Vadim Krasnoselsky, President of the PMR:
Esteemed Ilona Petrovna, esteemed Andrey Nikolayevich, esteemed First President of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic Igor Nikolayevich Smirnov, esteemed Tatyana Dmitrievna, Alexander Nikolayevich, dear deputies of the Tiraspol City Council, residents of Tiraspol, dear people of Pridnestrovie! I congratulate you all on the upcoming holiday – Tiraspol City Day!
Tiraspol is 234. It is a young city in essence compared to other settlements and in the context of our shared history. Tiraspol has forged its own history, truly unique history over these 234 years. Please, consider the figures behind the founding of Tiraspol. Of course, there is Generalissimo Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov – a brilliant military commander of global renown who achieved 70 victories in 70 battles. He founded only one city in the entire world: Tiraspol, the capital of our current republic, Pridnestrovie. He founded it as a fortress, as an outpost of the Russian World, and that is a fact. This was done, of course, with the direct assistance of Prince Potemkin-Tavrichesky and the great Empress Catherine the Great, the unifier of Russian lands. I would draw your attention to this significant point 234 years have passed, yet Tiraspol, despite all the geopolitical shifts on a global scale, has never changed its course. Never. Tiraspol was a city of the Russian Empire; it was a city of the Soviet Union. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Tiraspol demonstrated its character – a distinctive character. It granted people the right to live in the city of Tiraspol, to speak their native languages, and to live on their own land. There is also a sense of continuity. Please, note that ever since Tiraspol was founded as the Sredinnaya Fortress, it has been the Russian soldier whether of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, or the Russian Federation today, who has safeguarded peace and tranquility in this land. We therefore extend our sincere gratitude to the Russian Federation for its peacekeeping efforts. Thank you.
Tiraspol is a modern city today. I assure you, it compares favorably to cities in Ukraine, the Russian Federation, Moldova, and elsewhere. There is a special atmosphere here that sets Tiraspol apart from other cities and regions, something from the past has been preserved here in my view. That is wonderful, of course, even as generations and eras change.
Tiraspol serves today as the capital of our republic – the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, or Pridnestrovie. It is the seat of all government and administrative bodies, as well as the hub for higher education, healthcare, schools, preschools, and special education facilities. Security personnel serve here, protecting the peace and stability of our state. I am pleased to see the city developing. It is difficult; there are challenges. But when has it ever been easy? Throughout Tiraspol’s history, one might identify brief periods of stability – fleeting phases. We simply have to see them through. One thing I can say for certain: independence and the right and privilege to speak one’s native language require great effort and strength of character, of course. It cannot be otherwise. Those who lack these qualities lose their language and their national identity, and will inevitably vanish from the map of the world. Those who show character and stand up for their rights and their freedom to be independent – they have a future. Territory is actually a secondary matter in this regard: one can be territorially vast yet lose everything, or be much smaller and preserve everything – preserving one’s memory, the memory of one’s ancestors, and one’s history. The city of Tiraspol is following this very path as is all of Pridnestrovie and the entire Pridnestrovian people. The "museum quarter" as the locals call it which brings together the history of Tiraspol, Pridnestrovie, and our region, stands as a testament to this. We remember the heroic deeds of our ancestors; we will never forget them, and no one will ever force us to forget the heroism of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Of course, the broader situation is cause for concern. It is truly painful for me to witness what is happening in the neighboring state, where Nazi criminals and the very ideologies of Nazism and fascism are being openly rehabilitated. This is extremely dangerous in fact. One thing I can say is that sometimes people do things without realizing the consequences, creating problems not only for themselves but also for their children and grandchildren.
Esteemed Ilona Petrovna, Andrei Nikolaevich, and esteemed deputies of the City Council: I am grateful to you for such high praise of my work. Of course, I did not work alone. I do not subscribe to the notion of the "lone warrior." No, one man alone cannot win the battle. Only with people only with a team you can achieve results; that is the only way. It simply cannot be otherwise. The "lone warrior" mentality is nothing but ego, and it never yields results. That is why I am grateful to everyone who stood by my side as we achieved our goals. Much is ahead I have no doubt about that without a doubt. We must be creative, think proactively, and keep moving forward even when facing budget constraints.
Esteemed deputies of the City Council, you have truly placed me in the ranks of outstanding individuals: Heroes of the Soviet Union who defended our Motherland’s independence and our freedoms; Heroes of Socialist Labor who brought glory to the city of Tiraspol through their heroic work; a cosmonaut; and the first deputies of Pridnestrovie and the First President of Pridnestrovie, Igor Nikolayevich Smirnov, of course. It is a tremendous honor and a huge responsibility to stand alongside such people. So, I offer you my deepest gratitude once again.
I am convinced that the city of Tiraspol has a great future, it could not be otherwise. The protective mantle of the Most Holy Theotokos is over us. It is likely thanks to this in large measure that we possess the spirit to defend our independence. I pray that the Most Holy Theotokos continues to shelter the city of Tiraspol, preserving peace, prosperity, and the people – the people of Pridnestrovie.
Thank you very much!
