Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky told Russia’s Izvestia that around 60,000 residents of the left bank of the Dniester have applied for Russian citizenship under a simplified procedure. He described the measure as a “strong signal” to people living in Moldova’s separatist-controlled region.
Krasnoselsky praised Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to simplify the citizenship procedure. He also said Moscow was ready to “defend” the rights and interests of Transnistrian residents.
“Russia’s president made a crucial decision that sent a strong signal to the people of Transnistria that Russia has not forgotten its compatriots in Transnistria and is ready to support and protect their rights and interests, including through a simplified procedure for obtaining citizenship,” Krasnoselsky said in an interview.
On May 15, Vladimir Putin signed a law simplifying the procedure for residents of Transnistria to obtain Russian citizenship. Registration began on May 25. A day later, officials at the Russian Embassy said around 20,000 people had registered electronically. A week later, the Tiraspol administration reported more than 36,000 applications.
Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration, Valeriu Chiveri, told journalists that he considered the figures “fabricated.” The constitutional authorities also warned residents of the Transnistrian region that obtaining Russian documents could become a trap.
Former Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu, for example, warned citizens seeking Russian documents that they could potentially end up being sent to the battlefield.