Tiraspol removes 15 mobile control posts illegally set during pandemic

Chisinau, 21 July /MOLDPRES/ - Tiraspol has removed 15 illegal posts out of those 37 illegally set in the Security Zone during the emergency situation connected with the COVID-19 pandemic. The information was confirmed by the Joint Military Command, following efforts taken by the Reintegration Policies Bureau, Deputy Prime Minister Cristina Lesnic and Moldova’s Delegation to the Joint Control Commission (JCC), the Reintegration Policies Bureau has reported.     

Thus, six mobile posts were removed from the North Bender district, three posts – from Merenesti-Tiraspol, the posts from Proteagailovca, Harbovat, Dzerjinscoie, Pohrebea, Cosnita and Dorotcaia.  

„Neither the Reintegration Policies Bureau, nor the Moldovan Delegation to JCC want the worsening of the situation; on the contrary, they speak out for the peaceful settlement of the Transnistrian conflict,’’ Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Cristina Lesnic said.   

Military observers are to inspect the left posts, in line with the JCC’s decision from 2 July. The inspection will take place at an insistent request by Chisinau Delegation to the Joint Control Commission, in order to ascertain the illegal and abusive character of the control posts set by Tiraspol in the Security Zone.    

Under the pretext of epidemiological measures, Tiraspol set 37 border guards’ control posts without the Join Control Commission’s agreement, which hinder the free movement of people between the two banks of Dniester, as well as the access of about 50,000 residents from the Security Zone to basic services. The setting of these additional posts represents a defiance not only of the ceasefire agreement from 21 July 1992, but also of the Odessa one, signed on 20 March 1998, which at that time also was condemning the presence of border guards in the Security Zone and was stipulating their gradual withdrawal.   

Chisinau notified the mediators and observers in the process of Transnistrian conflict settlement, as well as the international community about the infringements committed by the Transnistrian side, insisting on the immediate and unconditional removal of these posts.

The last comprehensive information on the situation in the Security Zone was sent to all mediators and observers in the 5+2 format of negotiations by the chief negotiator on behalf of Chisinau, Cristina Lesnic on 15 July 2020. At the same time, Chisinau has repeatedly asked the OSCE Mission to intervene for the inspection and documenting of incidents, under the document signed in 2004, which confirms the principles of cooperation between JCC and the OSCE Mission.  

Moldova’s Delegation to JCC will continue the process of observation and monitoring of the situation and to notify any new incident, which might be fixed against the background of the epidemiological situation, without the Commission’s agreement.