Mayor of Tiraspol: Russian and Byelorussian mayors wish that Transdnestr residents vote for union with Russia

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On September 13, speaking at a news conference at the International Press Center, Tiraspol mayor Viktor Kostyrko told about his attendance of the 10^th assembly of the International Cities Association, which took place on August 25 in Minsk. Mr. Kostyrko is quoted by a REGNUM corresponding as saying that establishment of the organization, which comprises 59 capitals, regional centers, and major industrial cities of the former USSR, was initiated by Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov. The Tiraspol head stressed that “the city and the whole republic was moving towards the event during five years.”  

Tiraspol signed treaties of friendship with Byelorussian capital Minsk, as well as many major Russian and Ukrainian cities (Volgograd, Severodvinsk, Kursk, Kaluga, Obninsk, Kherson, Nikolayev, etc.).

According to Viktor Kostyrko, mayors of many cities, with whom he communicated at the assembly in Minsk (mayors of Moscow, Krasnoyarsk, Kursk, Arkhangelsk, Orenburg, Izhevsk), “were very interested in preparation for the referendum on Transdnestr independence.” “All heads of Russian cities know about the forthcoming referendum; they take an interest in its conducting and wish us to win. At that, they expressed their wish that all Transdnestr residents as one and not 50% plus one vote participate in the referendum and vote for their freedom and union with Russia,” Mr. Kostyrko concluded.

It is worth reminding, following questions will be submitted to the September 17, 2006, referendum in Transdnestr:

“1. Do you support a policy for independence of the Transdnestr Moldavian Republic and further free Transdnestr joining the Russian Federation?

2. Do you think it is possible to abandon independence of the Transdnestr Moldavian Republic with further Transdnestr joining the Republic of Moldova?”