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Books on Moldova
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Update No: 323 - (30/11/07)
The fall-out from Rome
Moldova cannot but be adversely affected by the rumpus developing between
Romania, its alter-ego, and Italy, in which Romanian crooks and worse, rapist
murderers, are now loose in Rome, Milan and elsewhere. It all certainly puts
back any prospect of Moldova following Romania soon into the EU fold. It is all
about subscribing to the Treaty of Rome after all.
This is anyway an unlikely eventuality so long as the territorial integrity of
the Moldovan state remains in question, although it remains a reasonable
long-term goal.
Moldova in crisis
Accusations of double standards are flying across the Dniester river, as
Pridnestrovie (also known informally as Transnistria) blames Moldova for saying
one thing but acting in a totally contrary way.
The issue: The first talks to resolve their differences in more than a year and
a half, which were supposed to be held in November in Madrid, but which had to
be called off after Moldova announced that it wouldn't take part. Pridnestrovie
had already confirmed its willingness to attend.
On 13 November 2007, a meeting was supposed to have taken place in Spain,
between representatives of the sides, mediators, and observers within (a
cumbersome title for a complex affair) the Permanent Conference on Political
Issues in the Framework of the "5+2" Moldova-Pridnestrovie Settlement
Negotiation Process. The meeting was planned as the first of its kind since the
talks were interrupted on 28 February 2006, when the representatives of Moldova
unilaterally and abruptly abandoned an ongoing session.
Mediators want talks back on track
Ever since Moldova walked away from the status settlement talks, representatives
of the three guarantor countries and mediators - Russia, Ukraine, and the OSCE -
as well as the two observers - the European Union and the United States - have
tried to kick start a resumption of the dialogue.
Over the past year, they have held numerous meetings without Moldova and
Pridnestrovie, and have had talks directly with the sides on a one-on-one basis.
But Moldova and Pridnestrovie have not sat down at the same table in the
"5+2" format since early 2006, when Moldova walked out.
Hoping to restart formal contacts between Chisinau and Tiraspol in the
"5+2" format, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Spanish Foreign Minister
Miguel Angel Moratinos, led an official delegation that visited the two capitals
in October. In Tiraspol, the delegation spoke to the PMR Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and the renegade and unrecognised country's president, Igor Smirnov.
On 31 October 2007, Pridnestrovie received a written invitation from the OSCE
Spanish Chairmanship to take part in the meeting of representatives from the
sides, mediators, and observers within the Permanent Conference on Political
Issues in Madrid. A week later, on 6 November 2007, Pridnestrovie's Foreign
Ministry confirmed in writing that it would be glad to participate in the
meeting.
Refusal to take part
Initially, just like Pridnestrovie, Moldova had also said that it wanted to
resume the 5+2 status settlement talks, that it accepted the OSCE invitation,
just as Pridnestrovie had already done, and that it was willing to go to Madrid.
But at the last moment, as the organizational matters of venue and time were
being coordinated, the Moldovan delegation, in the person of Moldovan Minister
of Reintegration ,Vasile Sova, refused to take part in the Madrid meeting,
according to an official statement by Pridnestrovie's Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. This, says the statement, means that "Chisinau once again
demonstrated its adherence to "double standards" in its approaches to
settlement of its relations with Tiraspol: in word declaring one thing, but in
deed practising quite another."
" - The ultimatum of breaking off the Madrid meeting," says Tiraspol,
" demonstrates once again to the international community the real policy of
the Moldovan authorities, aimed at exerting pressure on Pridnestrovie,
infringing on the rights of Pridnestrovian citizens, and forcing Pridnestrovie
to accept Chisinau's terms."
Initiatives on the economy
Moldova is now the poorest economy in Europe. It needs a new idea or two to get
out of its predicament.
Moldova is poised to set up special economic zones around airport transportation
terminals, the republic's government said adding that the cabinet had approved
respective amendments to the law on free enterprise. According to Moldova's
Economy and Trade Ministry, the move will help Moldova raise considerable
investment and attract cutting-edge technology to new areas.
Furthermore, free zones would be set up in traditional industrial centres and
communications hubs making them all the more attractive for investors. It is
presumed that the enlarged list of approved activities will enhance the
efficiency of Moldova's free economic zones, while transit wholesale services
provided globally are fairly profitable.
The major requirement for foreign trade activities that rules out any negative
effect domestically is that goods transited via free zones should not be
admitted to Moldova's market.
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