An article, devoted to this topic and published in the last issue of this periodical, says Transnistria is for Russia today about the same, as West Berlin was for the NATO in the cold war period.
"Just as Western soldiers propped up West Berlin, so Transdniestria has survived thanks to the presence of Russian military "peace-keepers"-really "piece-keepers"-maintaining their country's hold on territory that has been a bastion of Russian military strength for centuries. Western officials told the West Berlin government what to do; Russians occupy senior positions in Transdniestrian officialdom. West Berlin was a thumb in the Soviet Union's eye. A mixture of military conquest and ruthless power-politics had brought Soviet power to the heart of Europe, but West Berlin was a symbol of freedom. Here Soviet power had been checked", The Economist writes. In its opinion, it is a legal and financial black hole in which politicians and officials turn lawlessness into lucrative business opportunity. Just like the motherland, it has fake pluralism, pseudo-democratic "youth movements" and an overmighty security service.
The periodicals remarked that during the last time the Kremlin applies pressure to Transnistria, subsidies are exhausted, debts are growing, the living standard is falling".
"The Kremlin now hopes to gain a bigger prize-pulling all Moldova into Russia's sphere of security, economic and linguistic influence. That would mean a common Moldovan-Transdniestrian state, with some of the latter's pseudo-statehood shaved away. The Kremlin is certainly putting pressure on Transdniestria. Subsidies have dried up, debts are mounting, living standards are tumbling." The Economist considers and concludes: "The EU will be tempted to nod through any settlement that gets Moldova off its conscience. A pity. Instead of rising to the level of Europe, Moldova risks being dragged down to the level of Transdniestria."
INFOTAG