European Union Demands of Transnistria Restoring Status Quo for Moldovan Schools

The European Union under the Dutch presidency issued a statement - signed by EU-candidates Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, and Croatia - requesting that Transnistrian authorities restore the status quo for Moldovan-language schools and cancel its decision to have them closed. To resolve this problem, said the document, it is imperative that Transnistrian government agree to the OSCE-proposed protocol signed by Moldova. Having expressed "deep concern over the aggravation of conflict emerged after the closure of Moldovan schools by Transnistrian authorities", the EU condemned these actions and described them as a serious infringement on basic human rights. EU also condemned Transnistria's follow-up blocking of railway traffic and termination of the power service to Moldova. In light of the above, held the statement, the European Union has started introducing visa restrictions against the individuals responsible for the decisions leading to the closure of the Moldovan-language schools in Transnistria. Furthermore, the European Union is now considering the possibility of introducing a dual control system for certain categories of Transnistrian exports. In this respect, the EU confirms its interest toward participating in the establishment of more active control over the Moldo-Ukrainian border and calls on Ukraine for cooperation, said the statement. The European Union emphasized that it also awaits a constructive approach from the Russian Federation in terms of signing the Moldovan-school protocol. We demand that the sides take necessary steps to de-escalate the conflict and urge the affected parties and mediators to immediately resume the five-sided dialogue on political settlement and to retain the transparency of this process, said the EU statement.