The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic held an expanded meeting of the Board. The event, timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Foreign Ministry, was held in the small hall of the Palace of the Republic. President Vadim Krasnoselsky arrived to congratulate the staff of the PMR Foreign Ministry.
The authors of the documentary and the creators of the thematic photo exhibition reminded the participants of the solemn meeting about the formation and development of the diplomatic service of Pridnestrovie, as well as the modern specifics of the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Historical aspects and today's realities of the Foreign Ministry of Pridnestrovie were outlined by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PMR Vitaly Ignatiev. He began his speech with words of gratitude to his colleagues who stood at the origins of the creation of the ministry, formed in the process of transformation on the basis of the Republican Bureau of External Relations. The Minister emphasized that the foreign policy department is developing together with the republic.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs divided the report into several thematic blocks. Vitaly Ignatiev called 2017-2020 a period of unrealized opportunities and unfulfilled expectations, speaking about the negotiation process with the Republic of Moldova. Vitaly Ignatiev stated that the neighboring republic lost signs of humanity in the subsequent pandemic years. 2021 and 2022 are years of stagnation in the negotiation process. Interaction with the Moldovan side remains at a low level. The point is not only and not so much in the activity of the dialogue, but in the level of its effectiveness. Five meetings of political representatives and six meetings of expert (working) groups took place this year. The new Moldovan negotiator does not have real powers or does not use them: he has refused to meet with his Pridnestrovian counterpart since April. The 5+2 format was not planned this year, despite plans and expectations. Chisinau calls the reason for the complexity of relations between the guarantor countries of the negotiation process, while it is important that neither Russia nor Ukraine made statements of this kind. The issues of freedom of movement, delivery of goods, including humanitarian ones, banking blockade and many others remain on the agenda. The situation was aggravated by the closure by Ukraine at the end of February of checkpoints on the border with Pridnestrovie. Moldova took advantage of the circumstances, increasing the administrative-bureaucratic pressure. Vitaly Ignatiev speaking about the negotiation process between Pridnestrovie and Moldova noted that he considers the signing of a peace agreement between the two neighboring states to be the only right decision. According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PMR, Pridnestrovian diplomats are ready for various scenarios and have a significant arsenal of tools necessary for diplomatic activities.
Vitaly Ignatiev called interaction with the Russian Federation one of the most important areas of work of the PMR Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mentioning contacts with the Administration of the President of Russia, deputies of the State Duma, senators of the Federation Council, representatives of the Foreign Ministry, Rossotrudnichestvo and other state institutions of Russia. The speaker focused on the problematic aspects related to obtaining and replacing documents by Russian citizens living in Pridnestrovie. He also spoke about the importance of the work of the Official Representation of Pridnestrovie, opened in Moscow in January 2019.
Vitaly Ignatiev commenting on contacts with the countries of the Caucasus – Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Artsakh noted that an indicator of the maturity of relations with these states is the signing and ratification of updated treaties on friendship, cooperation and partnership, as well as the mutual establishment of Trade Representations of Pridnestrovie and Nagorno-Karabakh.
As for interaction with far-abroad countries and international organizations, Vitaly Ignatiev emphasized that Pridnestrovie is actively developing ties with foreign countries and strengthening its reputation as a responsible and trustworthy participant in the process of international communication. The minister focused on cooperation with the UN and the implementation of a number of social and humanitarian projects, and recalled the development of the Human Rights Framework jointly with UN experts. Vitaly Ignatiev mentioned the activities of the working group that analyzes the recommendations received as a result of visits to Pridnestrovie by UN authorized representatives, including UN Senior Human Rights Expert Thomas Hammarberg.
The Minister devoted part of his speech to the topic of peacekeeping. He also spoke about the public information work of the department.
The PMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky, who took part in the expanded meeting of the board, focused on the personnel potential of the department, emphasizing that the diplomatic service is people whose professionalism and responsibility make it possible to effectively solve in the most difficult conditions the most important tasks. The President spoke about ideological viability and possession of a large amount of knowledge confirming the right of Pridnestrovie to international recognition. Vadim Krasnoselsky emphasized that the people of Pridnestrovie had long and clearly decided on their own choice.
The PMR President said that Moldova is a difficult negotiator, stressing that it became such not today.
Vadim Krasnoselsky devoted part of his speech to interaction with Russia, noting that the problems associated with the functioning of the Tiraspol consular service point remain relevant and need to be addressed.
Returning to the question of what qualities an employee of the Foreign Ministry of Pridnestrovie should have in order to fully and effectively solve official tasks, the PMR President called understanding of the situation, openness, possession of a significant store of knowledge, balance, pragmatism and patriotism.
Concluding his speech, the President congratulated the veterans, the leadership and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic on the departmental anniversary, expressing gratitude for their service. The most distinguished employees of the ministry were awarded state awards and honorary titles. Vadim Krasnoselsky and other guests of the reporting and solemn event were awarded commemorative medals "30 years of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PMR".
