bank, the apostilization of Transdniestrian university diplomas and the opening of the Gura Bicului – Bychok bridge. With the resolution of the issues related to the freedom of movement, criminal cases and the implementation of the telecommunication agreement, the Sides will have met their commitment, documented in the 5+2 Rome Protocol, to have fully finalized the “package of eight” by the end of 2018.  

Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, Franco Frattini is visiting Moldova on 9 and 10 September. 

(Reporter N. Sandu, editor M. Jantovan)