Rustavi 2
March 18, 2014
Moldova`s two regions claim independence aiming to join Russia
Following the developments in Ukraine`s Crimea, which has claimed independence and now aspires to join Russia, Moldova`s self-proclaimed region of Trandniester has also expressed its intention to join the Russian Federation.
The region has already applied to Russia to accept it in its borders. Trandniester broke away from Moldova in 1990 and its residents voted in favour of joining Russia in a referendum held in 2006.
Another region of Moldova, Gagauzia, has also announced its determination to split from the country. The Gagauzia administration has already announced the formation of its army. Gagauzia is an autonomous region of Moldova, which conducted referendum last February supporting separation from Moldova.
Moldovan government has assessed the referendum as illegal and illegitimate and even adopted a law, which prohibits conduct of such plebiscite on the territory of the country.
====================================
BBC News
March 18, 2014
Moldova’s Trans-Dniester region pleads to join Russia
Pro-Russian politicians and activists in Moldova’s breakaway Trans-Dniester region have asked the Russian parliament to draft a law that would allow their territory to join Russia.
The Trans-Dniestrian appeal comes as Moscow moves towards absorbing Crimea into the Russian Federation. Ukraine, the EU and US say that move is illegal.
Ethnic Russians dominate Trans-Dniester, with support from Moscow.
The region split from Moldova in a war in 1991-92, as the USSR was collapsing.
Moldova’s President Nicolae Timofti said in a news briefing on Tuesday that any decision by Moscow to accept Trans-Dniester “would be a step in the wrong direction”.
In a September 2006 referendum, unrecognised by Moldova and the international community, the region reasserted its demand for independence.
Irina Kubanskikh, spokeswoman for the Trans-Dniester parliament, told Itar-Tass news agency that the region’s public bodies had “appealed to the Russian Federation leadership to examine the possibility of extending to Trans-Dniester the legislation, currently under discussion in the State Duma, on granting Russian citizenship and admitting new subjects into Russia”.
A pro-Kremlin party, A Just Russia, has drafted legislation to make it easier for new territories to join Russia. The party told the Vedomosti newspaper that the text was now being revised, in order not to delay the rapid accession of Crimea to Russia.
The Duma – Russia’s lower house – and the Federation Council (upper house) are dominated by supporters of President Vladimir Putin.
Vedomosti reports that the Trans-Dniester appeal to Russia also warns about a possible further deterioration if Moldova signs an association agreement with the EU.
Moldova’s leaders plan to do so. The crisis in neighbouring Ukraine erupted after former President Viktor Yanukovych was expected – and then refused – to sign such an agreement.
Source