Moldova rebel region defiantly marks independence
President of Moldova's self-proclaimed separatist Dnestr region Igor Smirnov (R) shakes hands with army officers during Independence Day celebrations in Tiraspol on Thursday. Moldova's separatist Dnestr region celebrated 20 years of self-styled independence. (Reuters)
Published: Sep 3, 2010 00:44 Updated: Sep 3, 2010 00:58
TIRASPOL, Moldova: Shunned by the world community and held at arms length even by its main ally Russia, Moldova's tiny rebel Transdniestria defiantly marked 20 years of unilateral independence in full Soviet style on Thursday.
Tanks rolled down the capital's main thoroughfare in a show of saber rattling while veteran separatist leader Igor Smirnov praised Russia for keeping its troops there as a guarantor of stability and attacked "nationalist fascists" in Moldova.
A ragged strip of land running down Moldova's eastern border with Ukraine, Transdniestria, population 600,000, is not recognized internationally by any country.
But Smirnov, who has led the territory since it broke with Chisinau in 1990, said the examples of Kosovo and Georgia's South Ossetia and Abkhazia showed that time was on Transdniestria's side.
"We have the attributes to be recognized," he said.
Analysts see no breakthrough in prospect to end the Transdniestria conundrum — one of four "frozen" conflicts left over from the Soviet Union's breakup.
Russian-speaking secessionist leaders said they broke with Chisinau because they were worried that Moldova would unite with Romania — with which Moldova has linguistic, historical and cultural links — leaving them stranded in an alien environment.
Separatist forces went on to fight a brief war with Moldova in 1992 in which several hundred people were killed before a cease-fire was agreed.
Even though its fears of a Moldovan union with Romania proved unjustified, Transdniestria continued to go it alone, wrapped in a time warp of Soviet traditions and trappings.
Thursday's ceremony had all the pomp of a Soviet-style festival, set on a small stage.
Stirring national music rang across Tiraspol's Suvorov square and verse recited over loudspeakers lauded 20 years of building a prosperous society.
"Grad" missiles were towed down the street following a tank display and military march past.
Russian investment has poured in in the past 20 years.
Many in the West and in Moldova say the territory has long since become a "black hole" in Europe and a hotbed of crime, money laundering and trafficking. Transdniestrian authorities deny this.
The role of up to 1,200 Russian peacekeeping troops is a constant irritant for Moldova, now led by a pro-Western coalition which wants to take the nation into the European Union.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has urged Moscow several times to withdraw its forces but they remain in place, despite promises by Moscow to pull them out.
At the same time, Moscow has shown little interest in Smirnov's call for Transdniestria to be integrated into the Russian Federation, nor has it responded to his regular calls for it to increase the size of its forces.
"A settlement depends almost entirely on a willingness by Moscow to withdraw its troops and stop supporting the separatist Transdniestrian regime," said David Kramer, a former US representative in international talks, on a settlement.
"Absent Russian support, the conflict would move toward resolution fairly quickly. But I see no signs of Russian interest in solving the problem," he told Reuters.
Seeing some movement toward a settlement is, however, vital for Moldova's new leaders who are striving to get a firmer grip on power after ousting the communists.
A referendum in Moldova next Sunday is expected to approve switching to electing the president by popular vote — something the new leaders hope will strengthen their hold.
Long-running talks on Transdniestria under the OSCE, Russia and Ukraine have borne little fruit. Equally, attempts by Moldova to put economic pressure on the territory have had little effect.
On the eve of the ceremony, the Chisinau leadership issued a statement urging foreign governments not to take part in the celebrations, saying they were led by forces that wanted to preserve the old Soviet Union.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov turned down an invitation to attend but sent his ambassador from Chisinau.
