Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
Good afternoon, dear journalists, dear representatives of the media, Alexander Vladimirovich, Alexander Viktorovich, Galina Mikhailovna, dear heads of state and judicial authorities, who are present. We have a traditional dialogue, answers to questions. Of course, anniversary of the founding of our state is a good reason to sum up some of the results of the republican year. I am ready to answer questions. There are a lot of them. I have looked closely at the questions and from social networks that people ask. I am ready to answer and all the questions that you are asking me in this hall today. Let's get to work. Please.
Alexander Lagutin, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
I would like to start with foreign policy. A few days ago, the meeting of the Special Representative of the President of Russia Dmitry Kozak with the leadership of Moldova took place. Following this meeting, Dmitry Kozak noted that the issue of settling the Pridnestrovian conflict is an issue that Pridnestrovie and Moldova should agree on. How can you comment on this, what is the official position of Tiraspol on this issue? The Moldovan leadership at the same meeting promised to Dmitry Kozak not to impose blockade actions against Pridnestrovie, including on September 1, when our cars with Pridnestrovian plates may not be allowed into Ukraine. What is the situation on this issue now?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
I will not start with the visit of Dmitry Nikolaevich Kozak to Chisinau, although, of course, a very important meeting took place. I'll start with something else. Firstly, very complicated electoral processes took place in the neighboring state - starting from November last year and ending this year. President was elected, a new parliament was elected, and government without coalitions was formed. This is important to note. I have said more than once that I always support the choice of the people, including the choice of the Moldovan people. I will be guided by it, determining with whom to conduct further dialogue. I consider that a significant event took place in Moldova. What is it caused by? Due to the fact that if earlier only the elite chose the pro-Western vector of development, the popular opinion was divided in a certain percentage, but there was no critical mass either there or there, then these elections of both the president and parliament showed that now the choice of the elites is supported by the people of Moldova. That is, the movement to the West has become more tangible. This is the people's choice and should be respected. It is a fact.
Pridnestrovie needs to conduct a dialogue with those politicians who will represent Moldova in the negotiation process - with top officials and with others who will be delegated to our negotiation space. I was asked many questions both here and in Moscow: “How do you think, how will this force, which has come to power, behave, right? What will they do? "
I'll tell you how I see it. To begin with, the current Moldovan President, Prime Minister, they inherited a very difficult legacy. Let me remind you that all those restrictions that were introduced against Pridnestrovie: these are banking restrictions that have been introduced since June 2019, these are restrictions on MasterCard and Visa cards since January 2020, this is the closure of accounts of Pridnestrovian enterprises, this is an absolute stagnation of the negotiation process of working groups, this is a disruption to the signing of the final document of the "5 + 2" format in the fall and winter of 2019 - all this was generated by the socialists and the forces that were close to them. This is the legacy of today – just the stagnation of the negotiation process, without Moldova fulfilling its obligations signed by them, even the last ones signed in 2017 and 2018. So, ruling politicians today have three options. The first is to leave everything as it is and be in this negotiating swamp. This is the first choice. The second choice is to aggravate the situation, to make things worse, to lead the entire negotiation process to escalation and, ultimately, to the escalation of the conflict. Well, the third option is to act pragmatically and solve the problems of people, both from the left and from the right bank. This is our agenda of the negotiation process, to which we need to return, starting with Berlin +, and work out each item. At the same time, of course, meetings are needed, both "1 + 1" and the format "5 + 2", working groups. That is, in fact, it is necessary to restart the entire negotiation process. The choice is up to the Moldovan side. We have sent everything that is necessary. We expressed a desire to continue the dialogue, to seek compromises on all issues.
Here is the visit of Dmitry Nikolaevich Kozak to Chisinau. Many people asked why Dmitry Nikolaevich did not come to Tiraspol. Let me explain. Dmitry Nikolaevich had a very busy schedule. At the same time, when I was in Moscow, I discussed all the issues with Dmitry Nikolaevich. That is, I just had a meeting with him, and the same meeting was to take place between Dmitry Nikolaevich and the President of Moldova, Mrs. Sandu. He had to hold the meetings separately. A meeting was held with me. The meeting with Mrs. Sandu and other politicians in Moldova took place. What positive have I seen in this meeting? I saw a positive attitude and desire not to break spears, but to negotiate. This makes me happy. Why, because it gives a good impetus and good prospects in our relations – Pridnestrovie and Moldova. Dmitry Nikolaevich said that it is Pridnestrovie and Moldova that should negotiate, and Russia will support. This is a good position of a very competent politician. In principle, we are also ready for this. Now the number one question arose. September 1 – restriction of the movement of our vehicles with Pridnestrovian license plates across the Pridnestrovian-Ukrainian section of the border. Again, let me remind you that this date was invented by people close to the socialists, Mr. Chokoy and his advisor, known to everyone. Ukraine, of course, supported. But Ukraine, in her words, has always been guided by the opinion of the Moldovan side. This is correct somewhere. I want to once again bring everyone back to the history of the issue of the license plate, where it came from as such. This license plate, namely license plate neutrality, was initiated by the EUBAM mission back in 2015. In 2016, it entered the Berlin + protocol, and after that it was the OSCE, European politicians, Ukraine who began to constantly encourage us and say that, dear Pridnestrovians, look for a compromise with Moldova, solve the problem of a neutral license plate. It was the Ukrainian ambassador who came to me at the end of 2017 - the beginning of 2018 and said directly, Vadim Nikolaevich, I want to inform you that if you don’t find it since May 2018, you won’t sign the corresponding protocol decision on a neutral license plate, since May 2018 Ukraine will stop passing vehicles with Pridnestrovian license plates across its state border. Of course, I tried to argue, tried to prove that this would also affect the citizens of Ukraine who live here. Why, because they are the first to come under restrictions along with the citizens of the Russian Federation. This did not interest anyone, to be honest. There was no question of visiting far abroad by Pridnestrovians for me then in such conditions. The question of the Pridnestrovians' visit to Ukraine and the Russian Federation was acute for me. These are our directions, let's say. Someone goes to Europe of course, rest and so on, that's good too. For me it was Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and so on, that is, the usual regions for business and recreation of our citizens, not to mention family ties. And so we entered the negotiation process. The dialogue was very difficult with the Moldovan representatives. Moldovan representatives insisted that the mechanism should apply only to citizens of Moldova or to those who have a Moldovan residence permit. We had the opposite position. We insisted that this mechanism should apply to all citizens of Pridnestrovie, regardless of other citizenship. We came to a consensus as a result of difficult negotiations, to understanding, and this protocol was signed, the mechanism began to apply to all citizens of Pridnestrovie, regardless of other citizenship. This protocol assumed several parts of its implementation at the same time. The first part – is in relation to individuals, the second and third parts – in relation to cargo and passenger traffic. This protocol did not specify the driver's license at all, it suited everyone.
Unfortunately, since June 2019, the Moldovan side has ceased to fulfill these agreements, although the vehicle registration points were launched and were in working order in Tiraspol and Rybnitsa. Nevertheless, the Moldovan side sharply reduced the work of the working groups, for its part, stopped considering additional protocols on cargo and passenger transportation. Let me remind you that the Pridnestrovian Foreign Ministry sent a draft protocol to the Moldovan side for signature in terms of freight and passenger traffic at that time in 2019. Naturally, the Moldovan side was not going to consider this document. Although, individuals received a neutral plate in Tiraspol and Rybnitsa at will in principle. Then the pandemic happened, which aggravated the entire political process and stopped work for objective reasons. It was a tough quarantine, it was introduced by everyone – both by us, and by Moldova, and by other states. As a result, the vehicle registration points did not work for four months. In September 2020, the Moldovan government, as if by accident, forgot to extend this mechanism during the pandemic. They renew each year in September. They forgot to renew, you know? Such a strange forgetfulness. And for another two months, the offices for issuing a neutral license plate did not work. Thus, the vehicle registration points did not work last year. It is a fact. Nevertheless, those people who forgot to extend the operation of these points with a neutral license plate in March last year, on March 13, 2020 – a week later – sent a note to Ukraine to ban the movement of vehicles with a Pridnestrovian license plate from January 15 this year. This is again the inheritance of Mrs. Sandu, which I have designated for you. Of course, we intervened in all these procedures, it was difficult then, then the government was changing, it was November-December-January. Nevertheless, thanks to the already newly elected president, this date was canceled – January 15. It is a fact. And then the Prime Minister, Mr. Chokoy, agreed on a new restriction from September 1, this is also a fact. And facts, as you know, are stubborn things. Naturally, proceeding from the emerging situation, we offered a way out. Remove the date of September 1, shift it just for the period of time that fell in 2020, by six months, and during these six months to the end, work out these protocols for issuing a neutral license plate, sign new protocols, deal with a driver's license, if necessary, work out neutral sample. Yes, if everyone is provided with this mechanism, including freight and passenger transportation, then of course there are no questions. As a result of these difficult negotiations, we managed to convince the Moldovan side of this decision. Moreover, this decision was supported by Dmitry Nikolayevich Kozak, who said that any restrictions from September 1 were inadmissible. For which I am sincerely, of course, grateful to him.
The Moldovan side entered into a dialogue with the Ukrainian side. And from open sources, probably everyone already knows that on August 25 this year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova sent a note to Ukraine, where asked, based on the objective circumstances of this process, to postpone this date to January 10 next year. In principle, four months would have been normal for finding a compromise and making a decision, in principle it suited us. Very strange things happened for me. It would seem that the Moldovan side was sure that if it appeals, the Ukrainian side will meet halfway and there will be no problems. This is still an internal affair of the Moldovan side, not the Ukrainian one. Let me remind you that Ukraine is a mediator of the "5 + 2" format regarding the negotiation process, and in terms of its functionality it should support our agreements. Ukraine, like everyone else, had to support and make an absolutely reasonable decision to postpone the date and put an end to it. It should be noted that we, as mediators, guarantors, meet halfway and make a decision. Ukraine categorically refused to accept this decision. This is Ukraine's choice. You know, you, journalists, political scientists, experts, probably also need to analyze why Ukraine did just that. To be honest, I get the impression that Ukraine is afraid that Pridnestrovie and Moldova will begin to negotiate, the bad example, probably for internal problems? Nevertheless, I cannot explain this, especially since the citizens of Ukraine who live here are suffering. Just yesterday the political representative Mr. Kulminsky summoned diplomats and specialists and made a corresponding statement. Moldova's desire to resolve this issue and Ukraine's unwillingness to meet halfway. Something like that. Therefore, objectively, personally, I cannot present any claims to the Moldovan side today. What happened yesterday is understandable, this is an inheritance, but today I cannot. This is objective, this is honest. Here I can go to the Ukrainian side. I will, of course, try to figure it out. It's not just that: they made a decision and that's it. This is a question of the "5 + 2" negotiation format, where there are other guarantors, mediators, observers and so on. Moreover, all of them - the OSCE representatives, the European Union, and the Russian Federation – supported the postponement of the date. Ukraine went against the opinion of the majority of the participants in this format. Well, of course, this is the position. Any position should be respected, but first it is necessary to understand why Ukraine did exactly that, which, of course, we will do.
I have already instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prepare a corresponding appeal both to Ukraine and to all participants in the 5 + 2 format. Moreover, we are planning a meeting of the 5 + 2 format, where all issues, including this one, will be discussed. Nevertheless, the disaster did not happen. Let me explain why. I would also like to reassure the citizens of Pridnestrovie. Firstly, vehicle registration points work for individuals, and any citizen can get a neutral license plate at will. Today, the following issues are acute: these are cargo transportation, passenger transportation and the search for compromises on our driver's license. Therefore, I already through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs turned to the Moldovan side, this was done literally fifteen minutes ago – because all this is happening almost online - with a request to urgently resume the activities of the working groups, work out a decision and sign a protocol on a neutral license plate in regarding freight and passenger transportation, and, of course, find a solution with our driver's license. Either agree with the old, or let's seek a neutral compromise. We are also ready for this, especially since we also worked it all out back in 2019. Therefore, if Mrs. Sandu, her associates and supporters are consistent, naturally, seeing the destructive position of Ukraine, they should sit down with us at the negotiating table and find a compromise on these very important issues. Let me remind you that the solution of these issues will stabilize the position of ordinary citizens, people who are engaged in business - everyone who lives on the territory of our state and not only in it. I hope for a speedy dialogue and, naturally, a decision on this issue. I am convinced that, of course, the Russian Federation is closely watching the whole process and is waiting for a decision.
Alla Ivanchenko, News of Pridnestrovie news agency:
Vadim Nikolaevich, I have a question for you from social networks. Some authors accuse us, the state media, of being allegedly overly major, far-fetched-positive, that we do not raise important serious issues. It is quite obvious to me, as editor-in-chief that this is not so, nevertheless I have a request to you: identify, please, the most global state problems today.
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
There are probably a lot of global ones. This is probably the negotiation process, and the license plates that I have already touched on are one of the global problems. These are, of course, issues related to health care. This is also a fact. There are a lot of requests, somewhere complaints from citizens. Absolutely objectively, of course, these are low pensions and salaries of state employees. Maybe not for everyone, but, for example, such categories as medical workers, teachers, military personnel, workers of other structures still receive a salary that, let's say, does not quite satisfy them. Let's put it mildly. We see all these problems, Alla Kharlampievna. I assure you and all other citizens of the republic: I speak openly about them, I do not hide anything. We are working in this direction and will definitely look for a way out of the existing situation. Therefore, I assure you that I will answer all these questions that are supposedly hushed up or uncomfortable in the course of our dialogue. In principle, it is just beginning - our dialogue.
Igor Avrenev, editor-in-chief of TSV:
Vadim Nikolaevich, elections will be held in Pridnestrovie literally in two weeks. We will participate in the Russian elections, and, as always, we will have a large number of people who want to take part in the Russian elections, because every time our citizens who have Russian citizenship stand in huge queues at the polling stations that we allow you to open. We, citizens of Russia, have accumulated a lot of questions in recent years. For example, this is the replacement of expired Russian documents. Children are born, children need to go abroad, someone needs to go to work, someone comes back, parents, pensions. There are a lot of questions. Many people now have this question: problems have accumulated, and why Pridnestrovian Russians should participate in the upcoming Russian elections? It seems to be not our country, but we always very actively participate in Russian elections. Why do we need to participate now?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
Of course, I met with colleagues, deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, with candidates for deputies. I assure you that all the questions that the people addressed to them at the meetings, I asked them myself. These are issues of maternity capital, the use of maternity capital here on the territory of Pridnestrovie, these are issues of health insurance for citizens of the Russian Federation, these are issues of full-fledged work and full functionality of the consular point, of course, the replacement of documents, passports and many other smaller issues, which, in fact, citizens are asking. I asked the State Duma deputies to work more actively in this direction. Let me explain why, because the issues of obtaining citizenship, maternity capital, medical insurance are issues of lawmaking. That is, it is necessary to change the norm of the Russian law, its application on the territory of Pridnestrovie. This is just a legislative issue. This is exactly their job. They can also influence the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation with the aim of still staffing the consular point and the full functionality of this point on the territory of Tiraspol, ensuring this functionality. Naturally, the deputies listened to questions from citizens as well. Yes, this process is not easy. There are certain objective and subjective circumstances. Many politicians say that it is impossible, for example, to come up with a law separately for Pridnestrovie. It will apply to all citizens of the Russian Federation living outside the territory of Russia. Although I consider that this is not a completely objective explanation of the decisions made. Compromises can be found exclusively for Pridnestrovie. Therefore, those deputies who will be elected from Pridnestrovie, I have no doubt about it, they need to get more involved in the work and still find solutions to the above issues. That's work. I say it again, this is a process, these issues cannot be resolved in five minutes, and even in a year. This is the first thing. Second: despite the unresolved issues, I am a supporter of the activity of our citizens in the elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation. Let me explain why. First, 27 polling stations are opening on our territory. Our people are usually active. This also has its own explanation. We are far from our historical homeland, far from the Russian Federation, but our citizens want to be complicit, shall we say, in the Russian electoral processes and the choice of power as such – both the President and the State Duma of the Russian Federation. And they realize this complicity through their activity in the elections. I have no doubt that it will be the same in these elections - in these difficult elections, which will be held both in the Russian Federation and outside the Russian Federation, where the citizens of Russia will vote when the choice of the future of the Russian Federation is made. This is a landmark. I see a turning point in the fate of Russia. A lot depends on this. The stability of the Russian government also depends, and then the decision-making on those issues that concern the citizens of Pridnestrovie, who have Russian citizenship, and many compatriots, will depend. Therefore, based on our choice, in principle, we also assume the solution of our own issues. Therefore, I urge all citizens of Pridnestrovie who have a Russian passport to come to the polling stations and cast their votes. I will not campaign for specific parties, I speak for elections in general. The choice is yours.
Alexander Karasev, "The Pridnestrovie" newspaper:
Vadim Nikolaevich, the pandemic is declining. This is the opinion of many, it is a fact, but the decline does not happen by itself. A lot of work has been done. It is done. The people know that you are at the head of this work. You have declared the next year the Year of Health Care. In this regard, I would like to ask what the most important points do you see in order to raise the healthcare industry.
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
The question is actually very voluminous. You can't answer it in a minute. I still want to inform you, the citizens of our republic, what is being done and what is planned to be done in the healthcare system. Probably, I'll start with the coronavirus. I do not agree with everything that our incidence rate is decreasing. We are currently witnessing such a small, stable growth. We have an increase of about five to seven people in the black from week to week. Let me remind you that we had three waves of coronavirus. The last wave is March-April of the current year. Then there was a decline. We have seen a gradual growth somewhere since July. 5-7 people a day on average, excuse me, this is an alarming indicator. Although we are ready, of course, we have already accumulated relevant experience, accumulated reserves – both financial, and actual, and physical, and are ready to face the pandemic in the event of the next wave. So far, we have two hospitals open for coronavirus patients. Now, just the other day, another 50 hospital beds are opening in Bendery, that is, we can talk about the third hospital. I read information, get acquainted with analytics, devote time to this in order to own information myself, let's say, developments, opinions of literate people. No one can answer the question at all: what is the nature, by what laws does the coronavirus generally live. Please note: we had the second wave until January 1, and then after January 1, as it cut off, there was a decline, although it is not clear why. There was no vaccination, people got sick, transmitted diseases. It was precisely from the first of January that the decline began. No one has answered this question until now. The decline lasted until March, and then there was a sharp increase, and a new strain, with a large damage to the lung tissue, great consequences, there were many severe ones, the need for oxygen, and so on. We will come back to this later. March and April were very difficult. We were literally at such a peak that we were forced to open ten hospitals for coronavirus patients in mid-April. Ten! I even had to transfer the Bendery children's hospital to a coronavirus hospital and admit approximately three hundred people there. The decline began again in the month of May then. Who will tell me now why the recession is in May, I will shake hand. Because in principle, no one knows why there was a recession in May. May, June, decline somewhere until mid-July, and then from July again growth. It seems that we have such a sinusoid with such an interval of two to three months. By the way, if you observe carefully, the same situation is in Russia, and in Moldova, and in Ukraine, and in any European state. Why is that? The nature is such a coronavirus, inexplicable nature. We are forced to study all this and, based on the experience gained, make certain decisions. What kind of experience? Of course, this is instant mobilization, the opening of hospitals. We've worked it all out. We are ready to open up to a dozen hospitals in the republic in almost a week. As practice shows again, there is no need to open ten in a week, everything is done gradually, over a certain period of time, based on the number of cases. The second point is the reserve of medicines, special medicines that directly affect the inflammation of the lung tissue, and personal protective equipment. By the way, now many are inclined to believe that coronavirus infection is not only lung disease. Lung disease, as it turns out, is no longer the biggest evil in coronavirus. Vascular disease is terrible. Everyone who has had a coronavirus infection felt it, including, by the way, me. I do not hide it. I felt what a vascular disease is, you know. Naturally, special therapy is needed to recover in this part. This restoration is a month, two, three and so on. This is a process. This is the coronavirus. This is a very complex and dangerous disease. Remember, just at such a press conference last year, I said that the coronavirus infection is akin to the Spanish flu a century ago. There would be as many losses in the world without treatment. It's just that now the level of healthcare is completely different, and we are able to treat people: from pneumonia, and from vascular diseases. Previously, this was not, and the disease is very similar. It is not clear from where by its nature of occurrence, and by the nature of the course, and by the nature of the impact. Therefore, he repeated: “Be careful! Take care of yourself. Do not neglect safety measures. Don't contact”. Many people criticized me then. Perhaps, these restrictions that were introduced were in vain. Maybe all this will pass, sort of nonsense. It turned out not nonsense. Unfortunately, I was right in my assessment. A fourth wave can also be expected. We must prepare for it. Therefore, of course, the reserve is also important, including oxygen. Please note what happens in the Russian Federation. What a problem oxygen has become in the Russian Federation, Russia is forced to import oxygen from Kazakhstan. Oxygen concentrators do not cope with the tasks for severely ill patients. They are ineffective, and only balloon oxygen can handle it. At the peak of the incidence, Pridnestrovie consumed one thousand three hundred oxygen cylinders per day. The Republican Clinical Hospital only consumed four to five hundred oxygen cylinders per day. This is a huge amount. Firstly, there are not so many of them that is, they had to be refilled two, three, four times a day and returned to the bed of a sick person. We were engaged in this, our Ministry of Defense was engaged, and to this day the outfit of servicemen is exhibited in the Slobodzeya hospital. The task is to accept these cylinders and move, then again unload, refuel and bring in again. This is a difficult job, this is a whole process, but the problem was that we also ran out of reserves (then in April). I remember that very well, and we have already chosen all the oxygen, for example, from the MMZ (Moldavian Metallurgical Plant), in fact, we could even stop the production of steel at this enterprise, and we would do it because we would save people. Thank God we got out of the situation. In May, the decline began, and our reserves were sufficient. In Pridnestrovie, they are capable of producing 5 tons of oxygen per day, but this is not enough in a pandemic, at a peak. To date, we have replenished oxygen reserves at MMZ - about one hundred and fifty tons and are ready to meet any pandemic. All are mobilized, the Operations Center is held once a week, on Monday, I personally accompany it, and we, listening to the medical staff, chief doctors, make certain managerial decisions. In general, the fight against the pandemic, I have already said, I repeat, must be divided into two major components. The first is management decisions made by the President, Operations Staff, Government, Supreme Council, Ministry of Health, and other officials. The second part is specifically work with a sick person, the work of the medical staff. The first and second parts cannot be separated, otherwise there will be a collapse. Everything is harmonious with us. We are fighting, and in terms of the level of the fight against the pandemic, we are coping no worse, I assure you, than our neighbors, and maybe even better in some positions. So we will continue to act. The pandemic has shown a high degree of mobilization and a willingness to mobilize the health system. It is difficult to single out one person here who won. No, everyone either won or lost. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Health has shown its readiness for mobilization, readiness to fulfill its duties in the most difficult conditions of coronavirus infection.
Now, with regard to health care, I read the questions on social media. For example, a citizen writes that not all ambulances that go to patients who suffer from cardiovascular diseases have a cardiologist. For example, residents of the city of Bendery, young mothers turn to me from the position that some specialists are absent in the children's hospital, not only pediatricians, but children's line specialists. This is also a problem. There are also questions related to medical treatment abroad.
I will start with comprehensive analysis and integrated solutions in the healthcare system. I single out three important strategic directions: the first direction is to improve the infrastructure and technical base of health care in general in our republic, the second direction is to train personnel for the health care system, which is in dire need of it, and the third direction is to improve material support, including the salaries of medical workers. I can add a fourth direction. It is very important. This is the implementation of state targeted programs. I will focus on it. With regard to improving the material and technical base, over the four years of the implementation of the program of the Capital Investment Fund, 42 healthcare facilities have been repaired or rebuilt in our republic. Starting from medical and obstetric centres in rural areas and ending with a polyclinic and a city or district hospital. The work, of course, will be continued, for that year it has been declared the Year of Health Care. We assume in 2022 the implementation of the Capital Investment Fund program with an emphasis on the construction of facilities in the healthcare system. The second direction is the purchase of medical equipment. Here we, of course, rely on the opinion of chief doctors, specialists, based on their requests, we acquire the appropriate medical equipment. Considerable funds are allocated for this area.
The second direction is personnel. As you know, personnel decide everything not only in the health care system, and I want to touch on this problem. I completely agree that there is not enough staff, and the residents' claims, in particular the city of Bendery, and not only Bendery, about the absence of a pediatric allergist, the required number of pediatricians, etc., are absolutely objective. Why did it happen? There is a flaw that has been identified and corrected, but it takes time to reach a new level. Since 2019, all applicants on a budgetary basis to the Faculty of Medicine have signed a tripartite agreement, the parties to which are the student himself, Pridnestrovian State University (Faculty of Medicine) and, of course, the Government (Ministry of Health). What is the essence of this agreement? The Ministry of Health guarantees a job for those who studied on a budget. Pridnestrovian State University undertakes to train this student and give the appropriate knowledge. The student undertakes to graduate to work in the health care system for a certain number of years - from 3 to 5, depending on the urban or rural area. This is the mechanism for staffing the health care system. This was not the case before. Earlier, upon graduation, student chose his own path and went wherever he wanted. In my opinion, this is unacceptable. He could immediately quit and leave our state. This is unacceptable. The agreement is absolutely public, open and honest. Those young people who enter, they sign, absolutely clearly understanding that they will have to work in our health care system. They agree with this. Nobody deceives. The government and the Ministry of Health guarantee a job, PSU teaches, then the student works. That's all. The correct form of work with personnel. I remind you that this work began only in 2019. More than 25 years for the rest of the time, this work was simply not carried out. Personnel work was not carried out. This is an oversight. I have already spoken about this many times, oversight of the decision-making officials, and, of course, the state university. From September 1 this year, this agreement has been signed by all students of the Pridnestrovian State University. This is cadres, for example, for the education system. Please, contract and work from 3 to 5 years, both in the countryside and in the city. This is a way out of the situation today. Nevertheless, it is necessary to solve the problem here and now. I also agree with that. It's all perspective. Those people who signed the contract must study for 6 years, and then join the health care system. What to do these 6 years? This also has its own solution. I will focus on this later.
Back to what is being done in the healthcare system. Let's indicate where, in what areas the state actually spends money on the health care system. I have already explained, this is the material and technical base, the technical base of training. The next point is the implementation of state targeted programs. I will indicate which programs we have and for what amounts. I'll use the document here to be more specific. There are currently have four state targeted programs. The first program is "Prevention of HIV / AIDS morbidity", which was adopted in 2020 and extends its action for 5 years. The amount is 104 million rubles for 5 years. This is all, of course, at the expense of the state, at the expense of our budget. The next program is "Immunization of the population of Pridnestrovie for 2021-2025". The amount is 41.7 million rubles accordingly for 5 years. The next one is "Prevention of Tuberculosis". The period is 2021-2025. The amount is 97 million rubles. The next program is "Oncology", the organization and improvement of oncological care for the population for the period 2021-2025. The amount is 200 million rubles. Naturally, those citizens who fall under the influence of these targeted programs receive free medical care. This is an expensive help. Currently, two more targeted programs are being developed, which, I hope will be adopted by the Supreme Council. The first is "Prevention of viral hepatitis". We commit ourselves to treating hepatitis in the territory of Pridnestrovie at the expense of our budget. One more program that is being developed is "Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases" also in Pridnestrovie. I assure you that this is a very large amount of money. Moreover, we have approved a program for referring our citizens for treatment outside the PMR. Who is covered by this program? These are children under 18 years old who are sick with oncology to the extent that effective assistance cannot be provided on the territory of Pridnestrovie; patients who need urgent medical care, in one that cannot be provided on the territory of Pridnestrovie, for example, neurosurgery. Here are some figures. In 2019, at the expense of the state, 433 citizens were sent for treatment outside our state, 55 of which are children. In 2020 – 577 citizens, 115 of which are children. All of them were helped. The issue of cardiovascular diseases was very acute. It is for stenting of the heart – this is when a blood clot comes off and enters the cardiac cavity. If you do not provide urgent medical care, then this is definitely a lethal outcome. Naturally, in order to provide the necessary medical assistance, one needs the appropriate high-precision medical equipment, which is not available on the territory of Pridnestrovie. It's not just medical equipment. Doctors need to be trained to operate this equipment. The term of study is 2-3 years. What should you do during these 2-3 years? We took a different path. On the part of the Ministry of Health, with the support of the Government and personally Alexander Vladimirovich Martynov, contractual relations were concluded with two Moldovan medical institutions that carry out these surgical interventions. Our task was to promptly deliver this patient to Kishinev for appropriate stenting.
I will answer a question now from a social network about the fact that not all ambulances have cardiologists, but only paramedics, doctors, rarely cardiologists. Both in Moscow and in Europe, not all ambulances have cardiologists. The task is quite different. We must, if the call comes from a person who had a heart attack, a blood clot came off, promptly deliver it to the Republican Clinical Hospital, carry out the appropriate diagnostics, confirm the diagnosis and promptly deliver it to the city of Chisinau. A certain amount of time is allotted for this according to the protocol. We keep up-to-date with work. Now I will give the numbers. This work was initiated in 2019, practically began from the second half of 2019, and already in 2019, 172 patients were sent outside our republic, who were provided with appropriate assistance. This work did not stop in 2020, even during the pandemic. 322 patients were referred for appropriate care. 117 patients were sent to Chisinau in the first half of this year, all of them received assistance. Not a single patient died on the way to a medical facility in Chisinau. No one. Only three people died on the operating table when doctors in Chisinau were already carrying out the corresponding procedure. It's a pity, but there were other concomitant diseases. This is also a fact. Therefore, the percentage of help is very high. Answering this question further, I will explain. It is effective not to provide assistance at home, but to urgently deliver this person suffering from this disease to Chisinau, which we do in the end. A therapist or a cardiologist, they perform the same function - they deliver people to specialists for the provision of appropriate surgical care, including outside our state. This work has been identified and continues. One heart stenting operation costs about 20 thousand lei. We pay for them from our budget. Our Government and the Ministry of Health at present have entered into contractual relations with a Moldovan medical organization acting as an investor in order to make the solution of these problems even more efficient. They undertake to supply the necessary equipment to the Republican Clinical Hospital in Tiraspol (work is currently being done), to provide staff and provide this assistance to our citizens already on the territory of Pridnestrovie. The financial aspect will not change. We will also pay from the state budget for this treatment of our patients. This is where we spend our money and why maybe someone was not given some kind of pill for free. We focus on expensive procedures that are difficult for citizens to access. The same coronavirus: we buy everything with public funds and are fighting the pandemic by providing treatment for our patients.
As for the question about children's specialists, there are problems, real problems, and, of course, these problems will be solved when we point out the direction of graduates of the medical faculty to jobs, but this takes time. We must find a solution here and now. To date, these specialists are available, but they are located in commercial medical institutions such as Tiramed and Medin. How do we see the way out of the situation today, we have taken such a path that if there is no specialist in a state institution, the corresponding procedure or examination is carried out by a specialist in a commercial institution, and the state pays for it. This is also a way out of the situation. By and large, citizens do not care where, most importantly, what is free, quickly and efficiently. We take on this burden. Let it be for now. To date, we have extended this practice to children with disabilities. We were able to reach almost everyone and provide medical support, assistance in the form of examination, tests and treatment at Tiramed. What we paid for. It is necessary to continue and extend this mechanism to all children under 18 years of age. Naturally, Tiramed is not rubber. It is necessary to strengthen the direction of children, pediatrics and provide assistance. At the same time, it is natural to think about the personnel solution of problems in our state medical institutions. In particular, in Bendery. The problem is well-known, complex, but, of course, solvable. You can't sit back, you have to see the problems, talk about it and solve it. What we are doing. I assure you that we are consistently moving towards solving all problems. And through the implementation of all the directions that I have outlined, and the implementation of all state targeted programs, I assure you, we will achieve a lot. People will feel it.
There were also questions from citizens, for example, about the transition to insurance medicine. As practice shows our citizens are not ready for this. Insurance medicine is a very serious tax on individuals and legal entities. Today neither individuals nor legal entities of our state are ready for this. There is an institute of insurance medicine in the world. Somewhere it works, but somewhere it doesn't. The amount of taxes levied in this practice is significant. Based on the dialogue with the medical community and with citizens, I conclude that we are not yet ready for this. When we are ready, then we will move on.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
Vadim Nikolaevich, good afternoon. I would like to continue the topic of questions from social networks. Social networks also know that you are having a press conference and are already actively engaged in a dialogue with you. By the way, when I read these questions, I thought, it's not for nothing that we live in a presidential republic, in a small country: it seems that even if someone unscrewed the light bulb in the entrance, the president is also responsible for this. So, I'll read out some questions. “How long will we pay for heat during the unheated period? In the presence of a heat meter, we fit into the amount that is accrued to us during the heated period, all the rest of the months are money in the pocket fund for heating networks".
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
I will answer this question. We have such an approach to payment for heat energy. Basically, of course, the amount is formed in the winter and autumn periods, but the amounts are large, so we distribute this amount for all months of the year. By and large, you can pay only 5 heated months a year, but it will be very expensive, a large amount will be released, you can, in fact, multiply the monthly payment by two. Therefore, we distribute it for the whole year. This is the answer to the question. I think this is an absolutely reasonable decision.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
A question from a teacher from Bendery: “Why teachers are required to visit addresses at the micro-site in order to clarify children of school and preschool age during the pandemic, quarantine, why teachers should risk their health, and it is generally unclear why this activity is imposed by the order on schools and teachers? There is also a statistics department in the city, district polyclinics, district, passport departments. There are many ways to check the number of children living in a given area. Why do teachers have to visit addresses 2 times a year, count and submit ready-made statistics to the Department of Public Education?"
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
Probably, this is the decision of the Department of Public Education Bendery, maybe the rest of the Directorates of Public Education are doing the same. I will not dispute their decision, but I want to express my opinion. If this or that teacher considers that by going around the apartments of his students, he is risking his life, then, in exactly the same way, probably, this teacher is risking his life when he goes and teaches children in class, or, for example, goes and buys food in a store, or communicates in society, or invites his friends. This is the pandemic. Well, okay, put on a mask, don't go into the apartment, talk on the doorstep. In general, I remember the Soviet era: the teachers visited their students twice a year and watched how they lived, communicated with their parents, and so on. This is a normal form of contact between a teacher and a student. You can, of course, force the militiamen to do this, but I think that this is not absolutely necessary, and there is no need to involve any extras either. Therefore, the claim is incomprehensible. Who does not risk life and health during the pandemic? Who is not taking risks? Those who are associated with work in society, all have a certain contact, and everyone is at risk. Please note that it is the teachers who demand to stop remote work and work with schoolchildren in full-time mode. I think the question was asked emotionally, without thinking. I consider that there should be contact between teachers and schoolchildren.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
The next question from the social network: “When will the uncontrolled export of grain crops from Pridnestrovie abroad stop? The harvest is good this year, but prices for bakery products and sunflower oil are unlikely to fall in our country. Salaries have been marking time for the past few years, and prices for these types of products are constantly growing. Almost everything is taken out"
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
I think there will be more questions on agriculture. I will be happy to answer. With regards to the export of grain, we do not have uncontrolled grain export. Maybe these are some isolated cases, but these are smugglers. We catch, bring them to responsibility stipulated by the law. Basically, all grain exports that come from the territory of Pridnestrovie are absolutely controlled. This is the first thing. Secondly, taxes are paid for everything by legal entities. In fact, a large amount of grain is grown on the territory of Pridnestrovie. We leave the required amount of grain from which we bake bakery products in Pridnestrovie, the reserve is formed for two years. The rest of the grain, please, can be sold outside of Pridnestrovie. As for the price component, our price for bakery products is lower than in neighboring states - in Moldova and Ukraine - by 10%, 15%, 20%, 50%. We cannot make bread very cheap. If we reduce the price by two, three times, excuse me, we will have no bread left, we have open borders, bread will simply be bought up and exported. Or what, shall we introduce coupons for bread, or what? We have high quality bread. By the way, the harvest is good, but there are questions about the quality of the grain. We leave in Pridnestrovie the best grain, the grain of the first category, we bake very high-quality bread from it. We send grain of a different category, worse, for export. This is true. All the grain that is stored in granaries, from which we bake bread is of very high quality. I see no reason for the existing organizations this year to raise the prices for bread, and they will remain stable, as well as the prices for butter. Nevertheless, I want to bring everyone back to the idea that we cannot make bread absolutely cheap, this is counterproductive, otherwise we will simply be left without bread.
The same applies to, I will immediately indicate, the issue of pricing as such. This topic also sounds: why are food prices rising and so on. We are in the market. Pay attention to how the price component of metal, products from it, as well as wood has grown. If just yesterday, for example, a cube of wood cost two thousand rubles, today it costs seven thousand rubles. The metal rose 300% in price. This is a worldwide practice, it was not Pridnestrovie who came up with it. Of course, based on the rise in prices, there can be no timber on the territory of Pridnestrovie for two thousand rubles, and metal and products from it in the same price range. We just won't have anything left. The global marketplace affects us. This applies to metal, wood, energy, fuels and lubricants, food. Unfortunately, it is the world food price rise that I see. Growth is taking place in Ukraine, Russia, and Moldova, world prices are rising. Of course, it is also impossible to have cheap food products when they are several times cheaper than in neighboring states. Otherwise, it will happen, as with bread, - we simply will not have food left. This is the market, it dictates its terms. Nevertheless, there is a mechanism that allows you to control the price component in retail chains. I highlight the main chain stores: the Sheriff, the Blagoda chain of stores, the Bendery meat processing plant chain. The meat-packing plant has about 20 stores, there are about 40 stores in Blagoda, and the Sheriff company has about 40 stores. Incidentally, this is the question that we have a monopoly of the Sheriff network. No, there are already different chains, please buy food. These are ours, not import chains, who came here, temporary workers, sell, gathered and left. These are our people, these are our manufacturers. This is important to understand. It is very dangerous to have an external partner who opened a store here, tomorrow he has a crisis, he turned around and left. These are our entrepreneurs who form the price component of these legal entities, these stores. There is a law that allows you to control pricing. I would like to give an example when the price of Selyanskoye milk increased. Selyanskoye milk is purchased outside of Pridnestrovie, and it has risen in price there, in Ukraine. Naturally, our legal entities are forced to raise the selling price here. The price of our domestic products did not rise for dairy products of the "Blagoda" company, for meat products of Bendery meat processing plant. I personally spoke with the director of the meat processing plant on the price component. She said that our position is to maintain prices, although they are already buying meat at a higher price. Sometimes working at the limit of profitability, they keep prices in the range that they have. Well, of course, they have their own production where they can use their own resource. Therefore, we are very interested in domestic producers, in product self-sufficiency. Much depends on this. We can discipline the domestic producer, help, control prices in full and prevent their growth. This applies to both bread and dairy products, which are produced in Pridnestrovie, and meat products. What is purchased and imported to Pridnestrovie, excuse me: there is a purchase price, there is a sales price. You can't do anything here.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
Another question from social networks: “Good afternoon! I have a question for our President. My dad is a participant in the hostilities in the PMR, he has been waiting for an apartment from the state for twenty years. Parents live in a hostel where there are no conditions, and the administration says different numbers of the queue each time. Is it worth the wait at all? Or is it strict with us - who paid for the queue is the first one? "
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
Well, about "who paid for the queue is the first one" - this is again, probably, an emotional component. I do not know such facts, when they pay for the queue. As the practice of previous years shows, those citizens who received apartments in violation of the queue (there were such facts) had very big problems with the prosecutor's office and, ultimately, with the courts. There were court decisions according to which these apartments were returned to the queue and given to the waiting list. Therefore, the dangerous formula "who paid is the first", there is no such thing, this is all nonsense. As for the participants in the hostilities: yes, of course, there is a problem. It is not massive, it is more targeted. This year we have solved the problem for the disabled - participants in the hostilities: eight apartments were allocated, and everyone who needed to improve their living conditions, namely the defenders who received disabilities while defending the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, received housing. The next year, I came up with an initiative to allocate funding for 25 apartments for the defenders of Pridnestrovie in a targeted way, not based on the general priority, but in a targeted way. These apartments will be distributed among cities and districts and will be provided to our defenders as needed.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
Vadim Nikolayevich, there is a question from social networks. The question is important on the eve of the school year, which starts literally tomorrow in all schools: “I have a question, why should parents of students print out algebra textbooks? Where are the tutorials? Last year my son received a textbook in a terrible state, but this year he did not. The homeroom teacher will send the computer version, and the parents should print it".
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
Of course, the problem of textbooks was acute. Corresponding state program was developed to provide schools with appropriate textbooks. The program has been operating, from memory, since 2017. During this time, forty-two thousand textbooks were printed, which entered our schools. As for algebra, literally in July of this year (perhaps the author of this question does not yet have the information), schools received 13768 algebra textbooks, with a total need of 13100 students. That is, everyone will be provided with algebra textbooks (grades 7-11). This is also included in the program. In addition, I would like to say that from the Russian Federation we received 3600 different books for the library fund and its replenishment. Literally one of these days we will receive 1500 textbooks from the Russian Federation as well. Of course, textbooks are received free of charge, and we donate it to schools without any rent. The question regarding algebra is completely closed. This applies, by the way, to textbooks in Russian, Moldavian and Ukrainian languages, especially Ukrainian and Moldovan languages. They were printed in a certain quantity and entered educational institutions.
Lyudmila Soltan, "Adeverul Nistryan" newspaper:
We often talk about infrastructure development. In particular, in the villages this is road repair, lighting, and medical aid stations. This motivates the rural population to stay in the village. There is the biggest difficulty - to keep young people who are faced with the problem of employment. It is clear that it is more difficult to create jobs in rural areas, and I think that even the development of the agro-industrial complex will not help much, because modern enterprises require fewer jobs. How do you see the solution to this problem?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
It is voluminous question. I do not entirely agree that the development of new technologies reduces the number of jobs. For example, grapes, let's say a combine collects it for cognac, cognac spirits, but people collect it for wine. These are jobs, this is exclusively manual labor. What technologies are there? If you want a quality product, you cannot do without the old-fashioned methods of processing the vine and harvesting grapes. The next example is land reclamation. One hectare that is under reclamation creates 15-20 specific year-round jobs. Therefore, by doing land reclamation, we also create guaranteed jobs. The same is generally the case with a tractor or a combine: even if it is new, but it is controlled by a man, not a robot. Of course, productivity is much higher than that of the old one, but people in this direction are in great demand in agriculture - both tractor drivers and combine operators.
Let's talk about agriculture, because employment, it just depends on the general state of the village. I would like to highlight the main directions of the development of the village. This is the preservation of education, that is, schools, this is the provision of a specific settlement with medicine, which we are doing at the present time. This, of course, is the creation of leisure centers, the renovation of cultural centers and other places of leisure, libraries. This is the construction of playgrounds. This is road repair, lighting, gas supply, water supply to settlements. One third of the population lives in rural areas in Pridnestrovie. There are a lot of villages within walking distance of the urban environment - for example, Sukleya, Blizhny Khutor near Tiraspol, they connect the city of Tiraspol. There are villages far from the central cities of the republic, where more attention should be paid. We are going along the following path. We have not reduced a single school in rural areas, on the contrary, we are repairing and bringing to mind, even though they are not fully completed. We have launched the "School Bus" program for those settlements where there are no schools (there are also such). Literally on September 1, we will donate 12 new school buses to cities and districts. The event will take place in Tiraspol, near the theater; the heads of the village administrations for their settlements will receive the keys to the cars. These are school buses. I would like to thank the Government and the Supreme Soviet for supporting this initiative and for its implementation. Next year, we are also pledging funds for the purchase of buses, which will also be distributed to the countryside and will be in demand, so they will be used for sports, cultural events, and visits to the city by children from the countryside.
The next question is health care in the villages. We also took the path of repairing rural medical infrastructure. We are installing new medical and obstetric centres, renovating rural outpatient clinics, retaining medical staff in order to be able to provide medical care in the countryside. Reducing rural medicine is unacceptable, no matter how difficult it is for us. I understand all the complexities, complexities of the republican and local budgets, nevertheless, local medicine should cover people living in rural areas.
The next direction is the leisure sector. What we got, the House of Culture, they were all in a terrible state. Literally another five years, and they would have been completely destroyed. Today we are renovating recreation centers in rural areas: in the Slobodzeya region in the villages of Ternovka, Kitskany, in the Kamensky region in the villages of Podoima, Katerinovka, in the Grigoriopol region - Malaeshty. I gave this example. The House of Culture has been functioning in a new form a year, 12 collectives are engaged there. Warm, good, cozy. This is the center of the village, which has become in demand among all residents of the village of Malaeshty, and so we will continue. This is all a systematic work, a systematic approach. If this work had begun about twenty years ago and at least two recreation centers were repaired a year, then there would have been no problem. Unfortunately, in three or four years we are not able to do everything at once, although we are working hard in this direction, and there is a result.
Now we are talking about the development of rural areas, based on the agro-industrial complex. Naturally, it is difficult to imagine new agriculture in Pridnestrovie without new technologies, without the help of the state, without the development of land reclamation. It was also very difficult. I will give figures on land reclamation. As of January 1, 2017, there were about eight thousand hectares of land under reclamation in Pridnestrovie. It was extremely small. A joint program with the Russian Federation was developed, Russia has its own absolutely objective problems, they direct funds for the development of their territories. The time when this program was being prepared, it is absolutely incomprehensible to me why all the floating barges with pumps were cut and, in fact, our land reclamation was exposed. They put her in an extremely difficult position. We were forced to develop our own programs for the development of the reclamation complex of our republic on our own. What was done? Fortunately, we have such a plant as Elektromash, which is capable of producing new engines for land reclamation and re-enumerating all the pumps that are installed at these pumping stations. The work was carried out literally two years, and here is the result. There will be guaranteed 25 thousand hectares under land reclamation by January 1, 2022, as we plan. Another 5 thousand hectares are under implementation: we will supply water to the access point, and agro-industrialists and entrepreneurs will purchase the appropriate frigates and irrigate the land. During the Soviet period, there were 62000 hectares of irrigated land in Pridnestrovie. Now there are already about 30 thousand hectares of irrigated land. This is our result, this is our work. Based on irrigation technologies, new technologies, productivity, I am convinced, will be at the level. That is, 30 thousand hectares will give the same result that 60 thousand hectares used to give. In addition, the state issues soft loans for the purchase of these irrigation machines. If you drive from Tiraspol to the Grigoriopol, Dubossary, Rybnitsa districts, you will see how many of this technique appeared in the fields. This is the result of four years. I would like to express my special gratitude to the director of "Electromash" Vladimir Grigorievich Trandasir, to all the workers of this plant for the fact that they were able to supply the stations located on our territory with engines and pumps in the shortest possible time. I visited a very large pumping station near the village of Tashlyk, which can provide 17 thousand hectares with land reclamation. One station – 17 thousand hectares. Large pumps installed. "Electromash" installs it, maintains and guarantees their work. No need to call specialists from China, Germany or the Russian Federation. These are our own pumps, absolutely competitive and efficient. "Elektromash" goes through all pumping units in addition to engines. I set the task for the Government and the Supreme Council to provide for the development of the melioration theme: first, financing for the production of electric motors and pumps for our pumping stations, second, financing the work on laying the appropriate lines, canals, and bringing water to the access point. The entrepreneur, receiving a preferential loan from the state, provides watering of his lands then. It's a complex.
Of course, we can talk about a lot, but I will tell you that the entrepreneurs of the agro-industrial complex do not talk about the difficulties of exporting products. As such, there is no problem of exporting products. We have a good market in the Russian Federation. Thank God, Mr. Kozak and Mrs. Maia Sandu met and agreed on a problem-free export of products from the territory of Pridnestrovie and Moldova. This is good news, this is a good incentive for our farmers. There is no export problem. This is the European Union, which accepts our products. By and large, land is a permanent source of income. We must grow and sell. This includes food security, cash and jobs as well.
Returning to the topic of employment, communicating with farmers, they just tell me about the lack of people. We need machine operators, we need combine operators, we need specialists in the field of land reclamation, agronomists and others. As practice shows, these people are worth their weight in gold, they are few. I set the Government a task to train specialists for land reclamation in our system of dual education and at PSU. It is necessary to study and train specialists in this sphere. What's done here? This applies not only to workers for the agro-industrial complex, but also workers in the light, heavy and food industries. In reality, there was a problem, there is still, but less so - a shortage of welders, turners, locksmiths, engineers in our industry. The so-called dual education program in 2018 was launched, in which 8 organizations of specialized education are now involved, including PSU, 28 enterprises of various forms of ownership and directions. They train specialists in 18 professions. At the same time, the emphasis is not so much on theoretical as on practical training. Training lasts from three months to two years, depending on the specialization. We have trained hundreds of specialists in the real sector of the economy, both in the agricultural sector and for light, heavy industry and energy. Let’s return to Elektromash. The plant is preparing very serious units for the nuclear and gas industry of the Russian Federation. All engineering thought, design bureau are graduates of our engineering faculty of PSU. They have used their dual experience for a long time. Those children who study at the Faculty of Engineering undergo practical training at Elektromash. And they draw personnel reserves from the PSU. A very good example. Neither any Russian or Chinese specialists, our specialists, it was these specialists who developed the reclamation program at Elektromash. There are many such examples. Therefore, we think, work and go purposefully.
The main goal of the entire agro-industrial complex is to ensure food security, food self-sufficiency of our state. With regard to cereals, the goal has been achieved. As for fermented milk products, today it is 60%. We are moving forward. We hear agrarians. I have meetings all the time. The pandemic interrupted this practice, but recently I again held meetings with farmers. I hear what is needed, and we go to meet them. The price of water is among the areas that are subsidized by the state, again regarding land reclamation. 70 kopecks per cubic meter of water is a low price, we will not change it, and the more land reclamation, the lower the price. We also subsidize the delivery of milk. The state pays a ruble to the producer for one liter of milk supplied. This is a good support for feed and livestock. This gives us the right to control the prices of these food products, which we do. It's all complex. This is a complex approach.
Lyudmila Soltan, "Adeverul Nistryan" newspaper:
One more question. I would like to talk about vaccination. We have often been told that collective immunity will help stop the pandemic. We have a vaccine, but not everyone is in a hurry to get vaccinated. Maybe it is worth following the path of some countries, which oblige people of professions involving contact with people to be vaccinated or take PCR once every two weeks, especially since school is now starting.
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
This is complex issue. There are so many people, so many opinions. I will express my opinion. There is an institute for compulsory vaccination. It also exists in Pridnestrovie in accordance with the current legislation. We are talking about vaccines that have passed a full clinical trial, and we know the results of these tests and are not afraid to use them in the masses. As for the coronavirus vaccine, no vaccine has passed a full clinical trial to date. Now we are talking about the third phase of clinical trials. When the third phase of clinical trials is over, when we know the results and they are published, when we know the consequences, then we can force vaccination. We will have the right to do this, but as long as it does not exist, neither I nor other officials will take responsibility for the mandatory vaccination. Of course, I am a supporter of vaccination, a supporter of vaccination of elderly people who are at risk. As the practice of the third wave shows, the danger is very great. I have already said that this is not just a lung disease, it is a vascular disease. Of course, who is suffering? Elderly people. Blood vessels, of course, are more of their topic than of a young man. Therefore, such consequences for the elderly. “60+” is already the age of the risk group.
As for vaccines, the following vaccines were on the territory of Pridnestrovie: Sputnik V Russian, two Chinese vaccines Sinovac and Sinopharm, Phizer, AstraZeneca, the American Johnson & Johnson - five vaccines. People themselves chose the vaccine that is more acceptable to them. Although, if you remember when Sputnik V arrived, the decision was made to vaccinate people at risk first. We did it. The rest of the vaccines were distributed at will, people were vaccinated as they wanted. This will continue. We will receive vaccines, we will purchase vaccines. Unfortunately, it is simply impossible to buy a vaccine. This is an appropriate institution, even an appropriate political decision. We will apply so that in addition to the vaccines we receive, we can also purchase vaccines. We don't have enough vaccines. We will run the marathon when we have the proper amount of vaccine.
I want to suppress rumors that supposedly students living in dormitories will be obliged to be vaccinated. It is not true. Nobody is going to oblige anyone and will not. Again, this is counterproductive. If you have a desire - please, get hung up, no - it's your business. They will do PCR when they need to get somewhere, and so on. This is the choice of everyone. Everything is harmonious with us, without hysterics. I hope that our citizens, especially people at risk, will understand the need for vaccination against coronavirus. Will this create collective immunity? It will for a period of time, of course. There is a category of those who have been ill, they are protected by antibodies. There is a category that is still vulnerable. As you can see, people are still dying from coronavirus infection. As practice shows, older people die to a greater extent.
Yuri Solovyov, Radio1:
You said today that you often browse social networks and the comments they write there. How do you feel about criticism in your address, which also sometimes sounds there?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
I am absolutely fine, and those questions that were asked from social networks, in many ways, they also express certain criticism. Thanks to this criticism, certain decisions will be made to solve the problems that exist. This is a big plus. There is a productive criticism. There is criticism for the sake of criticism: just to discuss, without any suggestions. This is not interesting at all, because I want to see a way out of this situation. I am interested in suggestions on how to get out of this or that situation. I will express my attitude towards the opposition, as such. This is normal, a completely normal institution in any society. I welcome the opposition. I communicate with many. What is opposition for me? These are people who want the independence of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, its development. They see the solution to some problems differently. They express their opinion on how they would solve certain problems: either in foreign policy or in domestic policy. There are such people, and I am in dialogue with them. By the way, I involve them in solving problems on the part of civil society and not only. There is a real result. This is fine. Unfortunately, there are citizens who do not want the development of Pridnestrovie, want the destruction of the statehood of Pridnestrovie. I do not see opposition in them. This is not an opposition. These are the people who contradict the Constitution of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and the opinion of the people, the 2006 Referendum, where the people spoke out for independence and integration into the Russian Federation. Those people who call the Russian military occupiers talk about the need to withdraw the peacekeeping forces from the territory of Pridnestrovie - what kind of opposition is this? This is not an opposition. These people are called by another word, by the way, they have one thing in common - they don't work anywhere, as a rule. The question is, where do they get the money? Our Ministry of State Security knows where they get their money and not in Pridnestrovian rubles. This is also true. They fulfill their function. They fulfill their role. Their role is not aimed at the development of our state. All the same, even from them I see the benefit, I hear about some problems that they just emphasize more vividly. We are looking for answers to certain questions together with the Supreme Council and the Government. It's okay too. Therefore, I am ready to conduct and continue to conduct a dialogue with everyone. I especially want to conduct a dialogue with those who think about the independence and development of our state. It's nice to have a dialogue with them, nice to argue.
Natalia Semerenko, Novosti newspaper (Rybnitsa):
The question is a continuation of the topic of personnel training, or rather, how to keep them here in Pridnestrovie. I am not aware of the official statistics at the moment, but based on the communication that occurs between me and the residents of our city and district, from the closest circle of friends, many residents of our city and district leave for work, most often they are people aged from 30 to 45 years old, i.e. those people who have already gained some experience want to work, but, unfortunately, do not receive decent wages for this, adequate to today's prices. As a rule, I probably will not be mistaken when I say that about 50% of the residents of the city and region, perhaps the republic, live from credit to credit for the purchase of housing, education, treatment, purchase of a car. Wages of both public sector employees and other organizations, will it change in a positive direction?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
I identified this problem at the beginning of our discussion as the main one. These are low salaries of public sector employees and insufficient, in my opinion, pension provision. It is impossible to do something so that everything appears at once. This is a comprehensive work of the entire state mechanism to improve life, entrepreneurial activity, and increase tax revenues to our budget. We cannot spend more than we earn. How much we earn, so much we spend. Everything depends on us. This is self-sufficiency. It is everywhere, no matter who criticizes in fact. There is a budget, both a family one, for example, and a state one: you earned money, opened a piggy bank and spent it. There are no other options. We need the work of the President, the Government, and the Supreme Soviet that is absolutely understandable to people for this, of course. This meeting, by the way, is aimed at this. I deliberately wanted to answer these pressing questions to show the work. The work is underway, and, moreover, it is being carried out everywhere, so I very much hope that we will gradually follow the path of increasing wages and pensions. There are the most disadvantaged categories, I can even single out. For example, if you take the healthcare system, these are nurses. In my opinion, today's salaries are unsatisfactory, very low pay. If we are talking about raising salaries in the healthcare system, about the next stage (this year we have raised it by 8%), I would think about this category of healthcare workers. If we take, for example, the Ministry of Education, these are kindergarten nannies.
As for "they leave - they come". This problem exists, remains, and probably always will. People get a certain qualification, and because of a small salary, a person leaves. I agree. Sometimes the salary is not small, but the person leaves, because they offer more. For example, we are implementing the Capital Investment Fund Program. We see how much a specialist in the construction industry receives, the salaries are rather big, but he still leaves. He is a professional, he receives a high salary here, but in Europe he gets more. Our citizens have different passports today, this is also normal. A person can go to Europe and work there with Moldovan passport. It's his choice. He, of course, comes back here from Europe later, and it pleases. He buys a house, stays here, but, people go to earn money nevertheless.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian:
There is a popular picture on the Internet nowadays where a Moldovan politician asks you for several tickets for the Champions League match Sheriff - Real Madrid. The whole country lives and breathes football, the whole country knows what the draw is, who should go to Real Madrid. Everyone is waiting for the arrival of these large teams to us. We know your emotions, you voiced them publicly, you also wrote about it on the Telegram channel. Almost every man, maybe even women, has his own personal football history, when they began to root for whom, when they became interested in football, maybe some favorite football players, emotions. I would like to hear your personal football story and once again your assessment of this incredible football miracle created by Sheriff.
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
I will not comment on the picture. Let the author comment on who came up with it. As for football, I love football, I love to watch football. It’s from school. I was a fan of the Dynamo-Kiev team. Probably, many boys of the Soviet Union were rooting for Dynamo-Kiev, Spartak, Dynamo-Moscow and so on. Dynamo-Kiev, of course, was a brilliant team. It was a great pleasure for me to communicate with Belanov, a Dynamo-Kiev footballer. I enjoyed watching his game before, I remember the vivid matches that this team played in 1986-1988. Nowadays football is completely different, and it is impossible to compare it with the level of the Soviet Union. It is represented by other players, other financial capabilities of clubs, and other interests. I would like to focus on our football team “Sheriff”, which made a splash not only in Pridnestrovie. It made a splash, probably among all football fans, proving that even a team with a low budget, compared to the giants of European football, is able to impose competition and even win. Everyone is always comparing the lineup of teams' budgets. For example, the budget of the Manchester City team is, in my opinion, about a billion Euros. The Dynamo Zagreb team, which was defeated by the Sheriff team, has a budget of about $ 130 million. The budget of the Sheriff team is 10 times less, rather modest in terms of the level of European football. Nevertheless, they imposed competition and won. And now we reached the group stage of the Champions League. We got very interesting rivals. This, of course, is the most titled team in the world, Real Madrid, Inter, which is also an interesting team in the Italian championship, and the Shakhtar team of the Ukrainian championship. It is difficult to demand, of course, only victories from the Sheriff team, being in such a serious group, taking into account many features of football, footballers, and again, the budgetary state of these clubs. Nevertheless, we hope that Sheriff will adequately represent Tiraspol and will be able to impose a fight on these eminent clubs. I am convinced of this, so I will be happy to watch and cheer for ours.
Alexander Karasev, "Pridnestrovie" newspaper:
Vadim Nikolaevich, such a question. Today, from many politicians, public figures, various specialists, one can hear that one should live without the past, that is, one does not need to remember it often, apply it, perhaps, in one practice or another, but one must live in the present day, because life is filled with new content. There are new approaches. Your opinion on this, please.
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
Let's take a look at what history is as such. What will this conference be tomorrow? History, right? Winning and reaching the Champions League, the group stage of the Sheriff team - what's this? History. Right? The Great Patriotic War is history. The October Revolution is history. That is, history is everything that passed, it is all history. It's just that history has its own time interval, the history of one day, or the history of a century or a millennium. Here is what you should pay attention to. There are historical events that remain in memory, but do not affect the present day. We just remember about it, think about it, remember. There are historical events that have an impact on the present day. They are constant in time and space. Therefore, for those politicians who want to forget history, I suggest remembering the Holocaust, for example. The Holocaust is also history. Do those politicians who say let's forget history and live tomorrow's day want to forget the history of the Holocaust? No, they certainly remember the history of the Holocaust. But then this selective memory is obtained. Selective memory in history is unacceptable. Either you remember the whole story, or you don’t remember any. Therefore, the Holocaust is constant in time and space. Do you agree with this? Is the outcome of the Nuremberg Tribunal also history? This, let me remind you, is the Second World War, the Great Patriotic War. Should we forget the results of World War II? I think no. This is also our story. Many documents that are signed by certain politicians or adopted by parliaments are also history, but they operate in time and space here and now, and the legislation of the countries is based on them. Any Constitution, any legislation of any state is based on the history of the law of this state, history, again history. I am not a historian, I just love history, I study history and I propagandize history in Pridnestrovie, if I may say so. Although, again, one can meet criticism on the Internet, they say, these museums are opening. Yes, museums are opening. This is the culture of our society. Don't just open shops that sell suits or ties or jeans. Museums should also be opened, especially since this procedure is extremely small in financial terms. There is the budget of the republic, there is the concept of GDP. Budget spending is needed as a percentage in any state, that is, let's say, a certain percentage for the defense of the state, a certain percentage for health care, a certain percentage for sports, a certain percentage for culture, including museums. Based on the budget, we define this percentage. More budget means more spending, less budget means less spending. Everything is very simple. Therefore, a very rich state spends a lot in this area, a poorer one spends less, but it should still spend as a percentage. There is an example. An archaeological museum will be opened today in Tiraspol, in the Catherine Park, where the rich history of the Scythians, Celts, ancient Magyars, Sarmatians who lived in the territory of Pridnestrovie, whose burial mounds were studied by archaeologists and extracted artifacts, will be presented. Here's the question. Pridnestrovie is already 31 years old, and these tens of thousands of artifacts were gathering dust in the PSU in shoe boxes, in candy boxes, in other storages. That's the point. Pridnestrovians could not visually touch this. It was decided to exhibit them for people, to show the rich history of this region, the thousand-year history of this region. What is it really worth? It’s just worth putting the furniture in and organizing. Is it a lot of money to supply furniture, structures and place them in the exhibition hall? No. It costs practically nothing, it's not even worth talking about this if you know the way out of this action. Not everything rests on money, rests on initiative, rests on understanding the need for this structure, which forms our cultural code, cultural immunity, and so on.
In general, with regards to our archeology, if you look deep into the centuries, then the Scythians lived on the territory of present-day Pridnestrovie, and the Celts lived beyond the Dniester. The Dniester has the first historical name that has come down to us, “the river of division”. Division of what? Civilizations. Note that Pridnestrovie has proposed something new? No. It was thousands of years ago. There is western civilization, here is eastern civilization. This is not my idea, sorry. No one can change it for some reason. This reality has been forming for millennia, and the Dniester has always divided people according to cultural and linguistic grounds. Studying history again, we come to the conclusion that we were not the first to declare our vector of development, it turns out that it was worked out many centuries ago. Somehow it turns out. If we are talking about the history of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, Pridnestrovie, then we competently combine these stories, where one people lived. The stories are different. Global eras: the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, Pridnestrovie, but the people are one, one people. Epochs have changed, the people are a constant. Naturally, we honor both the tragic history of our Motherland and the heroic history of our Motherland. In the Russian Empire, the movement "Heirs of Victory", and we have the movement "Heirs of Victories", all the victories of Russian arms. We are the heirs of victories over Napoleon, of course, our compatriots, our regiments, which were formed in Tiraspol as well, fought with Napoleon. We are the heirs of the heroic defense of Sevastopol in 1854-1855, we are the heirs of victories in the Russian-Turkish wars, the liberation of the Balkan Peninsula, the preservation of Orthodoxy, the independence of Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia, which these states received as a result of their liberation from the Turkish ports. We are the heirs of victories in the First World War, and, of course, in the Great Patriotic War. This is all our history. How can I forget it? By the way, the conclusions from these wars, conclusions and decisions not only after the Second World War, they are still valid in Europe and in our country. Therefore, those people, those politicians who declare the elimination of history as such, they do not know what they are talking about. Therefore, based on our budgetary possibilities, we will, of course, develop the history of Pridnestrovie. I invite everyone after the opening of this museum to visit it and listen to the history of our region.
Alla Ivanchenko, "News of Pridnestrovie":
If today the word "Pridnestrovie" is entered into any search engine, then readers will have much more information about the life of the state, including about tourism opportunities. We all understand that the tourism industry is in its infancy, hence the question. What tasks does the state set for the tourism sector and how do you personally see tourist Pridnestrovie ideally?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
If we talk about tourism potential, where is it? Yes, it is everywhere on the territory of our republic. The main thing is to show, to be able to show. You can talk a lot about tourism as such, about attracting tourists here and tourist investments. Something needs to be done for the object to appear. For example, with the appearance of the object Bendery Fortress, there is already interest, tourist interest. In the 2019 pre-pandemic year, the Bendery Fortress in Moldova as a whole took the second place in terms of attendance at this tourist site. This is just a year after the launch of this facility. Other objects appear today. This, of course, is the Catherine Park. This is the same archaeological museum, then the museum quarter. This is all connected with the history of the city of Tiraspol. It is very interesting. This applies to the park complex in Slobodzeya. I hope an interesting place will appear in Chobruchi soon. These are interesting park places in Dubossary, which are being built, Grigoriopol, Rybnitsa, in Kamenka, the Wittgenstein park. It's all complex. This is what with regards to rest. Naturally, it is necessary to think about the infrastructure: about hotels, about catering establishments, which provides comfort to a person. Excuse me, even about the bathrooms. You need to think about it. This is all tourism. The next point is food tourism. Pay attention to how many vehicles from Moldova cost us near the Green Market or near the wholesale store. Probably 50 percent. It's not like our cars with a Moldovan license plate. These are the people who come from Moldova to purchase our quality food products, especially on the market. This is also food tourism. It's okay too. It is beneficial for everyone. This is purchasing power. This is GDP growth in part. The next tourism is Orthodox, religious tourism. We have many Orthodox churches, interesting churches, and restored churches. Let me remind you that when Pridnestrovie came into being, there were only four Orthodox parishes. There were four Orthodox parishes on the territory of Pridnestrovie. Today, there are about 140. The old temples have been restored. All this also attracts the respective tourist. This is an integrated approach. It was necessary to create an appropriate department under the Ministry of Economic Development to systematize it, create a website, a resource. Therefore, we are happy to welcome guests, and we will develop in this direction. Any state develops, including through tourism. Right? Right! It develops largely due to tourism. Some states live only on tourism. Therefore, this direction needs to be developed in Pridnestrovie. Considering again our history, excuse me, without the construction of museums and the opportunity to show our history here in Pridnestrovie, it is impossible to think about the tourist as such. We will move forward and develop tourism as well. There is a lot of work.
Alexander Lagutin, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
I would like to return to the topic of history. Now it was 30 years of the Emergency Committee. This was covered a lot in the media. They say that this was the last attempt to save the Soviet Union. Vladimir Putin wrote an article in the summer. He highlighted the opinion of the famous Russian lawyer Sobchak that when the Soviet Union collapsed, the former Soviet republics had to withdraw from it with what they came with, including Pridnestrovie. It is interesting to know your position on this issue. The former vice-president of Russia Alexander Rutskoy said recently that he ended the war on the Dniester, and the media attributed this victory to Alexander Lebed. Is it important for us to know who exactly ended the war on the Dniester?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
Let's start with the collapse of the Soviet Union. I will express my opinion as a person who loves history. In general, the collapse of the Soviet Union was one of the most global catastrophes of the 20th century, which affected not only the post-Soviet space, the former territory of the Russian Empire. It had a negative impact on the whole world, on the entire world order. I assure you, there would not have been many wars if the Soviet Union had existed. It is a fact. Why did such a powerful state called the Soviet Union collapse overnight? With a powerful institute of state security, internal affairs, other, so to speak, secret units, a huge army collapsed, and that's it. I then studied in Kharkov at a military school, took part in the referendum, by the way. I remember all this. This is very lively for me, because then I was very worried about the country, then I already understood a lot. This, of course, would not have happened if there were real Soviet power in the Soviet Union. That would seem to be a paradox, right? The Soviet Union is Soviet power. Not really. Soviet power is the power of the parliament, the Supreme Soviet, and the people, choosing the bodies of power, form the government, etc. By the way, practically all European states use the formula of Soviet power very well. Where there is a parliamentary republic, in Russian it will sound like "Soviet". That is, the Soviet model of building the political space was used by everyone except the Soviet Union itself. Unfortunately, the power of the Soviets was not as voluminous in the Soviet Union, not as effective as one would expect from the Soviet government. Decisions were made in the Soviet Union by the political elite - the CPSU, the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU, etc. They made decisions, and the councils, which were not elected, but appointed, played the role of such an auxiliary office, which approved the decisions taken by the party. That's the trouble. When a blow was dealt to the party, a hostile blow, when those people failed to keep this party in their hands, you know perfectly well who I am talking about, the soviets were unable to take a leading place in the post-Soviet space and hold on to power. Everything fell apart. The national movements in the union republics that supported those who had to fight this, they aggravated the collapse of the Soviet state. So he fell apart. These phrases “take your independence as much as you can”, they fatally affected the fate of our common homeland. Therefore, the collapse of the Soviet Union, I consider, is the treacherous position of the leaders of the Soviet state of that period, who absolutely did not give a damn about the work of their predecessors. No matter how anyone treated them, they did not give a damn about the feat of the Soviet people, those who died defending the Soviet Union, who died in the trenches, burned in tanks and planes, drowned in the sea. They completely canceled it out. This parade of sovereignties - the sovereignty of Russia from the Soviet Union, the sovereignty of Ukraine from the Soviet Union, Moldova from the Soviet Union - this is savagery, do you understand? This is what extreme separatism is, for which it was necessary then to attract. We were weak, there was no one to attract. The State Committee of the State of Emergency made some attempt, although today I cannot characterize them as positive or negative heroes. Who knows what was inside. It was some kind of conspiracy. You can come to such an understanding. The attempt was designated, so what? The state disintegrated. This is the greatest tragedy. I can write down the perpetrators of the collapse of the Soviet Union as my own enemies. I'm not even afraid of such a wording. This is fair and objective. I also want to remind you of one event, since such a question has already been asked, I will focus on it in more detail. It is wrong when only Gorbachev, Yeltsin, Kravchuk and Shushkevich are blamed for the collapse of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev was weak. Although he opposed the collapse of the Soviet Union. Three leaders got together and signed the Belovezhskaya Agreement. Yes, they made a push. I want to remind you that these Belovezhskaya agreements were ratified by the parliaments of Ukraine, Belarus and the RSFSR. These parliaments denounced the union treaty. Who, excuse me, then represented the Supreme Soviets, the parliaments of these union republics? People who have a certain party membership card are almost 100%. That is, those communists who were obliged to defend the Soviet Union to their last breath, they voted for the collapse of the Soviet Union. Only a few were opposed. In my opinion, two deputies voted against the disintegration in Ukraine, namely the ratification of the Belovezhskaya Agreement and the denunciation of the union treaty. In Belarus, in my opinion, one. In the Russian Federation, 84% were in favor, 16% were still against. It is true. Naturally, I simply do not have confidence in these people and cannot be. They simply crossed out and did not give a damn about the feat of the Soviet people, both military and labor. What to say about Pridnestrovie? Pridnestrovie turned out to be a hostage of the situation. Let me remind you that Moldova has actively joined this parade of sovereignties. I have already mentioned the date June 23, 1990. This is a declaration of the sovereignty of Moldova from the Soviet Union, where Moldova ceased to exist the Moldavian SSR, declaring its withdrawal from the Moldavian SSR, the illegality of the creation of the Moldavian SSR. The same provision was finally enshrined in the Declaration of Independence on August 27, 1991, where they confirmed the illegality of the creation of the Moldavian SSR. Incidentally, in this Declaration, Moldova assumed the obligation to eliminate all legal consequences of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, that is, to renounce Pridnestrovie. They did not fulfill their own Declaration. Let me remind you that the Declaration has supreme legal force. What is it? History? This document is permanent in the current law of the Republic of Moldova. We must fulfill it and give us independence to be honest about this issue. The formation of Pridnestrovie was a response to the treacherous position of the leadership of the Soviet Union on its collapse, a desire to defend their culture, their language, their right to life. This is also a fact.
Answering your question: Alexander Vladimirovich Rutskoi, respected person, said that he stopped (from your words, I did not read) the war on the Dniester. There is truth in his words, unambiguously. It was Vice-President Alexander Rutskoi who made a responsible decision and gave the order to General Lebed. He gave the order to stop the war and hostilities in Pridnestrovie. He took responsibility for this order. General Lebed, also a man respected by me, he stopped the war, physically, in fact, although he could be frightened and did not fulfill the order. Therefore, there are two main heroes - this is Alexander Vladimirovich Rutskoy and Alexander Ivanovich Lebed. This is true. This is the hisstory that you need to know.
Concluding final for the republic conversation, I want to touch on one more issue. This question is also from the network. Do you need to build so much, do you need to repair so much, they say, everything is enough, already enough, and so on. We actually started overhauling our infrastructure in 2018. The Capital Investment Fund has been in existence for four years and we are trying to draw attention to the most pressing issues requiring urgent attention. Well, how can you not go to the kindergarten and not make repairs there, when, excuse me, the roof is leaking, the plaster is crumbling and there are such cracks in the building. An example of today is a kindergarten that is being renovated in Tiraspol. You know, along Shevchenko street. Well, I'm sorry. I visited this kindergarten before the renovation. This is terrible. The sanitary and epidemiological station had to issue an opinion and simply close the doors of this kindergarten in such conditions, in an amicable way. And there are about 300 children. Well, how could you not allocate funds? The big funds. The kindergarten was in a deplorable state, practically it had to be built from scratch, only the walls remained. Now, literally in September, the children will already enter the new kindergarten. Is that bad? Is it necessary to stop and not continue? This also applies to hospitals and schools, etc. This applies to everything. 56 kindergartens in the amount of 52.5 million rubles have been repaired in the republic, 62 schools in the amount of 90 million rubles, 21 correctional institutions for people with disabilities in the amount of 70 million rubles, 42 healthcare facilities in the amount of 138 million rubles, 16 facilities sports worth 34 million rubles, 13 cultural facilities worth 35 million rubles, 8 additional education facilities worth 10 million rubles during four years. Parks, parking areas, squares, sports, playgrounds worth about 150 million rubles. This is the way of life, this is what keeps people here. People should not only work, but also find themselves in their leisure time, right? Have a good rest, take a walk with your child, etc. Three years ago, there was not even such a culture in Tiraspol as roller skating, scooter riding. These transport mechanisms do not move on humpbacked asphalt. Now it is a new culture in Tiraspol, as well as in other cities and regions of our republic. I hope this year we will finish the central square in Rybnitsa, the park area, and there will be a completely new culture of active recreation for the residents of Rybnitsa. This also definitely delays our citizens in our republic. I cannot but touch upon such a topic - this is also the Capital Investment Fund - as water supply to rural areas. We were able to provide water to 54 settlements, 54 villages received water in four years. Many villages at the same time historically did not have a water supply system (there were wells), and there were also such examples when there was a water supply system, but the villagers took it away in the so-called dashing 90s for their own needs, leaving the village without water. Well, too, the choice of what to do, there are different people. Nevertheless, we returned to this issue, provided 54 settlements in rural areas with water. This work will continue until all settlements receive normal water and running water. At the same time, how is it done: the well is digging deep, the distribution of the corresponding networks is carried out, and the water is launched in a targeted manner.
Another important point, which I would also like to draw your attention to, is the housing and utilities sector. There was a lot of criticism, I criticized housing and communal services, but without repairing it, one could only criticize and engage in, and not feel absolutely the result of the work. In order to repair housing and communal services, hundreds of millions of rubles were needed, and accidents, I have already spoken about this, you have heard these figures more than once, but I repeat again, there were a great many. There were only in Tiraspol about 300-400 gusts per week, in Bendery - 200-300 gusts. Imagine, these are sewerage collectors, these are the networks of a water utility company, these are heating systems, power grids, etc. We could gradually come to such a communal collapse that hospitals would be left without electricity, schools without water, and houses without sewage or without everything put together. There is only one resource - an increase in utility bills. We haven’t taken this path, we have been helping people and have not raised utility bills for the fifth year already, and we are not going to do this next year either. Moreover, as you all remember, for the residents of rural areas we give 1000 cubic meters of free gas for the winter period. Free for citizens and paid for the state. We also keep this in this and next year. Nevertheless, where did the money come from and why did it happen? The thing is that this preferential difference, which citizens do not pay, was paid by energy supplying organizations. That is, electricity grids, water utilities, heating systems, etc. were paid for people. In this way they washed out the circulating assets and did not have the opportunity to carry out repairs. Starting in 2018, the budget began to subsidize, that is, to return the difference that citizens do not pay, thereby forming the working capital of natural monopolies. And with this money, they began to make repairs in their communal infrastructure, including supplying water to the villages. Not to mention the electrification of rural streets, I mean the lighting of the central and diagonal streets. About a billion rubles have been invested in housing and communal services during four years. This is a lot of money for our republic. We have significantly reduced accidents. If there were 400 a week in Tiraspol, now there are 150, but they are still there. We must again move forward, and we will deal with this. Public administration is a complex mechanism. Impossible, so let's do one thing and this will wait. You have to do it everywhere. This is an integrated approach, otherwise we may run into serious problems. Therefore, for the next year, we will form the Capital Investment Fund based on the proposals of citizens. They are formed by the deputies of city and regional councils, and we will support them and will allocate funds. We will also form a reserve for the repair of housing and communal services. This will also be continued. This is a very correct approach. This is a systematic and reasonable approach, although there are certainly many problems.
Dear ladies and gentlemen, dear Pridnestrovians. We are on the eve of a very important date - the 31st anniversary of the founding of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. As I said, Pridnestrovie was actually a response to the collapse of a single state, to the desire to save people's lives and speak their own language. It was the people's choice. The choice of the people should be respected by some people. We have c living in difficult conditions for 31 years. There was a war, there was the formation of our statehood, there was a difficult negotiation process, there were blockade measures, there were natural disasters, there is a coronavirus. But we live. No matter how difficult, we keep peace in our land and develop Pridnestrovie.
Congratulating all of you on this holiday, I want to highlight the feat of our Pridnestrovian people in protecting our statehood, in repelling the aggression from Moldova against Pridnestrovie. I want to note the labor feat of our veterans, those who, in fact, from scratch organized the management structure, the branches of power in Pridnestrovie. I want to thank all the citizens who today stand to defend the republic, fulfill their professional duty, heal and save people, teach and provide other social needs of our citizens. There is the concept for me of a defender of Pridnestrovie, as well as for all of you. There are defenders of Pridnestrovie who defended our independence with arms in hand. But those who serve, work, save, including you, are also defenders of Pridnestrovie. It is just that one must always deal with defense - both with a weapon and without a weapon in his hands. We are all defenders of Pridnestrovie.
I would also like to note that Pridnestrovie and Pridnestrovians do not deserve such a definition as “separatists”. We are not separatists, just we didn’t destroy the Moldavian SSR, we didn’t withdraw from it, it was done by politicians on the other side. We did not destroy the Soviet Union. This was done by other politicians from other states. We have not committed a single crime against the united Soviet state. Independence was a form of saving people's lives as I said before. No others were offered to us, that's the problem. If there was a dialogue, there would be understanding, there would be a form, it would probably be different. No other options were offered. The fact that Pridnestrovie has been developing for 31 years (everyone contributed to this development as best he could) is the merit of the entire Pridnestrovian people. I as President will always follow the will of the Pridnestrovian people. The will is indicated at the referendum in 2006 and in the Constitution of our state. There are no others.
I would like to voice special words of gratitude to the Russian Federation. Russia is the guarantor of peace and stability in our land. I am convinced that now Russia must go through a difficult electoral cycle, and we will reach a new level of relations between Pridnestrovie and the Russian Federation, and the issues that were just voiced to the deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation will finally be implemented here, in Pridnestrovie, for our citizens not only for Russian citizens, but also for compatriots.
Happy holidays, take care of yourself. I hope that, despite the pandemic, you will celebrate the holiday well and communicate with family and friends. We are running all events outdoors in the run-up to the 31st anniversary of the coronavirus. We are discovering very interesting places that have been renovated and launched again. I invite everyone to visit these facilities. Literally today we are opening an archaeological museum, then - the renovated Pridnestrovian State University, then - kindergartens and schools. Etc. All this is the result of our joint work. It is impossible to present the work of the President, the Supreme Council, the Government, people who perform certain functions. We work together and together we achieve the result - either positive or negative. Once again, I want to express my gratitude to the entire Pridnestrovian people for their joint work, for joint work and joint results. Happy Holidays! Thanks!