Reintegration office disapproves extension of quarantine period until 15 May in localities on left bank of Dniester

Chisinau, 26 March /MOLDPRES/- The Office for Reintegration Policies reiterates its position, disapproving the new "decision" of the Tiraspol exponents to extend the quarantine regime until 15 May 2021, while maintaining the same restrictions on the free movement of many categories of citizens, which have lasted for more than a year, the Office for Reintegration has reported.

During this period, not at all easy, the Office shows solidarity with the massive number of citizens on both banks of the Dniester who are unable to access vital services, jobs, localities of residence, respectively, are limited in achieving the inalienable right to free movement throughout the country, arbitrarily restricted by Tiraspol, under the alleged pretext of managing the epidemiological crisis and avoiding the risks of infection.

This state of affairs arouses deep indignation in the context in which such restrictions were not imposed on the right bank of the Dniester despite the worsening pandemic situation in the eastern districts of the country, the representatives of the region move without any impediments on the territory, but also across the state border, and the Moldovan authorities provide multidimensional assistance to the population in the eastern districts of the country (transfer of patients in serious condition to hospitals on the right bank of the Dniester, directing quotas from humanitarian aid lots for the Republic of Moldova, including medical equipment and protection, doses of anti-Covid-19 vaccine etc.).

Although, since the beginning of the pandemic, the Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration and the Bureau have taken countless steps through the communication channel of political representatives, and launched calls for involvement through all dialogue platforms with mediators and observers in the 5 + 2 negotiation format and with Moldova's international partners, unfortunately the appropriate reactions from Tiraspol are missing, the human rights situation is very precarious, the rhetoric of confrontation and unfounded accusation of the Moldovan authorities is incessant, and the protection of public health requires immediate and joint interventions, according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the decisions of the Extraordinary National Commission for Public Health.

Thus, we reiterate the position of principle on the need to unconditionally unblock the free movement of residents on both banks of the Dniester, excluding discriminatory approaches, guaranteeing the protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms, respecting the rules and norms of health and epidemiological security, strengthening confidence between people on both sides and the elimination of unjustified obstacles.

photo: Office for Reintegration