Documentation of means of transport in Transnistrian region with neutral registration numbers remains functional

Chisinau, 1 Sep. /MOLDPRES/- Chisinau ensures the residents of the Transnistrian region, which is temporarily not under the control of the constitutional authorities, the right to register their means of transport (except for those engaged in commercial activity) with neutral registration numbers and to access international traffic in accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of 8 November 1968, the Reintegration Policy Office has reported.

The procedure is regulated by Law No170/2018 regarding the registration of some means of transport and the amendment of some legislative acts adopted as a result of the implementation of a commitment agreed in the negotiation process for the Transnistrian regulation in the 5+2 format, included in the so-called Berlin plus package.

The mentioned legislative act entered into force on 1 September 2018 and does not limit in time the applicability of the neutral number mechanism for means of transport introduced to the left of the Dniester and the municipality of Bender after this date.

For the means of transport that were in the region before the entry into force of the stated law, the term of action of the mechanism was initially fixed for an interval of 2 years (until September 1, 2020), and by Law No180/2020 has been extended until 1 September 2022.

Thus, the inhabitants of the Transnistrian region can continue to benefit from the services provided by the Public Services Agency at two vehicle registration points, located in the cities of Tiraspol and Rîbnița, and those who own or will acquire means of transport introduced after September 1, 2018 will be able to documents with neutral plates in accordance with the existing legal norms.

Also, residents of the administrative-territorial units on the left of the Dniester and the municipality of Bender have the right to register their means of transport with national numbers based on the general legal provisions, as well as natural and legal persons from the other localities of the country.

Just as participation in car traffic outside the country is only allowed with national or international permits, the authorities continue to offer the inhabitants of the Transnistrian region a simplified exchange mechanism and without the support of additional evidence, with obtaining the driving license of the Republic of Moldova.

Although the statistics show the increasing interest of the residents of the Transnistrian region for these public services offered by the authorities of the Republic of Moldova, which ensure their right to access international road traffic, Tiraspol is defying the agreed agreements and blocking under a false pretext, starting from 29 December 2021 and until now, the provision of primary car registration services in accordance with Law No170/2018.

Photo: Reintegration Policy Office