By
our dpa-correspondent and Europe Online
Brussels (dpa) – The European Union lifted travel bans on former
political leaders from the breakaway Moldovan province of
Transnistria on Thursday, acknowledging progress made by its new
leaders to resolve years of conflict.
At the same time, the EU member states said the bans could be
reimposed on anybody blocking progress in negotiations regarding
access to schools in the Russian-speaking province that use Latin
script, rather than Cyrillic.
Transnistria elected a new president in December and resumed
attempts to settle its conflict with the Moldovan capital, Chisinau,
after a six-year break.
In August, German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Moldova to show
European support for efforts to end the conflict.
Transnistria separated from Romanian-speaking Moldova in a civil
war ending in 1992, achieving de facto independence. Russia maintains
some 1,000 troops in the territory.
Moldova has insisted Transnistria should return to Moldovan
control. In recent years, Chisinau has conceded it would allow
Transnistria limited autonomy in a federation – a position generally
supported by NATO nations but opposed by the Transnistrians
themselves.
Russia has said it supports Transnistria‘s return to Moldovan
sovereignty, but that it should not take place until the rights of
ethnic Russian and Ukrainian speakers living in the province can be
guaranteed.
The EU member states said they would continue to monitor
developments in Transnistria towards a political settlement, freedom
of movement and the situation at Latin-script Moldovan schools.
In 2003, the EU imposed travel bans on 17 top Transnistrian
officials for obstructing negotiations towards a political
settlement.
A year later it targeted a second group of individuals deemed
responsible for a campaign of intimidation and closure against
Latin-script Moldovan schools in Transnistria.
It suspended the bans in 2010 to encourage parties back to the
negotiating table, but did not remove the threat entirely.
dpa hm ncs
Author: Helen Maguire
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