Российская Федерация

The ongoing debate on “Sean’s Russia Blog”, in the comments to the articles “David Johnson in Moscow News” and “Virginia Tech through Russian Eyes” , inspired me to write an entry on Transnistria. Of course, Lyndon of “Scraps of Moscow” is far more skilled regarding this topic than I will ever be and therefore I suggest the reading of his articles on Transnistria here , here and here.

Maybe you will also want to read my entry, as well as those by Lyndon, in the context of the wonderful articles by Mr. Michael M. Averko, who wasn’t only “published” by the New York Times but also by the intellectually more challenging and more informative “The Tiraspol Times” were Mr. Averko is “published” for being the best “New York based foreign policy analyst extraordinaire, media critic and political dissident” available to ” The Tiraspol Times’ “ editorial staff.

This is why the “Tiraspol Times” praises Michael Averko for being the one and only serious New York based independent foreign policy analyst and media critic who has / had, in addition to The Tiraspol Times, his “commentary” published in the Action Ukraine Report, Eurasian Home, Intelligent.ru, Johnson’s Russia List, Russia Blog, Sean’s Russia Blog, Serbianna and The New York Times.

In “Transnistria”, a region always on the edge of a civil war, the clocks seem to have stopped 17 years ago.

Transnistria is one of the many selfproclaimed “independant republics” born during the decay of the Soviet Union. With a population of roundabout 700.000 people (although numbers differ from source to source, going as low as ~ 555.000) the territory of Transnistria is located on a small strip of land between Dnjestr river and Ukraine.

The region is dominated by an outdated industrial infrastructure, clearly identifying it being a former Soviet industrial zone.

The “struggle” for independence and international recognition is similar to the struggle of Ossetia and Abkhazia, both also not being recognized by the international community, with the difference that Transnistria still upholds the military and cultural traditions of the fallen Soviet Empire.

In 1991 Moldova, which Transnistria is still legally considered being a part of, declared (by President Snegur) its wish to join Romania as both countries (Moldova and Romania) share a common lingual and cultural heritage. Moldova’s political leadership in Chisinau hurried to declared Romanian being the official language, hurried to return to the Latin alphabet and making the Leu the official currency. Fortunately or unfortunately, the formal reunion of Romania and Moldova never took place.

The Russian speaking community of Transnistria felt threatend by Moldova’s intention to join Romania and immediately started a bloody and needless civil war, supported by the 14th Army of the Red Army commanded by an Ukrainian and a Chechen general.

Many consider Transnistria being the last remaining Soviet style “state” in Europe surviving the 90ies. The official language is Russian, the “red stars” as well as the symbols and statues of the old regime are still existant, the “political and economical power” is still “in strong hands”.

Transnistria is governed in a (semi-)totalitarian style by the Smirnov family. Father and son Smirnov control the industry and are the only ones to be permitted to export goods or to sell fuel.

Igor Smirnov, the father, has installed a slawophile government which is neither sustained by Russia nor by Ukraine. Smirnov is accused of financing his government mostly via illegal gunrunning . Among all the regions of Moldova, the European country with the lowest gross domestic product, Transnistria seems to be the only one to have a flourishing trade, primarly with war material coming out of Smirnov owned factories.

A referendum was held on 17 September 2006 asking voters:

1. Do you support the course towards the independence of Transnistria and subsequent free association with the Russian Federation?
2. Do you consider it possible to renounce Transnistria’s independent status and subsequently become part of the Republic of Moldova?

According to the Transnistrian government, 78.6 percent of the registered voters of Transnistria voted in the referendum. 97.1 percent of voters supported the first point, while 2.3 percent did not support it. 3.4 percent of voters supported the second point, while 94.6 percent did not support it. Russia’s Duma recognized the vote but the OSCE and many countries did not, dismissing the poll as illegitimate.