POLITICAL AND PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS

OF TRANS-Dniestria

General data.

The specific of appearing and development of statehood in the eastern region of the former MSSR have fully influenced upon the spectrum of political forces, consisting the palette of public interrelations in the internal arena of fight of ideas and opinions in the TMR. In Trans-Dniestria, there have already appeared public movements many of which may be freely named political. Here the pure people’s character of struggle for political and state appearing and establishment of the TMR can explain many things. Namely the idea of creating their own state, protection of interests of all nationalities, consisting the population of the republic, refusal of nationalist ideas, prevailed in the Republic of Moldova brought a number of specialized public movements (initially created for resolution of certain problems) to the head of people’s masses in 1989-1992.

Those, who were initiated by wide people’s masses, are the most famous and efficient. They are distinguished by initial absence of a certain program prior to domain of social-economic and political construction of the state. The martial law, permanent attacks of the Republic of Moldova made people concentrate at the main thesis: "Keeping sovereignty and statehood of the TMR", without details.

Since 1994, when the situation in the republic stabilized to some extent, there appeared possibility for discussions on the topic of searching further ways of developing the state. By then, there refers appearing of first political parties in the TMR, or reconstruction of those declared before. Another factor, that jolted activation of political movements in the TMR, was holding elections to the TMR Supreme Council, and of the president of the republic.

But most of appeared parties managed to hold only few actions and issue a number of declarations; afterwards they left the political arena. Generally, the interparliamentary struggle in the TMR may be characterized as a slack one, without considerable influence upon the republic’s life. But taking into consideration the up-coming new elections, one may certainly forecast activation and comeback of most parties and public-political movements that declared about themselves in 1991-1995.

POLITICALLY CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC MOVEMENTS.

1. The UCWC (the United Council of Working Collectives) is created in August 1989 as a body, coordinating activity of striking committees and enterprises in the MSSR territory. They acted against adoption of anti-people laws and against nationalist decrees of the government.

The reason of creation is the CPM local bodies self-removal from ruling that struggle. Clear political vision of settling appearing problems was formed only in 1990-1991 and turned into support and actual provision of creating an independent state – the TMR. Most of present authorities of the republic came out of the UCWC, and the first experience of political activity was gained namely in its lines. The specific of the UCWC is a brightly expressed populism, sympathy for leftist forces of the political spectrum. At the given moment it does not make considerable influence upon the political life of the TMR.

2. The Women’s strike committee (WSC) is formed in September 1991 as response of the population of Trans-Dniestria to seizure (in Kiev) of a number of the TMR and Gagauzia most outstanding politicians, including I. Smirnov. Women of Tiraspol and Bendery, headed by G. Andreeva, consisted the main part of it. The chosen form of struggle – blockade of railway and other transport, directed to the Republic of Moldova and back. The action finished with release of seized persons but the WSC was not dissolved; it continued its activity. Its aim is protection of independence of the TMR, up-break of the blockade around the republic. During the military conflict, a number of actions were held in order to separate belligerents.

In 1993, the WSC split into two parts, one of which supported activity of the general A. Lebed. Today main efforts are applied in order to help families of war victims and hold work among youngsters. The Women Strike Committee supports activity of the government.

3. The Union of the TMR defenders (UD) is formed in April 1994. This is a union of participants of the military conflict with the Republic of Moldova. Its political aims consist of strengthening defense potentialities and protection of independence of the TMR. Social objective of the UD is protection of interests of persons wounded in battles, and of members of families of killed warriors. The reason of creation of the TMR UD is non-fulfillment by the government of all obligations, taken upon it prior to participants of the war against the RM. The movement undertakes active political work by influencing upon activity of power bodies of the republic via their members, working there. On the elections, the TMR UD members took part as independents. The movement is highly authoritative among the population, is the most numbered public association of the country. It has considerable contacts with political forces of many countries of the CIS.

POLITICAL PARTIES OF THE TMR.

1. The Communist party of workers of Trans-Dniestria (CPWT) is recreated in 1993, declared itself as the legal successor of political and economic stipulations, consisting the program of the CPSU. In 1996, it split into the CPWT (itself) and Communist Party of Trans-Dniestria – CPSU (CPT-CPSU). The reason of split was difference in seeing objections of the contemporary stage of the society’s development.

The CPT-CPSU is more liberal, permits multi-structure in economy and more tolerant towards political opponents. The CPWT is more radical, is strictly negative towards innovations of Gorbachiov in parties’ life and in economy. In the international questions, it stands for development of independent and socially oriented state. The party votes for reconstruction of the USSR, comeback to planning economy, refusal of privatization, state control over production and distribution. Its political bodies and cells are available in all districts of the TMR. In order to attract youngsters, and for propaganda of communist ideology among the growing generation, in a number of living areas there act organization of Lenin Komsomol (young Communists) Union of Youngsters (LKUY) and pioneers’ detachments. The newspaper “Pobeda” (‘Victory’) is issued.

2. Centrist parties unify a number of liberally oriented intelligentsia and micro enterprises. They did not get vast support. These parties orient for freedom of business, private property, reduction of influence of the state upon all spheres of social life. In political aspect, they are more tolerant towards policy of the Republic of Moldova, they see future statute of the TMR in shape of a confederation within the unite state. At the same time, they stand for keeping of a number of social achievements of the Soviet period, more soft adjustment of the TMR to the market economy. In internal arena, the centrist parties do not play a special, their influence upon events of the internal and foreign policy is null or insignificant.

A) “The Party against Poverty and for Prosperity of the Society” is created in spring 1995. Did not get wide fame.

B) The Social-Democrat party is created in 1991 as an attempt to mobilize leftist forces, demoralized because of prohibition of the Communist party. Its principles are basing on common human values, enforcing of the role of workers in governing the state, mixed economy. Has lost its significance after appearing of the CPWT, nowadays it does not activate.

C) The Democrat party. Its organizer is G. Blagodarny, the year of creation is 1992. Its members vote for freedom of freedom of a personality, refusal of non-professional parliament, weakening of the institute of presidency, federal shape of the Republic of Moldova in condition of all nations equality.

D) “The Party People’s Union” is created in 1994, the head of party – A. Safonov. It is oriented towards creation of the strong “middle class” and favorable conditions of attracting investments from abroad. It votes for strengthening the statehood when enforcing the role of the Supreme Council, formed on the professional. It is close to the Democrat Party. Safonov and Blagodarny issued the common newspaper “Novaya Gazeta” (The New Newspaper).

E) The Party of Greens is created in January 1995. Main requirements: adoption of the ecologic program in the TMR, creation of a bank of ecological information, stopping of usage of poisonous chemicals в in the agriculture, introduction of alternative military service. Its motto is ‘Economy, Humanism, and Stability’.

3. Parties protecting interests of economic branches.

A) The Agrarian party is created in 1996. Its aim is resolution of problems of the agricultural sector via political bodies of the state, creation of priority in development of the agriculture and formation of a monolith legislative basis for the agro-industrial complex. In the political aspect, the Agrarian party consolidated with state structures. It includes governors of kolkhoz and sovkhoz, rural intelligentsia and specialists. It keeps considerable influence in the TMR Supreme Council.

B) The Republican Party is created in November 1997. Its leader V. Malakhov was the competitor of I. Smirnov at the presidential elections of 1996. The enterprise “Mestprombyt” (Local industrial communal service) whose leader is V. Malakhov, and independent trade unions of the republic are founders of the issued newspaper “The Republic”.

C) The Party of Economic Liberty was created in November 1992. It votes for private property, privatization of big enterprises, refusal of state control and dictate. It hails national accord and peaceful resolution of the problem of Trans-Dniestria via confederation with the RM.

The first and the last leader of the party is S. Manukian. Nowadays, its activity is cancelled.

D) “Movement for Development of Trans-Dniestria” is created in July 1995. Its leader is the director of one of the biggest enterprises of the TMR F. Kreichman. It votes for reconstruction of industry, refusal of mixing politics and economy, equality of all forms of property.

4. The special place is occupied by the Party of People’s Power, formed in July 1995. It votes for economy, oriented to protection of interests of the poorest strata of the society, independence on the RM, against capitalization of the economy and for revision of the privatization results. It considers that strict control of the state upon distribution of products and goods.

5. The rightist wing includes “The Party of people’s order of Trans-Dniestria” (PPOT), founded in 1994. I.Tkachenko, and N. Lachin are its leaders. The program foresees establishment of a state of social justice and ‘Russian order’ on principles of socialism. The party’s goal is enforcing of the TMR and joining Russia. The PPOT votes for multi-structure of economy, strict control of the state upon big enterprises and finances, improvement of lives of main part of population by means of redistribution of non-labor incomes. In the national issue they vote for principle of equality of all nations under supremacy of the Russian nation. The party supports the idea of creating a union of Slav nations of the Europe, votes against American imperialism and Zionism; it finds necessary that the TMR should join Russia.

In April 1998, there is formed the youth wing of the PPO. It is the part of “The World League” of Slav Youngsters” (WLSY). Its objectives are as follows: patriotic and nationalist up-bringing of the youth, organization of the cultural and sporting exchange among Slav young people. It issues the newspaper “Youth March”. By world outlook, the PPO is close to the Russian National Unity of A. Barkashov.

Translated by Ernest A. Vardanean.