Moldovan parliamentary speaker Igor Grosu stated that the peacekeeping mission in Transnistria should transition to a civilian mission under the control of the UN or the EU.
Previously, Moldovan President Maia Sandu announced that Chisinau would offer financial assistance to Transnistria during the energy crisis only after Russian troops were withdrawn from the region.
“It is essential to replace the peacekeepers on the left bank of the Dniester. This mission should be civilian, not military, as it has failed to bring the two banks closer together,” Grosu told Radio Moldova. He emphasized that the mission should operate under EU or UN oversight.
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Transnistria, where 60% of the population comprises Russians and Ukrainians, sought to secede from Moldova during the final years of the Soviet Union. This move stemmed from fears that Moldova might unite with Romania amidst rising nationalist sentiments. In 1992, following Chisinau’s unsuccessful military attempt to resolve the issue, Transnistria became a de facto independent territory.
A joint peacekeeping force, consisting of 402 Russian, 492 Transnistrian, and 355 Moldovan servicemen, currently maintains peace in the conflict zone. The peacekeepers operate at 15 fixed posts and checkpoints in key areas of the security zone.