Moldovan President: Transnistria may become part of Ukraine
Moldovan President Igor Dodon stated in an interview with the Russian “Nezavisimaya Gazeta” that he believes that Transnistria has two paths moving forward: to join Ukraine or be a part of Moldova.
"I believe that all Transnistria must preserve all the powers that it has today: parliament, president, government, and flag. And we should not take a penny out of the Transnistrian budget. We should have a common state, a common budget, banking systems, a common foreign policy," Dodon said.
The Moldovan President stated that it is necessary for the Moldovan authorities to negotiate with Tiraspol. He believes that it is necessary to start working on the Transnistrian settlement in 2019, when elections are held in Moldova and Russia.
"There are two scenarios: it can either become part of Ukraine or Moldova. I am sure that it is better for Transnistria to be a part of the Republic of Moldova," he said.
At the same time, Dodon believes that Transnistria will neither get independence nor join Russia.
"The leadership of Transnistria today proceeds apace after taking into account that they do not pay for Russian gas. Funding from Moscow flows there, and they feel well. But the situation has changed. What has been going on for the last 25 years will most likely stop. Therefore, we need to see where we can move forward," he said.
Earlier, Igor Dodon said that the country should abandon its armed forces, since it is neutral.