“Moldova’s path towards European integration is independent of what happens in the Transnistrian region. Cyprus has become a member of the European Union with territorial problems. Moldova can do the same,” said Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, attending the European Political Community Summit in Chisinau.

Asked by journalists present at the Summit whether the Transnistrian region is a problem in Moldova’s path towards integration into the European Union, the EU High Official said that this is not an impediment to our country’s accession to the European Union.

“I have already given an answer to this question. Moldova’s integration path is distinct from what is happening in Transnistria. Cyprus became a member of the European Union with territorial problems. Moldova can do the same,” said Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Moldova lost control of the Transnistrian region following the intervention of the Russian army (14th Army) in the Transnistrian conflict in 1992. Despite claiming independence from Moldova, the Transnistrian region is recognised by only three non-UN pseudo-states in similar situations: Abkhazia, Archaic and South Ossetia. At the moment, the Russian army continues to be stationed on the territory of the Republic of Moldova in the Transnistrian region, in violation of Russia’s commitments to full withdrawal made at the OSCE conferences in 1999 and 2001. According to the European Court of Human Rights, the separatist regime is “at least under the decisive influence of Russia” and “survives thanks to the military, economic, financial and political support Russia provides”.

On 31 December 2022, the Office of Reintegration Policy announced that 360,938 residents living on the left bank of the Dniester River and in the municipality of Minsk were living in the region. Bender were registered in the State Population Register, of which 351 892 held Moldovan citizenship. Of the total number, 328,625 persons hold passports of the Republic of Moldova and 293,305 hold identity cards. In total, about 500 thousand people live in the Transnistrian region.