Politics of Moldova
Encyclopedia
The politics of Moldova
takes place in a framework of a parliamentary
representative democratic
republic
, whereby the prime minister
is the head of government
and of a multi-party system
. Executive power
is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government
and parliament. The judiciary
is independent of the executive and the legislature. The position of the breakaway republic of Transnistria
, relations with Romania
, and integration into the EU
dominate the political agenda.
(Parlamentul) has 101 members, elected for a four year term by proportional representation
. The president is elected for a four year term by parliament.
, the Communists won 42 seats, while the Liberal-Democrats won 32, the Democratic Party won 15, and the Liberals won 12. This gave the Alliance for European Integration
59 seats, 2 short of the 61 needed to elect a President. The result thus maintained the status quo following the contemperaneous constitutional deadlock
.
Observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
and the Council of Europe
lauded the election.
|Marian Lupu
|Democratic Party
Alliance for European Integration
|30 December 2010
|-
|Prime Minister
|Vlad Filat
|Liberal Democratic Party
Alliance for European Integration
|25 September 2009
|}
The president is elected by the Parliament for a four-year term. According to the Moldovan constitution, the president, on consulting with the parliament, will designate a candidate for the office of prime minister; within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate will request a vote of confidence from the parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet. The cabinet is selected by prime minister-designate, subject to approval of parliament.
is divided into 32 raion
s, or raioane, 5 municipalities (Chişinău
, Bălţi
and Bender
), one autonomous region (Gagauzia
), and the breakaway region of Transnistria
, the status of which is disputed.
, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
has held committee hearings on irregularities that marred elections in Moldova, including arrests and harassment of opposition candidates, intimidation and suppression of independent media, and state run media bias in favor of candidates backed by the Communist-led Moldovan Government. Other critics have also referred to the Communist Party government as being authoritarian. Nevertheless, George W. Bush
stated that: "We note and welcome Moldova's positive record since independence in conducting free and fair elections and in implementing democratic reforms."
There have also been reports of politically motivated arrests and arrests without valid legal grounds. Such arrests are allegedly carried out against opponents of the Communist Party government of President Vladimir Voronin. In one case which was criticized by various Western organizations and individuals, opposition politician Valeriu Pasat was sentenced to ten years imprisonment on dubious grounds.
In recent months, the leadership of the autonomous region of Gagauzia has become more vocal in its complaints that the Moldovan Government does not respect the region's statutory-enshrined autonomy.
Moldova had successfully joined the World Trade Organization
and the Southeast European Stability Pact in 2001. Of primary importance have been the government's efforts to improve relations with the International Monetary Fund
and the World Bank
and to comply with agreements negotiated in 2000 by the former government. Agreement in these areas was critical, because large government debts that were due in 2002 had to be rescheduled. The government has made concerted efforts to find ways to pay for Moldova's energy supplies.
Politically the government is committed to present a budget that will deal with social safety net items such as health, education, and increasing pensions and salaries. The Moldovan Government supported democracy and human rights in FY 2001.
Political parties and other groups publish newspapers, which often criticize government policies. There are several independent news services, radio stations, and an independent television station. Peaceful assembly is allowed, though permits for demonstrations must be obtained; private organizations, including political parties, are required to register with the government. Legislation passed in 1992 codified freedom of religion but required that religious groups be recognized by the government.
A 1990 Soviet law and a 1991 Parliamentary decision authorizing formation of social organizations provide for independent trade unions. However, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Moldova
, successor to the former organizations of the Soviet trade union system, is the sole structure. It has tried to influence government policy in labor issues and has been critical of many economic policies. Moldovan labor law, which is based on former Soviet legislation, provides for collective bargaining rights.
are lured into the business with offers of high-salary jobs abroad, and are often trapped once out of the country. The U.S government urged Moldova to pass an anti-trafficking law in 2005, but due to a lack of enforcement, low regard of legal institutions, and unequal benchmark requirements, clear progress is difficult to ascertain. Organizations such as the International Organization for Migration
http://www.iom.md/ provide non-governmental support integral to helping victims. However, NGOs are often subject to domestic constraints and government interference in their work, complicating their operations.
The Moldovan Declaration of Independence clearly and directly claims Moldovan Sovereignty
over the territory of Transnistria
as it is "a component part of the historical and ethnic territory of our people". However the Moldovan Declaration of Independence is itself used as an argument against Moldovan sovereignty over Transnistria as it denounces the agreement of August 23, 1939 between the government of the USSR and the government of Germany
"null and void" being the only formal union between the two territories.
The population of the Moldovan region of Transnistria
is approximately 32% Moldovan, 31% Ukrainian, and 29% Russian. After failing to establish control over the breakaway region in the War of Transnistria
, Moldova offered a rather broad cultural and political autonomy to the region. The dispute has strained Moldova's relations with Russia. The July 1992 cease-fire agreement established a tripartite peacekeeping force composed of Moldovan, Russian, and Transnistrian units. Negotiations to resolve the conflict continue, and the cease-fire is still in effect. The OSCE is also trying to facilitate a negotiated settlement and has had an observer mission in place for several years.
Some progress by Russia in early 2000s in destroying the weapons and munitions of the Organized Group of Russian Forces stationed in Transnistria have raised hopes that Russia intends to comply with the 1999 Istanbul Accords.
The country remains divided, with the Transnistrian region along the Ukrainian
border controlled by separatist forces. The new communist government has shown increased determination to resolve the ongoing conflict, but has been unable to make any significant progress because of fundamental disagreements with the separatist authorities in Transnistria over the status of that region, as well as complex international political pressure exerted by the US, the OSCE, the EU and especially Russia.
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
takes place in a framework of a parliamentary
Parliamentary system
A parliamentary system is a system of government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their democratic legitimacy from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined....
representative democratic
Representative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
, whereby the prime minister
Prime Minister of Moldova
The Prime Minister of Moldova is Moldova's head of government. The prime minister is formally appointed by the President and exercises executive power along with the cabinet subject to parliamentary support.-Moldavian Democratic Republic :...
is the head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
and of a multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
. Executive power
Executive Power
Executive Power is Vince Flynn's fifth novel, and the fourth to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counter terrorism unit called the "Orion Team."-Plot summary:...
is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
and parliament. The judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
is independent of the executive and the legislature. The position of the breakaway republic of Transnistria
Transnistria
Transnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...
, relations with Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, and integration into the EU
Moldova and the European Union
Relations between Moldova and the European Union are currently shaped via the European Neighbourhood Policy , a foreign policy instrument of the EU designed for the countries it borders....
dominate the political agenda.
Legislative branch
The ParliamentParliament of the Republic of Moldova
The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova is a unicameral assembly with 101 seats. Its members are elected by popular vote every 4 years. The parliament then elects a president, who functions as the head of state...
(Parlamentul) has 101 members, elected for a four year term by proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
. The president is elected for a four year term by parliament.
Political parties and elections
In the 2010 Parliamentary electionMoldovan parliamentary election, 2010
A parliamentary election was held in Moldova on 28 November 2010 after indirect presidential elections failed for the second time in late 2009.-Pre-election developments:...
, the Communists won 42 seats, while the Liberal-Democrats won 32, the Democratic Party won 15, and the Liberals won 12. This gave the Alliance for European Integration
Alliance for European Integration
The Alliance for European Integration is the ruling coalition in Moldova since the July 2009 election.-Overall context :After April 2009 election and the civil unrest, the climate in Moldova became very polarised. The parliament failed to elect a new president. For this reason, the parliament was...
59 seats, 2 short of the 61 needed to elect a President. The result thus maintained the status quo following the contemperaneous constitutional deadlock
Moldovan constitutional referendum, 2010
The Moldovan referendum of 2010 was a nationwide referendum in Moldova held on 5 September on whether or not the country should amend the Constitution of Moldova to return to direct popular election of the president instead of 3/5 of total number of seats parliament vote as it is now...
.
Observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
and the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
lauded the election.
Executive branch
|Acting PresidentPresident of Moldova
The President of the Republic of Moldova is the head of state of Moldova.-Description of the post:According to the Article 77 of the Constitution of Moldova , the President of Moldova is the head of the State and represents the State and is the guarantor of national sovereignty, independence, of...
|Marian Lupu
Marian Lupu
Marian Lupu is a Moldovan politician and is President of Parliament and Acting President since 2010.-Background and education:...
|Democratic Party
Democratic Party of Moldova
The Democratic Party of Moldova is a social-democratic political party in Moldova.-Overview:In the legislative elections of 6 March 2005, the party was part of the Electoral Bloc Democratic Moldova , that won 28.4 % of the popular vote and 34 out of 101 seats. Inside the Bloc the party won 8 seats...
Alliance for European Integration
Alliance for European Integration
The Alliance for European Integration is the ruling coalition in Moldova since the July 2009 election.-Overall context :After April 2009 election and the civil unrest, the climate in Moldova became very polarised. The parliament failed to elect a new president. For this reason, the parliament was...
|30 December 2010
|-
|Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Moldova
The Prime Minister of Moldova is Moldova's head of government. The prime minister is formally appointed by the President and exercises executive power along with the cabinet subject to parliamentary support.-Moldavian Democratic Republic :...
|Vlad Filat
Vlad Filat
Vladimir Filat is a Moldovan politician, the Prime Minister of Moldova since 25 September 2009.- Education and early career :...
|Liberal Democratic Party
Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova
The Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova is a political party in the Republic of Moldova. The Party's Founding Congress was held on December 8, 2007 and Vlad Filat was elected as president....
Alliance for European Integration
Alliance for European Integration
The Alliance for European Integration is the ruling coalition in Moldova since the July 2009 election.-Overall context :After April 2009 election and the civil unrest, the climate in Moldova became very polarised. The parliament failed to elect a new president. For this reason, the parliament was...
|25 September 2009
|}
The president is elected by the Parliament for a four-year term. According to the Moldovan constitution, the president, on consulting with the parliament, will designate a candidate for the office of prime minister; within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate will request a vote of confidence from the parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet. The cabinet is selected by prime minister-designate, subject to approval of parliament.
Ministries
The sixteen Ministries of the Government of Moldova are:- Ministry of Internal Affairs of MoldovaMinistry of Internal Affairs (Moldova)The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova.-History:During the Moldavian Democratic Republic, Vladimir Cristi served as Director General for Internal Affairs....
- Ministry of FinanceMinistry of Finance (Moldova)The Ministry of Finance of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova.The current Minister is Veaceslav Negruţă, member of Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova ....
- Ministry of Transport and Roads InfrastructureMinistry of Transport and Roads Infrastructure (Moldova)The Ministry of Transport and Roads Infrastructure of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova.The current Minister is Anatolie Şalaru, member of Liberal Party of Moldova ....
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European IntegrationMinistry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (Moldova)The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova.The current Minister is Iurie Leancă, member of Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova ....
- Ministry of EconomyMinistry of Economy (Moldova)The Ministry of Economy of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova.The current Minister is Valeriu Lazăr, member of Democratic Party of Moldova ....
- Ministry of EducationMinistry of Education (Moldova)The Ministry of Education of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova.The current Minister is Leonid Bujor, member of Party Alliance Our Moldova ....
- Ministry of Construction and Regional DevelopmentMinistry of Construction and Regional Development (Moldova)The Ministry of Construction and Regional Development of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova.The current Minister is Marcel Răducan, member of Democratic Party of Moldova ....
- Ministry of Labor, Family and Social ProtectionMinistry of Labor, Family and Social Protection (Moldova)The Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Protection of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova.The current Minister is Valentina Buliga, member of Democratic Party of Moldova ....
- Ministry of DefenseMinistry of Defense (Moldova)The Ministry of Defence of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova.The current Minister is Vitalie Marinuţa, member of Liberal Party of Moldova ....
- Ministry of JusticeMinistry of Justice (Moldova)The Ministry of Justice of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova.The current Minister is Alexandru Tănase, member of Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova .-Ministers:...
- Ministry of Agriculture and Food IndustryMinistry of Agriculture and Food Industry (Moldova)The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova.The current Minister is Vasile Bumacov, member of the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova ....
- Ministry of HealthMinistry of Health (Moldova)The Ministry of Health of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova.The current Minister is Vladimir Hotineanu, member of Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova .-Ministers:...
- Ministry of CultureMinistry of Culture (Moldova)The Ministry of Culture of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova. Ministry was established on 27 May 1953.The current Minister is Boris Focşa, who is an independent but was linked indirectly to Dumitru Diacov an honorary member of Democratic Party of Moldova...
- Ministry of EnvironmentMinistry of Environment (Moldova)The Ministry of Environment of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova.The current Minister is Gheorghe Şalaru, member of Liberal Party of Moldova ....
- Ministry of Youth and SportsMinistry of Youth and Sports (Moldova)The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova.The current Minister is Ion Cebanu, member of Liberal Party of Moldova ....
- Ministry of Informational Technologies and CommunicationMinistry of Informational Technologies and Communication (Moldova)The Ministry of Informational Technologies and Communication of Moldova is one of the sixeteen ministries of the Government of Moldova.The current Minister is Alexandru Oleinic, member of Party Alliance Our Moldova ....
Judicial branch
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court is the sole authority of constitutional judicatureAdministrative divisions
MoldovaMoldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
is divided into 32 raion
Raion
A raion is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet countries. The term, which is from French rayon 'honeycomb, department,' describes both a type of a subnational entity and a division of a city, and is commonly translated in English as "district"...
s, or raioane, 5 municipalities (Chişinău
Chisinau
Chișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...
, Bălţi
Balti
Balti can refer to:* Balti language, a language spoken in Baltistan in Pakistan and Ladakh in Kashmir* Balti people, Muslims of Ladakhi/Tibetan origin from Baltistan in Pakistan and Ladakh in Kashmir...
and Bender
Bender, Moldova
Bender or Bendery, also known as Tighina is a city within the internationally recognized borders of Moldova under de facto control of the unrecognized Transnistria Republic since 1992...
), one autonomous region (Gagauzia
Gagauzia
Gagauzia , formally known as the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Găgăuzia , is an autonomous region of...
), and the breakaway region of Transnistria
Transnistria
Transnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...
, the status of which is disputed.
International organization participation
ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECISoutheast European Cooperative Initiative
The Southeast European Cooperative Initiative, or the SECI, has been an initiative that, under the auspices of men like Erhard Busek and Richard Schifter, has been successful in providing stability in an unstable region and has found support in international organizations and countries...
, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Issues
There is disagreement as to whether elections and politics in Moldova are carried out in a free and democratic climate on the part of certain organizations. The United States SenateUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
has held committee hearings on irregularities that marred elections in Moldova, including arrests and harassment of opposition candidates, intimidation and suppression of independent media, and state run media bias in favor of candidates backed by the Communist-led Moldovan Government. Other critics have also referred to the Communist Party government as being authoritarian. Nevertheless, George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
stated that: "We note and welcome Moldova's positive record since independence in conducting free and fair elections and in implementing democratic reforms."
There have also been reports of politically motivated arrests and arrests without valid legal grounds. Such arrests are allegedly carried out against opponents of the Communist Party government of President Vladimir Voronin. In one case which was criticized by various Western organizations and individuals, opposition politician Valeriu Pasat was sentenced to ten years imprisonment on dubious grounds.
In recent months, the leadership of the autonomous region of Gagauzia has become more vocal in its complaints that the Moldovan Government does not respect the region's statutory-enshrined autonomy.
Moldova had successfully joined the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
and the Southeast European Stability Pact in 2001. Of primary importance have been the government's efforts to improve relations with the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
and the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
and to comply with agreements negotiated in 2000 by the former government. Agreement in these areas was critical, because large government debts that were due in 2002 had to be rescheduled. The government has made concerted efforts to find ways to pay for Moldova's energy supplies.
Politically the government is committed to present a budget that will deal with social safety net items such as health, education, and increasing pensions and salaries. The Moldovan Government supported democracy and human rights in FY 2001.
Political parties and other groups publish newspapers, which often criticize government policies. There are several independent news services, radio stations, and an independent television station. Peaceful assembly is allowed, though permits for demonstrations must be obtained; private organizations, including political parties, are required to register with the government. Legislation passed in 1992 codified freedom of religion but required that religious groups be recognized by the government.
A 1990 Soviet law and a 1991 Parliamentary decision authorizing formation of social organizations provide for independent trade unions. However, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Moldova
Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Moldova
The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Moldova broke with the Moscow-based General Confederation of Trade Unions in 1992....
, successor to the former organizations of the Soviet trade union system, is the sole structure. It has tried to influence government policy in labor issues and has been critical of many economic policies. Moldovan labor law, which is based on former Soviet legislation, provides for collective bargaining rights.
Human trafficking
Due to the high rate of poverty, Moldova remains a large source-country of illegal sex workers that are exported to Western Europe and the Middle East. Because of pervasive corruption and a general lack of awareness, many victims of human traffickingHuman trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
are lured into the business with offers of high-salary jobs abroad, and are often trapped once out of the country. The U.S government urged Moldova to pass an anti-trafficking law in 2005, but due to a lack of enforcement, low regard of legal institutions, and unequal benchmark requirements, clear progress is difficult to ascertain. Organizations such as the International Organization for Migration
International Organization for Migration
The International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organization. It was initially established in 1951 as the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration to help resettle people displaced by World War II....
http://www.iom.md/ provide non-governmental support integral to helping victims. However, NGOs are often subject to domestic constraints and government interference in their work, complicating their operations.
Transnistria
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
over the territory of Transnistria
Transnistria
Transnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...
as it is "a component part of the historical and ethnic territory of our people". However the Moldovan Declaration of Independence is itself used as an argument against Moldovan sovereignty over Transnistria as it denounces the agreement of August 23, 1939 between the government of the USSR and the government of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
"null and void" being the only formal union between the two territories.
The population of the Moldovan region of Transnistria
Transnistria
Transnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...
is approximately 32% Moldovan, 31% Ukrainian, and 29% Russian. After failing to establish control over the breakaway region in the War of Transnistria
War of Transnistria
The War of Transnistria was a limited conflict that broke out in November 1990 at Dubăsari between pro-Transnistria forces, including the Transnistrian Republican Guard, militia and Cossack units, and supported by elements of the Russian 14th army, and pro-Moldovan forces, including Moldovan...
, Moldova offered a rather broad cultural and political autonomy to the region. The dispute has strained Moldova's relations with Russia. The July 1992 cease-fire agreement established a tripartite peacekeeping force composed of Moldovan, Russian, and Transnistrian units. Negotiations to resolve the conflict continue, and the cease-fire is still in effect. The OSCE is also trying to facilitate a negotiated settlement and has had an observer mission in place for several years.
Some progress by Russia in early 2000s in destroying the weapons and munitions of the Organized Group of Russian Forces stationed in Transnistria have raised hopes that Russia intends to comply with the 1999 Istanbul Accords.
The country remains divided, with the Transnistrian region along the Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
border controlled by separatist forces. The new communist government has shown increased determination to resolve the ongoing conflict, but has been unable to make any significant progress because of fundamental disagreements with the separatist authorities in Transnistria over the status of that region, as well as complex international political pressure exerted by the US, the OSCE, the EU and especially Russia.