Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
The day of the beginning of hostilities in 1992 was marked both in Pridnestrovie and in Moldova on the 2nd of March. This for every Pridnestrovian is a mournful date of the beginning of bloody armed aggression of the Republic of Moldova against our peaceful multinational people and undeclared war.
The Moldovan political elites have apparently forgotten how it really was as follows from the materials of the Moldovan media and very subjectively characterize the beginning of the Pridnestrovian war, calling it “the struggle for the integrity of Moldova” at the same time. It is necessary to clarify, and be guided solely by the facts. Facts are stubborn things as you know.
One of the political leaders noted that corruption was the cause of the war. Let me remind you that the conflict began at the end of the 80s of the last century – during the existence of the Soviet Union. The reason for the conflict was precisely the fact that the Parliament of Moldova adopted a resolution on the proclamation of the Romanian language as the state language and on the return of the Latin alphabet on the 31st of August, 1989. In turn, the left bank of the Dniester – modern Pridnestrovie demanded to give an equal status to the Russian language (which Moldova categorically rejected). This is a historical fact that testifies that the point is not in some mythical corrupt interests, but solely in the denial of people the right to speak native language.
As for the thesis of the Moldovan politicians that Moldova defended the “integrity of the country” in the Moldovan-Pridnestrovian war, the thesis is not even dubious, but false. I would like to once again return the Moldovan politicians to two very important documents, which were also adopted by the Moldovan parliament. All the political and legal consequences of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact were recognized as null and void by the declaration on the sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova, adopted by the parliament on June 23, 1990, and therefore the creation of the MSSR illegal. Then, the Moldovan political elite needs to remember the most important document of the country - the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Moldova, adopted by the same parliament on August 27, 1991 and confirming the illegality of the creation of the Moldavian SSR in August 1940. I want to remind Moldovan politicians that the Moldavian SSR was created by joining Bessarabia to the MASSR that already existed since 1924 (that is, present-day Moldova to present-day Pridnestrovie). This is also a fact. If the Parliament of Moldova decides on the illegality of this merger, it thus creates clear legal grounds for the self-determination of the people of Pridnestrovie and the choice of their future. As a result, we did.
Thus, the Moldovan parliament (and not the Pridnestrovians) destroyed the integrity of the Moldavian SSR, officially securing this legal fact in the most important document of the state. The Moldovan elite realized the risks of what had happened after the decision was made, but continued their voluntaristic actions. The armed invasion and aggression against Pridnestrovie became a terrible and fatal mistake. Thus, the Moldovan politicians made an inhuman attempt to wash away the consequences of their own short-sighted decisions with the blood of the Pridnestrovian people.
The 2nd of March, 1992 is considered to be the beginning of the aggression against the people of Pridnestrovie. Let me remind you what actually happened that day in the Dubossary district. Moldovan special forces attacked the officers' houses of the former 14th army in Cochieri on the 2nd of March, 1992, where women and children lived, to whose rescue not the soldiers of the 14th army came, but the guardsmen of Pridnestrovie by the way. The guardsman Major V. Voronkov died heroically during the clash, defending women and children, covering a grenade thrown after the retreating civilians with his chest. This is an indisputable fact. Moldovan politicians say In some sources that Russia represented by the former 14th Army attacked Moldova. It's a lie. The 14th Army had not yet come under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation in March 1992 (this was done later) and did not participate in hostilities. This is a reliable fact.
The 19th of June, 1992 is another tragic date for Pridnestrovians, the beginning of the invasion of the military units of Moldova in Bendery. There was so-called civilian mission, observers from the sides in Bendery at that time. A few days before this, the Moldovan parliament made a decision on an exclusively peaceful solution to the Pridnestrovian conflict. The city of Bendery was released and opened after this decision. Checkpoints were removed from the city's entrances and exits. Military units of Moldova entered Bendery from three directions - Kishinev, Varnitsa and Caushany, sowing death and destruction in the city in clear violation of this parliamentary decision, on June 19, 1992. It is quite obvious that it was impossible to prepare the invasion and mobilize volunteers into the Moldovan army in three days. It would take at least a month. Conclusion: the political leadership of Moldova has already given a criminal order for the military invasion of the peaceful city during the adoption of the decision by the parliament. This is also a fact.
It should be emphasized by the way that the civil observers after the first shots in Bendery simply fled, and some of them had to be evacuated from the town.
What happens? Today, Moldovan politicians call defenders of the territorial integrity of Moldova those persons who fought against Pridnestrovie although in fact legally that time there was no integral state in the former borders of the Moldavian SSR on the basis of the declarations adopted by the Moldovan parliament. That is, the Moldovan leadership 29 years ago cynically deceived its military, sending them to defend something that no longer existed legally and in fact. This is also a fact. Moldovan politicians today continue to deceive their citizens, who were cruelly used and who paid with their lives in the name of other people's ambitions under the slogan of non-existent values, judging by the statements.
Peaceful people were killed as a result of the Moldovan aggression in Pridnestrovie: women, children, the elderly, as well as defenders of Pridnestrovie. The perpetrators of the genocide against the Pridnestrovian people have not been named or punished. The attacks of individual nationalists who threaten to kill Pridnestrovian citizens raise fears. The latest decision of the Constitutional Court of Moldova regarding the Russian language is regrettable. The absolute self-withdrawal of the leadership of Moldova and the security forces, the lack of reaction to chauvinism, national intolerance and similar statements of threatening sense cause misunderstanding.
Moldovan politicians by the way for some reason constantly forget to thank Russia for the fact that the introduction of the Russian peacekeeping contingent actually saved the Moldovan military and saved many human lives, including the lives of those who today at various rallies choking on hatred, thoughtlessly voiced threats against all Russians and Pridnestrovians.
Then. As the President of Pridnestrovie I fully support By the way that Moldovan officials talk a lot about the fight against corruption. But, unfortunately, what do we see in practice? Moldova during its existence has been remembered for the armed aggression against Pridnestrovie, the murder of civilians, the migration of more than a million of its citizens, theft of a billion, the notorious money laundering, constant political crises and scandals. The Moldovan elite has what to do, what to think about, what to work on. But, apparently, it is easiest for them to hide their internal problems under the so-called Pridnestrovian problem, speculate on the topic of war, imaginary integrity of Moldova, play on the feelings of those who were pushed into the slaughter in 1992. I have listed specific facts that cannot be misinterpreted for the sake of someone's controversial interests.
We must remember the lessons of the past and build the future, continue the political dialogue, avoiding aggression, avoiding the practice of covering up our internal Moldovan problems with the external Pridnestrovian factor. Only such a mature and responsible approach can give a real positive impetus to the normalization of our relationship.