Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Good day! Glad to see you. We haven't spoken in the hall for a long time. A pandemic is a hindrance, but in this format it is possible to answer questions. Communicate both with you and with people through you. It's good.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
Thank you very much, Vadim Nikolaevich, that there is such an opportunity to ask questions, despite the difficult times, the pandemic, we can meet in this format, communicate, ask everything that interests people. Today I would like to start with foreign policy, because when a threat appears in foreign policy, it always causes fear in our people. On the one hand, we are accustomed to a powder keg, it is loudly said, to constantly be afraid of some threats. Now it seems that there are more of them than usual. There is also a pause in the "5 + 2" format, it is not clear when it will take place. It seems, everyone is used to it. Key issues could be discussed there. For example, the left threat, the so-called when we are flooded with Moldovan currency, it is clear that all this is created artificially. At the same time about the outer perimeter. The President of Russia says, that they have military strategic weapons on board. We are talking about NATO exercises in the Black Sea. Earlier, a plane with NATO weapons flew to Chisinau, which is also not a pleasant surprise for us. All this, the level of threats that is now being created in the negotiations and around us, how can this be assessed, Vadim Nikolaevich?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
The issue of foreign policy is a priority for me personally, because the life of the state, the life of Pridnestrovie, the life of Pridnestrovians depends on it. If we are talking about foreign policy, we need to consider our relations with Moldova, with the Russian Federation and with all the participants in the "5 + 2" format. I'll start with Moldova, this is our neighbor, our negotiator. To date, unfortunately, the negotiations are leading nowhere. Complete stagnation in the negotiation process. Working groups practically do not work, only pointwise, in some areas. This is not right, this is not good. I want to outline exactly the moment from which it all began, when the real stagnation of the negotiation process began, this is June 2019, when a new power coalition was created in Moldova. From that moment on, gradually, month after month, the interaction of working groups was reduced, and ultimately in October-November 2019, the "5 + 2" format was created in Bratislava.
It was not possible to sign the final document on the initiative and through the fault of the Moldovan side. There was second opportunity to do this - in Bavaria. We met again, and again the Moldovan side, on absolutely far-fetched grounds (not only in the opinion of Pridnestrovie, all the participants in the 5 + 2 format recognized this) again thwarted the final signing. A kind of strangulation began from that moment on – precisely from June 2019. Then, a financial blockade, a bank blockade began from 2020. Then the pandemic hit. You all remember what happened in the first months of the pandemic, when our freight carriers were transporting medicines for covid hospitals, medical equipment, certain protection to the territory of Pridnestrovie, and the vehicles of our pharmacists stood on the territory of the Ukrainian-Moldovan border, on the territory of Moldova from 1 to 4 weeks. They stood idle and waited for an import permit. This is, of course, an egregious fact. In theory, even if certain medicines are absent in the register of Moldova, what is the problem? The point is that our import of medicines from the Russian Federation is 60%, 15-20% are medicines that are produced in Ukraine, and only 15% is the European Union. There are the medicines that are produced in the Russian Federation, in Ukraine, they are absent in the register of Moldova. That is, Moldova does not conduct trade relations with these states in the sphere of medicines. We are taking these products to our place, and our vehicles are standing still. It was necessary for us to make just a green corridor and escorting deliver this essentially humanitarian cargo to Pridnestrovie. Do you remember the severity of the heat in the first months of the pandemic? There was nothing: there were no medicines, there was no protection, there were no tests, there was no specific technique (I'm talking about oxygen concentrates). All this was idle at the border for up to four weeks. This is the attitude. This is wrong, in my opinion. All attempts to achieve the convocation of a working group, to discuss it, have led to nothing. I as President personally had to intervene, literally pull it out, address my colleagues from the other side for every decision. But this is wrong, this is not a systematic approach. They were doing favors by allowing vehicles to enter.
2020 is over, 2021 has begun, and again the Moldovan side in every possible way refuses to participate in the negotiation process of the "5 + 2" format. I'll explain why. The point is that Moldova has nothing to say at the meeting of the "5 + 2" format. After all, the basic concept of the format is precisely that the parties must execute the signed documents. We are talking about the "Berlin" protocol, the "Berlin +", about the protocols signed in 2017-2018 between Pridnestrovie and Moldova in the presence of all participants in the format in the development of the implementation of the "Berlin" protocol. Moldova does not perform anything, do you understand? We have performed everything, and Moldova has performed practically nothing. Naturally, Moldova will have a hard time in this format. Pridnestrovie and the rest of the participants in the "5 + 2" format pose a quite reasonable question: "Will you generally comply with the previously signed agreements or not?" Any negotiations should begin with this: will the previously signed agreements be implemented? What to negotiate further if you do not fulfill what was signed earlier. Therefore, Moldova at the beginning of November found the cause of the gas crisis, then found another reason, and postponed the meeting in the "5 + 2" format from November for an indefinite time. I don't know if this format will come together this year. Of course I would like to. In any case, this is a platform for discussing the state of affairs. The format should meet 3-4 times a year to discuss issues and achieve some result of course, and every 3-4 years. It is impossible to discuss anything concretely with such a frequency of meetings. It is necessary to prepare for it in order to discuss something. All questions should be worked out by working groups, specialists should work, give recommendations. This practically finished product from the working group should go into the "5 + 2" format, there it is already necessary to find a final consensus, sign the relevant documents, and then come to the presidents of Pridnestrovie and Moldova, or to the Government, these mechanisms are unfinished at the Supreme Council now and they are absolutely inoperable today unfortunately.
The bank blockade is a real blockade. Moldova simply does not open accounts for our enterprises, it closes the existing accounts of our enterprises. For example, the account of the Rybnitsa Moldavian Metallurgical Plant was closed. IT is impossible for absolutely far-fetched reasons to get some kind of written decision to close the account, so that at least go to court. We cannot apply to the Moldovan court, because there are no written documents on the grounds for closing the account. Why is that? This, I can tell you, is the purest legal chaos. These are not the methods of a democratic state. The second point is the refusal to open accounts. A striking example is the Sheriff football club. FC "Sheriff" shows high result in the Champions League, enters the group, plays, and wins. Naturally, according to FIFA regulations, this club must receive certain funds. The European Football Federation transfers these funds to the Football Federation of Moldova. It is there. The football club "Sheriff" has not received a dime to date. Why is that? Because Moldova does not open a foreign currency account for the football club “Sheriff”. At the same time, there is a decision of parliamentary commissions that everything is fine, good, transparent. This European money goes to the European state, as they think: to Moldova, to the account of the Football Federation. They do not give, do not open an account. That is, they would be ready to give, they do not refuse, but there is no account where to transfer. This is not correct in my opinion. Everyone pretends to look surprised: “We didn't know”, “We don't understand why this is so”. So decide if you don't understand. All of this is artificial, all of this is counterproductive, all of this is absolutely undemocratic. They hide behind the so-called anti-money laundering legislation. They stole a billion. So they did not steal a billion from us, gentlemen! A billion was stolen from you! It was your banking system that was turned into a financial dump. So you will punish the guilty people, name them by name. What does Pridnestrovie have to do with it?! Pridnestrovie did not participate in the theft of a billion from the account of Moldovan banks and in the Moldovan multi-billion money-laundering. Answer the question who is to blame, show that Pridnestrovie is a blank sheet of paper in this regard and interact.
Next issue, this is lei quantity. The lei quantity is obtained as a result of economic relations: exports and imports between Pridnestrovie and Moldova, including the export of electricity of course. I remember these unintelligible, stupid, absolutely stupid excuses from Moldovan officials that we do not know the origin of these lei, which are located in Pridnestrovie, they say. But there is a small nuance. We have no cash lei. All lei are kept at the National Bank of Moldova. Imagine what stupidity again. All funds are in the accounts of the National Bank of Moldova, and they say that they do not know the origin of this lei quantity. Look at the volume of electricity exports – you know, this is not a difficult task even for a first-year student of the Faculty of Economics. What are they talking about? Everything is called the deliberate creation of economic problems, banking problems for Pridnestrovie. That's all. I'm not even talking about the fact that MasterCard and Visa stopped working on the territory of Pridnestrovie –on the recommendation of the Moldovan side to these European systems. Something like that.
Naturally, all this is a subject of discussion within the framework of the "5 + 2" format. I would like to listen to the Moldovan side, to find out what they have to say in their defense. We ask little: give us your algorithm, the algorithm by which we will register accounts, change the lei quantity to a freely convertible currency, etc. You need to understand their vision of the algorithm. What should we do for this? Don't give an algorithm! Such a respected European consulting corporation as Berlin-Economics has developed appropriate recommendations. As far as I know, the Moldovan side stopped cooperation with this organization, because they allegedly lobby for the Pridnestrovian interests. What are the Pridnestrovian interests? Who is lobbying? This is common sense, problem solving. The Moldovan side not only refuses to solve problems, it does not even want to move towards solving these problems. The Supreme Council, the heads of our specialized departments have sent letters to Moldovan officials – the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Parliament, suggesting all the same to enter into a dialogue and discuss these issues. There is no answer, they shy away. They shy away from meetings both in the "1 + 1" format and in the "5 + 2" format. I was pleased with the meeting of the Moldovan Foreign Minister with the Russian Minister Mr. Lavrov. I have read the Moldovan press releases. Do you know how I got the feeling? As if I ate cotton candy. Do you understand? Everything is fine, everything is fine, peace, friendship – we will not decide anything. At the same time, the Russian troops must leave. Do you understand? Everything was with a smile and all in a comradely manner. In fact, if you look between the lines of this press release, it is clearly stated: we are not abandoning the European vector. This time. Russian troops, together with peacekeepers, must get out of the territory of Pridnestrovie. These are two. And the third: we will not solve any problems of Russian citizens living in Pridnestrovie. It’s everything. The rest is all good, like cotton candy.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
Vadim Nikolaevich, I would like to continue the topic of geopolitical threats. We are talking more about directly related to Pridnestrovie. If we recall the NATO cargo to the Republic of Moldova, if we recall the phrase of the President of the Russian Federation that they now have strategic weapons on board, weapons during NATO exercises in the Black Sea, etc., what does all this mean to us?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
According to the Constitution, Moldova has a neutral status. As officials say, the neutral status does not exclude the interaction of Moldova with the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance, that is, NATO for example. There is a NATO headquarters on the territory of Moldova, there are joint Moldovan-Romanian military units – Moldovan-NATO. Exercises are taking place – in principle, NATO exercises on the territory of Moldova. A tricky model: we don't seem to be in the block, but it seems like we can interact. The interaction can be anything. What is interaction? This is participation in special operations on the territory of Pridnestrovie. Why not? This is also an interaction. Who can rule it out? Recently, the USA, NATO began to help technically the army of Moldova. Let's see how it ends. Of course, the amounts are insignificant, if we talk about how it really is. This may be just the beginning, and then you know what happens. Moldova and Pridnestrovie have a very important strategic location. Do you understand? That is, by placing a certain force on the territory of Pridnestrovie or in Moldova, one can control the nearest territory, including even the Russian one. There are different weapons, there are different possibilities. I think that the real purpose of certain strategists is to use the territory for military control over their neighbors. Like that. It's my opinion.
Of course, all this is dangerous. In general, the world always seems to be walking on the edge. It is dangerous to juggle torches in a powder magazine. You show your skill, but you can make a mistake: the torch fell - everything exploded. Approximately the same tendency exists in the geopolitical games of the powers. I see it, I observe, I read a lot, I am interested in a lot, I meet with many people. This is my unequivocal opinion. I think that Europe cannot be turned into a powder keg. We have already gone through this. There was the First World War, there was the Second World War. Why repeat? The guarantor of peace here is the Russian peacekeepers. It is the Russian peacekeepers who are the guarantor of the continuation of the dialogue between Pridnestrovie and Moldova, including the political dialogue. There will be no Russian peacekeepers – everything will be different. Moldova's rhetoric will be completely different towards Russia – not comradely, but completely different. What is holding back Moldova today from harsh rhetoric? In my opinion this is only Pridnestrovie.
Igor Avrenev, TSV:
Vadim Nikolaevich, a question regarding the Sputnik V vaccine. We conducted a survey in which several thousand Pridnestrovians took part. 90% of those surveyed said that if they had been vaccinated, they would have done it with a Sputnik. Now, probably for almost a month now, all the talk about the Sputnik V vaccine is taking place in the context that Moldova, for some of its cunning reasons, does not allow cargo to enter the territory of Pridnestrovie. Why? And what's going on?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Yes, I agree that the majority of Pridnestrovian citizens trust the Sputnik V vaccine. Moreover, please note that we did not impose their opinion, we behaved very correctly in relation to all vaccines, to all manufacturers. This is the choice of people. We must respect the choice of people, give them what they want. "Sputnik V" finished a long time ago. I discussed it with Dmitry Nikolaevich Kozak during my previous trip to Moscow. We have received the go-ahead for the acquisition of Sputnik V. We buy it. By the way, we do not spend budgetary funds on the purchase of this vaccine. The vaccine and delivery are paid by the "Sheriff" company. Two doses cost $ 19.5. We agreed to supply 200 thousand doses of vaccine per 100 thousand people. The delivery will be split into two parts: first, 50 thousand courses and another 50 thousand after a certain period of time. We carried out difficult work with the Russians, with the MFPI, we received all the documents, the corresponding agreement, the specification. When we received the specification, we sent it to Moldova, to a special agency, which must give Pridnestrovie permission to import this vaccine. We entrust this to our company LekPharm. They have a license to import medicines - the license is Moldovan. We sent this specification on October 27th. Almost 20 days have passed, but there is no answer, although according to the regulations 14 days are enough to consider and give permission to import. On Monday, at the Operations Headquarters meeting, I was forced to make this situation public. I set a task for the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pridnestrovie to solve the problem with the help of diplomatic levers of influence on Moldovan officials in order to obtain this permission. Moldova gave permission to import these medicines only yesterday, but after all, more than 20 days have passed, although it could have been done in a day or two. There are good examples when the vaccine "AstraZeneca", "Johnson & Johnson", "Pfizer" and so on is imported - everything is fine there. Decisions are made in 24 hours, no questions asked. There were questions about the price for "Sputnik V". You see, the Moldovan side was not satisfied with the price of $ 19.5. They didn’t want to register from this perspective, saying that we need to negotiate with the Russians about a cheaper price, so that Moldova could buy it cheaper later too. This is not selling tomatoes on the market, sorry. The Russian Federation has its own rules, there is an internal price, and there is an export price. We are falling into the cut of the export price, we signed an agreement for a cost of $ 19.5. What problems? Just bargaining for the price and not giving us permission to import the vaccine is counterproductive and inhumane in the end in relation to the residents of Pridnestrovie. Now we have permission, we are working. The stage is now more likely a technical one - working with a carrier. Vaccine must be delivered by private jet, there are no other options. All this will be paid by the "Sheriff" company again. We will get it and people will be vaccinated and revaccinated with this vaccine.
Alexander Karasev, "The Pridnestrovie" newspaper:
Vadim Nikolaevich, in continuation of this topic, tell me, please, are there any plans in our republic to make vaccination mandatory for certain persons and services? Will the implementation of the QR code be like in Russia?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
As for the compulsory vaccination: we are not ready for this yet, in my opinion. In fact, the third phase of vaccine trials is underway. When it ends, when the results are published, when we know all the results and possible consequences, then we can talk about the introduction of compulsory vaccination for certain categories of people. Not yet. There are no research results, there can be no solutions either. As for the introduction of the QR code, it is also not yet possible for the reason that we do not have access to vaccines. If we have all the vaccines and access to them, there are those who want to be vaccinated and revaccinated, then we can talk about the introduction of this system. We must provide an opportunity, and only after that, to introduce qr-codes into mandatory operation on the territory of Pridnestrovie. In the meantime, for obvious reasons, we cannot create this opportunity, what QR codes can we enter? None. Therefore, we do not enter it yet.
Yuri Soloviev, Radio 1:
Vadim Nikolaevich, people do not stop complaining about medicine, although a lot has already been done: hospitals are being renovated, new feldsher-obstetric stations are being built, equipment is being updated, but negative responses continue. When will all these issues be resolved in the medicine?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
There is pandemic. Imagine: instead of the usual number of inpatients, there are also covid patients who are being treated in hospitals. The load is much higher than the standard one. Of course, someone is not happy with something, and this is understandable. While we minimize the grievances, we create the conditions. Nevertheless, I agree that Pridnestrovian medicine needed optimization, modernization, improvement, etc. I have identified four main areas of assistance to medicine itself as such. After all, it will be convenient for the patient only when it is convenient for the health worker. If a health worker is in normal conditions, when he is provided with everything, then it will be easier for the patient to communicate with this health worker. This is a classic, it is everywhere in reality. Proceeding from this, in order to still raise medicine to the proper level, we had to urgently solve four main tasks. The first task is to repair or build new healthcare facilities that our medicine lacks. The second is the technical re-equipment of our medicine. The third is the staffing of our hospitals and other medical facilities. And the fourth is material stimulus for personnel.
I want to focus on literally every point with regard to renovation and construction. We have repaired or built 42 health care facilities during 4 years 20 of which in rural areas are feldsher-obstetric stations or rural outpatient clinics. This is an impressive volume. It is already pleasant to enter and use the help of the staff of this medical institution where it was once scary to look at. I was in Bendery just yesterday, after reconstruction we opened a children's city hospital: a huge building. 3 sectors of 6 floors, these are 18 floors totally. It is impossible to repair a part: this is a general structure, if something is not repaired, there will be no general order in the system. Therefore, a decision was made, it was not me who came up with it to repair the entire building as the experts said. All windows, roofing, external finishing, insulation have been replaced - everything has been done. Some departments were repaired, the catering unit was completely updated, the territory adjacent to this hospital began to meet the requirements, etc. Let me tell you, the work is done in 5 points. Children's clinic was opened in Bendery before that – it was also renovated. Literally the day before yesterday I was in Dubossary, where we also opened a polyclinic and two feldsher-obstetric points in the countryside. Much attention was paid to the repair of medical buildings in Tiraspol, in Grigoriopol, in Rybnitsa, in Kamenka, in Slobodzeya – everywhere. Yes, we are spending impressive amounts of money on these areas. Excuse me, it is unacceptable to enter the hospital and see the rotten floor, torn linoleum, plaster falling on the head, feel the cold in the premises. At the same time, it is impossible to talk about a decent level of medical care. Firstly, health workers who perform their functions in these medical institutions work in incomprehensible conditions. Naturally, the patients asked the questions "Why exactly this way?" Unfortunately, there was no systematic approach. If from year to year they paid attention to this and constantly dealt with it, repaired, then, probably, the state of the infrastructure would have been different. 42 health care facilities have been brought into proper form during four years.
Second. If we repair an object, we immediately equip it with new medical equipment. Even if somewhere we are not doing repairs yet, we still strive to update the equipment. There is an example even in the pandemic mode. There were three CT scanners in Pridnestrovie before the pandemic. This is the device that can definitively diagnose inflammation of the lung tissue. There are already six CT scanners. In an emergency mode, we purchased these computed tomographs for Dubossary, Bendery, Slobodzeya. There was no simply CT scanner. The children's neurology department is the same: renovated and re-equipped. We spend an impressive amount of money on medical equipment. We do all this on the advice of chief doctors and practicing specialists.
The next question is the staffing of medicine. There are a lot of complaints about the small number of specialists, especially pediatric allergists, pediatricians, etc. There are also problems and they need to be addressed. And again, this could and should have been done earlier unfortunately, and today there would be no such problems. We have already started working in this direction. What are we talking about? We have a medical faculty that trains doctors. Unfortunately, earlier graduates who graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the Pridnestrovian State University on a budgetary basis were not burdened with compulsory work in the Pridnestrovian health care system. Why it was so, I do not know. Probably not come to this. A student enters into a tripartite agreement today upon admission to a university. The student signs, the university and the Government. The Government undertakes to provide a job and send it to training, residency, etc. Accordingly, the university undertakes to train and graduate this student eventually with certain knowledge. A student is obliged to work in the public sector for 3 to 5 years after graduation. Even now there was a graduation, and the young people went to residency in precisely those specialties that were not there, or there is a deficit today. They signed an agreement and will work in the healthcare system of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. My daughter is currently in graduation. She graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, also signed up for a contractual relationship, today she is undergoing residency in one of the medical institutions in the city of Tiraspol. It will work as stipulated. This is normal, this rule is one for everyone.
The next point is material incentives for healthcare workers. Today, those who work in the "red zones" (these are approximately 3500 medical workers of different categories) receive higher wages. The pandemics will end, but the reserve of funds will remain. This is the reserve that we will ultimately use to raise the wages of all medical workers. We will do so, there are reserves.
There are many complaints from citizens about the elements of paid medicine. It's clear. We can not give everything for free. Although what concerns covid and the fight against the pandemic is acquired at the expense of the state: treatment, provision of every hospital bed is organized at the expense of the state. A hospital bed is not just a bed and a mattress, this is an equipped place. There must be oxygen. A doctor, a nurse is working. Nutrition and treatment provided. Being in a hospital means not just lying and waiting for an irreversible end, but it means getting treatment and getting out of there a healthy person. 2350 hospital beds have been deployed for those suffering from coronavirus infection in the healthcare system of Pridnestrovie, in the pandemic mode. For example, 4000 hospital beds are deployed in Moldova, but Moldova is 6 times larger than we. We used all possible reserves in order to provide people with all possible assistance in hospital setting. This is a big burden on the budget. The Children's Hospital of the city of Bendery is not just a city hospital, but a republican one. Children from all over the republic are treated in this hospital. Today there is also a children's covid hospital. I walked around the hospital yesterday: the children looked out the windows, greeted me. Children there receive good treatment, I have no doubt about that. We have already created these conditions, this is a complex. Everything that I talked about requires investments, funds are allocated from the budget. We have 5 state programs: HIV / AIDS, immunology, tuberculosis, cancer, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Funding for these programs is from 100 to 200 million rubles for four years for each program. This is all done at the expense of the state. Moreover, we switched to such a system that if we cannot provide assistance in the territory of Pridnestrovie, we send patients outside the republic for treatment. We have sent 1800 people for treatment outside the republic at the expense of the state over the past three years. 600 of these people received help for coronary bypass surgery in the city of Chisinau. Each operation costs about 20-30 thousand lei. Naturally, we pay for these operations at the expense of the state. This is not a humanitarian aid from Chisinau. These clinics have entered into an agreed relationship with our Ministry of Health. Pridnestrovians who need this help are delivered by our ambulances to these medical institutions and receive the necessary assistance there. This is important to understand. We have completely re-equipped our Ambulance Service. We bought 19 new ambulance cars, 20 equipped cars were presented by the Sheriff company - the car fleet was completely renewed. The most important thing is to provide assistance on time and deliver the person to the hospital, in special cases even to Chisinau. Fortunately, not a single patient died during transportation. This is also important to understand. The system works. This requires investment.
As I see the system of our medicine, if a doctor writes a prescription, then this prescription must be provided free of charge by the medical facility. This is our goal, and we are moving towards it. This is money from the budget again. If we take the experience of other countries, then almost everywhere there is the concept of insurance medicine, that is, a special tax when people pay insurance premiums and receive assistance. We cannot switch to insurance medicine yet. It would be necessary to introduce an additional tax on individuals and legal entities to form this insurance fund. This is not possible in our conditions. That is why all funds come from the budget. We know the problems, we see them, we react to every letter from a citizen, where he points to unsatisfactory assistance in the health care system. We analyze each appeal, draw conclusions for each. We do our best to prevent similar cases in the future.
Igor Avrenev, TSV:
Do you also read these letters, Vadim Nikolaevich?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Of course. Firstly, I read all the statements of citizens that I receive. If citizens apply to me through the health care system, I have a special green folder under this system with the words “Health Care”. Letters are placed in this folder, and I read each letter getting into the essence of the problem. Naturally, then I call the minister or give instructions to the Prosecutor's Office, the Investigative Committee, depending on the situation.
Igor Avrenev, TSV:
Vadim Nikolaevich, probably the most pressing and pressing issue is salaries. You said that the state is spending reserves on raising salaries for doctors. A question about the rest of the citizens of Pridnestrovie. What about salaries? When can we expect changes?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
The issue of increasing wages and pensions is a priority for me, for the Government, and for the Supreme Council. We have a common understanding that it is necessary to raise pensions and wages for public sector employees. Over the past three years, we have raised pensions and wages twice by a small percentage - 5.7 and 10% nevertheless. This year it was done in the pandemic. I'll tell you how things are. There are reserves. And we planned to use these reserves to increase pensions and wages. Unfortunately, we sent them to fight the coronavirus in the face of the pandemic. There were no other options. I would like to believe that next year will be the final year of the pandemic. I have such a burning desire that it be so. According to experts, the pandemic has been spreading for two and a half years. If you believe these experts, the pandemic will end somewhere in the summer of next year, like that. Of course, funds will be released, and these funds will definitely be directed to increase pensions and salaries. It all depends on the developing situation. This topic is a priority. We will definitely increase pensions and salaries.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
Vadim Nikolaevich, no matter how much the state increases pensions and wages, if there is a problem of rising prices, the income is automatically consumed. If we now ask the question “What have prices increased for?”, The answer is almost always “For everything”, because a person's psychology is such that he does not see a decline in prices. It is absolutely logical that he sees when the price has risen, it seems that everything and in large volumes. How will the state regulate this rise in prices so that the increase in wages has a real impact on people's lives?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
This is wrong to say that we will regulate everything and that there will be no rise in prices. To say that we cannot do anything, that this is a world market, and we are in this world market, is also a wrong answer.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
Some leaders say so.
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Yes, they say, but I think this is wrong. The state should develop mechanisms for the stability of prices for certain food products and other products. First, I will tell you what is actually happening, why the rise in price occurs. I will tell you what is happening in Pridnestrovie. Please notice how this year began. Prices rose for metals, metal products and timber for some unknown reason. Moreover, they grew by 200-300%. These are world prices. They also grew up in Pridnestrovie. Why? It is hard to say. Either the pandemic has affected, or the notorious economic crisis has affected, or all taken together, this is all secondary. As for metal and woodworking products, the question "Why?" is not so important for us, it is important for us "What to do?" Almost nothing can be done, the prices for these materials have increased in the world and in Pridnestrovie consequently.
Let’s discuss. I have been in factories where they are engaged in cattle breeding, in the dairy business. For example, I visited last month Rybnitsa "Fialt-Agro" or "Tiraspol dairy plant", or other farmers. What they're saying? They say, for example, that they are building a barn. And what is the barn built from? It is metal, wood. That is, in fact, the rise in price of this barn is 200-300% in comparison with the same period last year. Naturally, how to recoup these additional expenses? They should be included in the price component of the finished product: either meat or dairy products. Right? The production should pay off. An entrepreneur is doing this in order to get some kind of profit, it is necessary to recoup the money invested. This is the first thing.
The second point is energy carrier. If a thousand cubic meters of gas in January of this year cost $ 200 at market prices, today it is 1000, 1200, and even reached $ 2000 per thousand cubic meters of gas. The price has increased almost five, six, ten times. Gas pulls electricity with it. The cost of electricity rises with the rise in gas prices. Any production uses either gas or electricity. All this is included in the production cost.
The next point is that fuels and lubricants, that is, gasoline or diesel fuel, are growing in price everywhere. By the way, in Pridnestrovie there is also an increase in prices for gasoline and diesel fuel. Our cost is less than in neighboring Moldova than in neighboring Ukraine. This is also important to understand.
I have outlined the general situation. What should we do in this situation? What methods do we have for regulating prices? There is only one method - the state method. First, you need to divide your product positions into two categories. The first position is that which is imported from the countries of near and far abroad. The second position is what is produced in Pridnestrovie. The first position is clear. For example, we purchase buckwheat from the Russian Federation. If the price of buckwheat rises in the Russian Federation, then the price of buckwheat will also increase in our country. What can be done here? We can simply control the maximum trade markup, which is what we do. We have the law, we have a regulatory framework, we have a level of marginal trade markups. This is all that the state can do in this regard. The second direction is products that are produced in Pridnestrovie. This is a very important aspect. We can stabilize prices for some food categories. What should be done for this? I have already told about the problem of the dairy industry, the meat industry for example. What materials, components, etc. are growing in price in world markets. Let's take the dairy industry. What is the state doing? First: the state provides soft affordable loans at a three percent rate. Entrepreneurs pay 3% for the body of the loan in this case, and we pay the rest, that is the state pays the bank. If the bank gives an entrepreneur at 3%, then the difference in percentage - this is 7-8% - is paid by the state. It is not free, but it is nonetheless a help to the entrepreneur. If an entrepreneur buys a cow for a dairy herd (mainly cows that are imported to Pridnestrovie from abroad - Hungarian, German breeds, etc.), the state compensates 40% of the cost, returns 40% of the cost of this cow to the entrepreneur. Next moment, we pay 1 ruble to the entrepreneur for each liter of milk: if we donated milk for production, we received a ruble from the state. This gives us the right to control the prices of domestic production. Pay attention to the products of the Tiraspol Dairy Plant, Fialt-Agro. They mainly provide us with a grocery cart. We are talking about milk and milk products. The prices for these products do not rise and the quality does not fall. This is what the state should do – to engage in domestic production. The next example is the Bendery meat processing plant. I spoke with the director of the plant, met with the team. The enterprise is powerful of course; it produces more than 400 types of meat products. Valentina Stepanovna, director of this enterprise, says: “We buy, for example, beef, the rise in prices for beef is 80% compared to last year. The growth of various ingredients, mixtures, spices that are added to sausages is 200%". However, pay attention to the price range of Bendery Meat Processing Plant products. I want to praise: prices are not going up. All the products are of high quality. The state does not force. Otherwise, we will simply drop the level of production, the enterprise will simply stop. Here it is necessary to harmoniously interact between the state and labor collectives. What have we done? We provided the Bendery Meat Processing Plant with 2200 hectares of land, as well as the opportunity to raise a livestock of pigs. So they raise pigs, a large livestock, in my opinion, 6000 heads. There are prospects of doubling. The most important thing is land. The land is a food base. They grow animal feed. They also took out a loan, provided land reclamation and are getting a good harvest. It was not affected even last year when there was a drought. They have 80% of their land under reclamation, which gave them the opportunity to reap a good harvest and raise their livestock. They stabilize prices because of this. This allows not to raise prices in your network of stores. I was in Grigoriopol, this is the next example, I met with an entrepreneur who raises a small dairy herd - 100 heads, it will be 200-300 heads of dairy herds in the future. There is a farm. 5 people work – a family plus they also hire hired workers for a certain period of time. I asked him a question, "How are you doing?" He says: "Okay, thanks to the state". He says: “I took out a soft loan at 3%. With this soft loan, I bought a tractor, a combine harvester, built a cowshed, bought heifers. The daily milk yield is 1000 liters. I hand them over to the Tiraspol Dairy Plant. For every liter of milk I get a ruble - 1000 rubles a day. 30000 rubles a month. They have enough to repay the loan to the state and interest. That's all. Apply your work and get results, create jobs and a product for the state. Naturally, we can control these prices. So it is everywhere. Take any fruit and vegetable products. For example, Stepan Platsinda, who grows grapes, apples, plums, etc. In the domestic market, prices are not off scale. The prices, as they were last year, have remained with this enterprise, because it grows itself. And, again, he says that received a loan and can pay the rate of 3% and develop.
Talking about prices, one cannot ignore the topic of reclamation, because reclamation creates a completely different added value. This is the direction of agriculture, the development of which will allow us to get products on our territory. Almost any, except for bananas and pineapples, but we don't need this, we can buy it. I'm talking about our traditional food products. As for land reclamation: under the Soviet Union, there were 62 thousand hectares of irrigated land on the territory of Pridnestrovie. That’s a good indicator. This allowed Pridnestrovie to grow almost everything under irrigation. As of January 1, 2017, there were only 8200 hectares of irrigated land. This is extremely small. We have developed a program jointly with the Russian Federation for the development of a reclamation complex. We had definite plans, but it is difficult for Russia for obvious reasons, one cannot think that Russia is not helping us, Russia is helping us a lot - this direction has left our common project. There were no options, except how to develop the land reclamation direction ourselves. What have we done? First, we used an internal resource. We have magnificent industrial Electromash enterprise. I met with the director of the enterprise, Vladimir Trandasir, and a year and a half or two years ago I turned to him with a request to launch a production line for electric motors for the Pridnestrovian land reclamation. Considering that this enterprise manufactures electric motors for the gas industry of the Russian Federation, is it really impossible to produce mechanisms for the reclamation of Pridnestrovie? Sure. The design bureau took on this task, and literally a year later, the result appeared. Elektromash began to produce electric motors. This is the basis for reclamation stations. Please note that many reclamation stations have already been restored - 60-70 percent. The pumps are working, these are the electric motors of the Electromash plant. For example, I was at the Tashlyk station that alone can supply water to 17 thousand hectares of land. These are eight electric motors, all manufactured by the Elektromash plant. Moreover, Electromash is sorting out the electric motors themselves, that is, the body is old, and all the stuffing of the Electromash plant. The nets are polyethylene pipes. Our task is to supply water to the point, and then the entrepreneur installs frigates (devices that you see in the fields). Again, on a soft loan. If you leave Tiraspol in the direction of Kamenka, you can see in the fields on the right and left all kinds of reclamation devices, this is all the result of joint work of the state and entrepreneurs with the participation of the Elektromash plant. As of January 1, 2022, we already receive 30 thousand hectares for land reclamation. This is a good result, half of the Soviet result. At the same time, we keep the price of water at 70 kopecks per 1 cubic meter, and this is also a help to the entrepreneur, this is also included in the cost price and stabilizes the prices for foodstuffs. Therefore, I will say this: there are, of course, external conditions that are difficult to influence, only the trade mark-up can be controlled, but, most importantly, there are internal conditions with which we need to work and stabilize the prices of those products that we have in Pridnestrovie. We do it.
Igor Avrenev, TSV:
Vadim Nikolaevich, not everyone is happy with the fact that something is being built, repaired, invested, trees are being planted, and they are engaged in land reclamation. There is an opinion that it would be better for everyone to distribute everything in real money, and everyone would be happy. You know, how in that minibus it is stuffy for someone. What can you say about this? Which side are you on? And how much would be given to everyone?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
That is 29 rubles a month for each citizen of Pridnestrovie to be specific. You know, I don’t want to take sides, I understand both those and other people. These people who say why build, add better to the pension, I understand them too. They speak on the basis of their conditions, their small material wealth, their pension, low standard of living. Humanly, I understand them and definitely sympathize. I am looking for ways to raise their standard of living. But at the same time, I understand the problems of the state, which needed modernization, which needed construction, repairs and infrastructure renewal. The Capital Investment Fund has been operating for 4 years, this is the Development Fund. It is difficult to say how long it will still exist as long as we develop, as long as it will work on the territory of Pridnestrovie. The functioning of the Capital Investment Fund will not end next year. It will end only when I arrive in the village, in the city and they will tell me “Vadim Nikolaevich, everything suits us. We have good roads, we have repaired all hospitals, houses of culture and everything else”. That's when we put an end to it and spend money on other needs. In the meantime, when I come to cities and districts, they ask a lot of questions about salaries and pensions. There are even more questions regarding the need to renovate the House of Culture, for example. So I was in the Dubossary region the day before yesterday. I visited the House of Culture of the village of Doibany. Children and adults from nearby villages are engaged in this House of Culture. The House of Culture for 300 seats is huge, with stucco molding and all other elements of Soviet architecture. Everything must be preserved. Naturally, people want us to renovate it. Of course, we will undertake and will repair. This is what people want. People want - we do. The same goes for the roads. There are questions about roads, improvement of schools, kindergartens, etc. By the way, the Capital Investment Fund as a development fund is formed not at the request of the President or the Government and the Supreme Council, but at the request of the people. It is people who say what is needed, and we include this object in the Capital Investment Fund. This is the main concept of this fund. There will be no requests from people, well then, probably, that's all. There will be no need for this fund. The desire is.
There is desire, for example, in Bendery to renovate the embankment. This is the desire of the people. They might not have repaired, but people want it. This is a request from citizens for the repair of this cultural object, as in Tiraspol, the Victory park, in the Slobodzeya district of the House of Culture, as well as the further development of rural medicine in the Grigoriopol, Dubossary, Rybnitsa, Kamenka districts. For example, Rybnitsa: a city pool. The pool ceased to exist as the bowl was leaking. By and large, the pool bowl in that form could not be used. We invested money, moreover, relatively small funds for the repair of the pool. That's all, literally these days, the work is being completed, and the bowl will be put in order, it will be filled with water and the residents of Rybnitsa will have access to this facility this year. Or the same park, the central square, the Yubileiny sports complex, a rowing base in Rybnitsa. Today, a fitness center is under construction for citizens with life expectancy. All this will be a single complex in the city of Rybnitsa, near the Yubileiny sports complex. These are all people's requests. I can cite a large number of examples. There are other problems as well. These are problems of a communal nature, something that people do not see somewhere, feel only for their comfort: when there is warmth it is good, when there is clean water it is good, and when the water is rusty it is bad, when there is not enough heat it is also not good. I always hold meetings with heads of state administrations on Mondays. I remember 2017, when the heads reported to me, for example, Tiraspol: 400 impulses a week. There are 400 gusts in Tiraspol alone in the serviced territory. What are the impulses? These are the gusts of the water utility, heating systems, power grids. These are all communal troubles that are no longer news to us. Pridnestrovie lived on the reserve of, let's say, Soviet power. This supply has been exhausted. There is necessity to invest and invest constantly. There were 400 pipe burst in Tiraspol per week, in Bendery 300 pipe burst, in Rybnitsa 250 pipe burst – disaster. In general, we were close to a global communal disaster. I remember how sewers burst in the city of Bendery in the central part of the city. Why? The collectors were installed in the late 80s - early 90s. They put the wrong pipes. Sewer collectors should have an appropriate wall thickness, and they installed a small thickness - water pipes. Is this not a communal disaster? Is that not necessary to do? This must be done.
For example, the bridge that is into operation today finally. The bridge that runs over the railroad track, located at the entrance to the city of Bendery. The bridge was in a disastrous state. Firstly, it was delivered at one time in violation of certain rules. This is what experts say, I didn’t come up with it. As its operation progressed, the supporting structures began to break down. After some time I don't know, a month, two, a year a disaster could happen. The bridge would just fall down, you know? There are vehicles above – trolleybuses, and below there is a railway, a train can go. Do you understand? That’s catastrophe. What to do with the bridge? It was necessary to completely remove, completely repair the supporting structures, fill with concrete. Okay, I will not tell these nuances. It was necessary to remove and put it back in place. Who did this work? That is "KommunalDorServis" of the city of Bendery, not specialists from the Russian Federation or from Europe. We attracted specialists on the "remote site", received recommendations, and did it ourselves. According to all technical characteristics, this bridge meets all standards now. Most importantly, it is safe. The fact that beautiful is understandable, safe is the main thing. Another important point. Who is doing all this? The President controls, takes an interest, as well as the Supreme Council, the Government, the people's control. All the working people do it. Do you understand? People do it themselves. By the way, 129 enterprises, 129 multi-profile teams are involved in the implementation of the Capital Investment Fund. People build and repair, people do for themselves, for their convenience and rejoice at the results of their labor. Therefore, I understand everyone in this situation. One must realize that without real repairs, communal and other infrastructure, the development of the state is impossible, comfort in the state is impossible. Leaving schools, kindergartens and residential buildings without warmth is not correct, not true, not humanly, not humanly. Therefore, we will work as long as the need arises.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
Vadim Nikolaevich, may I clarify one number? You said that the price of all these changes, capital investments, all this construction, transformation is 29 rubles per citizen per month. Do I get it right?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President: Yes, you do.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
I think that then everyone can answer that question for himself.
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Everything is very simple. These are all open and public figures. The first figure: we have spent 870 million rubles on the development of social infrastructure in five years. Please divide it by 12, then by five hundred thousand and get the number. There is no deception. We repaired 56 kindergartens, 62 schools, of which a third in rural areas, 42 health care facilities, 21 correctional institutions, 30 sports facilities, 8 facilities for additional school education for this money. Not to mention the communal moments that I have already talked about. Our 54 villages received water, somewhere historically there was no water, but somewhere it was, but it disappeared after the collapse of the Soviet Union. That is result and this whole amount, about 870 million rubles, which we used for the corresponding repairs and construction.
Alla Ivanchenko, News of Pridnestrovie news agency:
May I ask you a question, Vadim Nikolaevich, about the Capital Investment Fund? You visit every facility that is commissioned. Which of the objects causes the greatest emotional outburst in you, what object could the state be especially proud of?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
There are many such objects. Every city and every district has its own object, which causes an emotional outburst that I am proud of. I probably would not have singled out if the list did not include such an object as the Dubossary rehabilitation center for children with special needs. This causes a special emotional outburst. Even now I speak and feel it inside myself. I remember how we visited this center when it was in a wing of a former kindergarten: narrow corridors, tiny rooms. A large number of children, parents. It was all in an inappropriate way. Nearby, literally in an open field, they chose a site for the construction of this rehabilitation center. When the foundation pit was dug, I looked at this, but you know, the eyes are afraid, but the hands are doing it. Gradually, the foundation appeared, the walls appeared, the roof appeared. Last year we completed this facility, which can accommodate over a hundred children in need of help, so that a parent can be with their child. The center is successful, anyone from Pridnestrovie can get the necessary assistance there. People from Ukraine and Moldova are already interested, even Russians say that they would like to send their children to this rehabilitation center on a paid basis. It is of a really high standard. Water treatments are carried out among other things, there is an roof top pool. This year we have completed the outdoor pool. This is not the limit. We will continue to develop this facility. I have already said once, I will repeat myself, I will not be lazy: judging by the attitude of the state towards people is necessary not in beautiful parks and not even in hospitals, although this is also good and necessary; it is necessary to look at the level of correctional institutions, their functionality, attitude towards people with disabilities. In addition to the Dubossary center, I can name the Bendery sports center, the Tiraspol center, and the school for children with life expectancy in Tiraspol, and so on. Now we are building a sports center for people with special needs in Rybnitsa. No matter how difficult it is, it must be done. There are also issues of socialization, jobs for people with special needs. All this must be decided by the state. We are moving in this direction and will get the desired result. Returning to the Dubossary center: its director Zavtur Svetlana Grigorievna - she is great, she works with a soul, and the team is very good. Our children with disabilities receive proper help indeed. The parents of these children are great. Thanks to the parents for being there. It's hard work. When I see the eyes of these people, only one question arises: how not to help?
Yuri Soloviev, Radio 1:
Vadim Nikolaevich, you have already said once that online education is a disaster, and most parents and teachers agree with this. The quality of education suffers, children lose the habit of communicating offline. Is it possible to categorically refuse online education in the near future?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
There is no online education on the territory of the republic now. I confirm my words that online education is a disaster. If possible, you should give up online training. I receive a lot of applications from people asking not to admit such a form of training. Our children are becoming addicted to gadgets, online learning is gone, but the addiction remains, the level of education is falling, it is very difficult for teachers. Nevertheless, when we introduced online education, we tried to stabilize everything as much as possible, we bought 2000 computers for schools, and set up the Internet in 70 schools. This is still not a solution to the problem. To date, we do not have online education, but we adhere and will adhere to strict rules nevertheless: if a child in the class gets sick, then the class is sent to quarantine. This is normal, and we will do something like this in the future. I hope that this fourth wave of the pandemic has subsided in the republic. Hopefully it will be minimized. It is already December, and we do not plan to make decisions on the transition to online learning. We will study in the classic mode. This is normal and correct. There should not be other options I think.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
The topic of online learning is in principle the topic of children and modern technology. On the one hand, almost no one likes online learning, at least in the way it worked. On the other hand, it is completely impossible to abandon the elements of online learning. It is as if it is a struggle against progress, because modern technologies cannot be stopped. How do you feel about the topic of children and technology, children and gadgets? How on the one hand to keep progress not to stop it, not to artificially restrict children, and on the other hand to keep children in real life where they see each other?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Firstly, I am not out of touch with reality. My eldest son is 29 years old, I have two grandchildren, but it is too early for them to think about online education. The eldest daughter is 24, the youngest is 10. She goes to school. Accordingly, there was a time when she was on online training. She is a supporter of ordinary studies only.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
What does she say? Why?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Because she likes children, school, team, and communication. But communication with the gadget is not very pleasant. Yes, it is, of course, technology. But, nevertheless, children like face-to-face communication with both the teacher and the team. Children like it. This is not my idea. Parents of course have their own difficulties when there are two, three, four, five children, and try to discipline and control everyone in online learning. This is a disaster, you know? The level of knowledge is falling. Therefore, I listen to young people. As for modern technology, I'm all for it. They need to be directed in a good, correct direction. There are topics for additional education, there is a topic, for example, additional higher education online. Why not? These are already adults who understand how to use this in order not to become addicted. This is already a need for development. In general, progress cannot be resisted. Categorically. It is unacceptable. There should be progress, it just needs to be used wisely. At one time, fire caused fear. Then the fire was cultivated, there was progress, they began to cook hot food, they began to use it, so to speak, on the farm. Here also everything must be used with common sense. Our young people are good, sensible - they will figure it out.
I will touch on the topic of the youth a little. Nice topic. I hear and sometimes read statements like “we need to work with young people” - like a cliche. I remember myself. I was a young man relatively recently, I do not remember that I demanded that someone work with me. I just used what was. I went to a music school, went to the sports school, went to public organizations according to my interests. Nobody drove there. So I liked it, and that's what I was doing. That is, the state created an opportunity, and I used it. This is youth work as such. At the same time, I was raised in a family, at school, in the sports section, in the yard. I was preparing for graduation from school, for entering a higher educational institution and continuing the path of a young man, including getting an education. It's the same now. We must create conditions to attract the interest of young people.
Here are some examples. There is a commonplace phrase that all the children are at home, with gadgets, computers, playing some kind of shooting games. I look at the facilities that we have commissioned: mini football fields, rowing facilities, sports facilities. And who is there? Young people are overwhelming. Maybe they once sat at a computer, chatted on gadgets or sat in a gazebo in the yard at best. They have now entered sports facilities, go in for sports and develop themselves. We created the conditions, and the youth responded to these conditions. We do not drive young people there, in no case should this be done. Now the world is completely different, the world of modern technologies, completely different pictures. If earlier it was possible to play football on humpbacked asphalt, today it is unimaginable. Today it is necessary to create conditions, and there will definitely be young people. This is youth work. Not to mention the fact that it is necessary to create volunteer associations, work with them, and have certain communication centers. We do this too. I meet with them, and young people respond. Young people want to be useful to the state. This should only be encouraged and unequivocally given the opportunity for the young man to prove himself. This has been well demonstrated in the pandemic. Now we are attracting young people to greening cities and regions. People are happy to respond to this call. Our youth are good, wonderful youth. I am very pleased with the Pridnestrovian youth. Good guys.
Alla Ivanchenko, News of Pridnestrovie news agency:
May I ask you a question, Vadim Nikolaevich on your initiative, a lot has been done for the cultural development of Pridnestrovie, but your attention is now very intently directed towards the little-studied pages of the development of our state. Social networks express the opinion that given the international situation, taking into account the pandemic, it is not the time to deal with historical issues. What will you answer them?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Everything is subjective. What is interesting to do? We do everything. Even in the context of the pandemic, we did not stop our development under the Capital Investment Fund. As far as history shows, this is the base. Any state, any person, he has only the past. The past characterize him. The future, of course, will be, unambiguously, depending on what the past was. This is the base. You need to deal with your history, your past to understand your future. The history of Pridnestrovie deserves it. Much has not been studied. We have a history that is even more ancient, there is the history of the Russian Empire on the territory of Pridnestrovie. There are a lot of personalities who have left their mark on the history of our region, famous personalities. There is the history of the Scythians, the history of the Celts, the history of the ancient Magyars – also interesting, it is shown in the archaeological museum. When there is a museum quarter, this story will be expanded, it will be very interesting. The history of the Russian Empire on the territory of Pridnestrovie is very interesting, the history of the Soviet Union on the territory of Pridnestrovie is very interesting. They say, let's not remember history, live only for today and think about the future. Good, but first, let's see what history is. Today's press conference is small – tomorrow it will already be history. Right? Yes, but there are historical facts that simply remain in memory or even in history textbooks, but do not affect the present day. There is a story that happened and affects the present day, has a certain impact on it. What story and who suggests forgetting? As an example, I propose to everyone to try to forget the history of the Holocaust. If you want, dear Western politicians, you want to forget history, then let's start with the Holocaust. Are you ready to forget the history of the Holocaust? I don't think so. Are you ready to forget the history of the Nuremberg trials and the conclusions of this trial? I don't think so, but this is also history. As for the Holocaust, this is a tragic page in our history, which we also remember. How to forget it? Sorry. How to forget the history and tragedy of the victims of the Great Patriotic War? Do you suggest that this story be forgotten or the history of our Pridnestrovian war? Do you also suggest forgetting? Of course, someone wants to forget this. It is very uncomfortable. For example, the history of Moldova's declaration of independence, when the Declaration of Independence of Moldova was signed in August 1991 - is it history or not history? Yes, this is history. The declaration shows an example of the impact on the modern state, on Moldova. It would be interesting to ask Moldovan politicians, do they respect their declaration of independence? In general, they respect their independence in the end. If so, then comply with the Declaration of Independence. You are not even fulfilling your Declaration of Independence, not to mention the agreements of the 5 + 2 format, the Berlin+ protocol and other protocol decisions. Moldova's Declaration of Independence is a basic historical document, which clearly states the recognition of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact as null and void. It clearly states that the Moldavian SSR was created illegally. It clearly states that the people of Pridnestrovie (as they called Pridnestrovie) were not asked when they created the Moldavian SSR, how they violated our right to self-determination. It clearly states that it is necessary to neutralize, destroy all the legal consequences of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. This is the rejection of Pridnestrovie. Please obey, gentlemen. This is your story. And there the Romanian language is registered as the main state language. There is a decision of the Constitutional Court of Moldova, which clearly states: The Declaration of Independence has higher legal force than the Constitution of Moldova. Follow, so to speak, your story. Recognize Pridnestrovie! But our joint residence within the borders of the Moldavian SSR is also history, so, let's forget it! We recognize Pridnestrovie and we will start from scratch. You know, people who urge not to deal with their history, they either do not understand what they are saying, or are cunning in their interests. There is no other option. Therefore, we must deal with the history of our region, we must know it, love and instill this love in the younger generation. We will ultimately be history too. As we relate to history, the same way the young people will relate to us - as to the history of this state.
Alexander Karasev, "The Pridnestrovie" newspaper:
Vadim Nikolaevich, since you have raised the issue of history. I have a proposal, a proposal from numerous readers of our republican newspaper. The pandemic will go down in history. But it left a trace, and a very strong one. There is a proposal to build a monument to doctors, medical workers who defeated the pandemic - when we defeat it. There will be a place in Tiraspol, somewhere so prominent, that this monument would be a monumental memory of the work that was done during these years.
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
We have such a monument. It is installed opposite the medical faculty of the state university. The memorial stone was erected in memory of the medical workers who took part in the Great Patriotic War, the elimination of natural disasters, catastrophes or pandemics. It says so there. But if we are talking specifically about the coronavirus pandemic, then after the end, if there is a public request for this, we must still remember all the people who left as a result of the pandemic. These are citizens of the state, and workers, and other officials who left because of this "plague" of the XXI century. I will support your idea.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
Now, probably, one cannot help but ask about football. When the draw of the Champions League, everyone was waiting for the results, with whom and when FC Sheriff would play, hardly anyone could have imagined that by November Real Madrid would come here to seriously fight Sheriff for the exit from the group. When you go to the stadium next week, what feelings will you go with?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
I want to watch open, beautiful football. The level of the teams is clear. Where the football club "Sheriff" and where "Real" are located, everyone perfectly understands. But, nevertheless, the spirit and freedom of play, regardless of the result, create an impression of the team, even if the team suddenly loses. The Sheriff team will enter to defeat the Real Madrid team. I have no doubt. In general, the philosophy should be just like that. You have to go out and win, and not try to hang up all the time or lose with dignity - this is a new definition. This is the attitude and principle of losers. We must go out to win. Here is the Sheriff team, when Real Madrid won the Santiago Bernabeu, they came out to win. Until the last minute they could fight back at 1-1. But at the last minute they went on the attack. Attacked and scored the winning goal. And that's all. Here's the philosophy of the game. So either play or don't play. If you do not play, then it is better not to go out on the field then. If do it, then show the game. Therefore, I want to watch beautiful, free, open football.
Victor Savchenko, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel
Thank you, Vadim Nikolaevich, for answering our questions. It was interesting to me. I think that those who watch the press conference will also discover something new for themselves.
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Thank you very much. Perhaps more questions could have been asked. But there is a certain framework for the conversation. The rest will be discussed next time. Thank you for your questions, for your interest in this conference. I hope that it will not be the last. Accumulate questions. Get interested. Most importantly, love Pridnestrovie - our native land. Don't get sick. Still, the pandemic persists, so I want to wish good health to all Pridnestrovian citizens. Do not get sick, take care of yourself. The danger, unfortunately, is still there, we have not overcome it. However, we do our best.