Moldovan President Tells RFE/RL Transdniester Solution In Sight

(Prague, Czech Republic–November 6, 2007) Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin expressed optimism, in an exclusive interview with RFE/RL that a solution is in sight to Moldova’s 15-year conflict with its breakaway Russian-speaking Transdniester region.

Voronin told RFE/RL correspondent Eugen Tomiuc during a weekend interview in his office in Chisinau that Moldova and international mediators, including Russia, have drafted a plan that would grant Transdniester significant autonomy and lead, it is hoped, to reunification. According to Voronin, “All sides have agreed upon the draft as a viable plan to be brought up in talks with Transdniester.”

In the wide-ranging conversation with RFE/RL, Voronin spoke about Moldova’s relations with neighboring Romania, noting “They are not particularly good right now, and we are worried about this evolution.” He added there will be no improvement while “Romanian authorities continue to base the relations with us on questioning the Moldovan state’s national identity.”

Asked about plans to reform the ruling Communist Party of Moldova, Voronin said a draft of the new party program is to be published November 17, debated for four months and voted on during an extraordinary congress of the Communist Party next March. Said Voronin, “Our goal is to build a welfare state, where citizen’s rights and security are guaranteed.”

The interview can be heard on RFE/RL’s Romanian language website, europalibera.org; an article and transcript [text in English] can be found on the English-language RFE/RL website, rferl.org.