The separatist leaders from Tiraspol do not rule out the opening of the Russian House on the left bank of the Dniester, after the one in Chisinau closes. The statement was made by the alleged foreign minister from Tiraspol, Vitali Ignatiev.
“The leadership of the Republic of Moldova has decided to sever cultural and humanitarian ties with Russia. We believe it would be opportune to definitively resolve the issue of opening a fully functional Russian House in Transnistria, for extensive cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Russia and Transnistria. This decision will help us counteract destructive attempts to limit Russia’s presence,” declared Vitali Ignatiev.
The Minister of Culture in Chisinau, Cristian Jardan, told journalists that the institution in Chisinau will be active until July 4, writes nordnews.md. The official mentioned that he is not aware of Tiraspol’s intention to open the Russian House on the left bank of the Dniester, but he described the gesture as “unfriendly”.
“According to the treaty that was signed so many years ago, they can operate. We do not know what they are dealing with. We have never had a relationship with them,” said Jardan, referring to the Russian Culture Center in Chisinau.
In this context, the Minister of Culture said that the institution in Tiraspol would recruit young people to study in Russia. The official mentioned that he does not recommend them to do so, as they risk ending up in war.
In turn, the Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration, Valeriu Chiveri, pointed out that such a center should operate on the basis of a bilateral agreement. According to him, the inauguration of such an institution in the absence of the document would mean a violation of international law.
“It does not fit within the spirit of international relations and international law. Therefore, we do not believe that this could bring benefits to the cooperation between the two states, Moldova and Russia,” Chiveri told the press.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) announced in February the unilateral denunciation of the Intergovernmental Agreement with the Russian Federation on the establishment and operation of cultural centers, signed in 1998. The decision came in the context where several Russian drones had fallen on the territory of the Republic of Moldova and was communicated at the time to the Russian ambassador in Chisinau, Oleg Ozerov, urgently summoned to the MAE, on the basis of a new violation of the Moldovan airspace.