Head of Russian-Transdnestr Analytical Center: There is no civil society in Moldavia

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Several “representatives of Moldavian civil society” addressed to various international instances, requesting not to recognize the referendum on Transdnestr independence and to press on Russia, which, according to them, “promotes its interests in the Republic of Moldova’s eastern territories through support and armament of certain criminal groupings, which hold several hundreds of thousands of Transdnestr residents as hostages.” A REGNUM correspondent requested Head of the Russian-Transdnestr Information-Analytical Center Alexei Martynov to comment on the situation.  

“I have been observing development of the so-called ‘civil society’ in the Republic of Moldova for many years. I may distinguish two KGB-supergrasses with a still-Soviet experience in the list of those, who signed; they are Asarov and Urytu. The others are closely connected with the current ISC (Information and Security Service – Moldavian Special Service – REGNUM), excluding Igor Volnitsky only. Perhaps, he was forced to sign it in accordance with best traditions of the Stalin NKVD (Soviet Interior Ministry during Stalin regime – REGNUM). Generally speaking, I want to stress that Moldavia and civil society are ‘two incompatible things.’ The Voronin regime suppresses and controls all aspects of social life. Quite a contrary situation is in Transdnestr: more than 500 NGOs and political organizations, uncontrolled by the authorities, function here. Some of them support Russia, the others – Moldavia, the thirds – independent Transdnestr. That is why; I believe that serious people should not pay attention to statements of the so-called ‘Moldavian civil society.’ There is no such society at all,” Mr. Martynov stated.