THE CONFLICT BETWEEN MOLDOVA AND TRANS-DNIESTRIA.

STAGES OF ESCALATION.

General prerequisites of the conflict.

One of the main prerequisites can be a sum of contradictions appeared in the South-East Europe after disintegration of the Russian Empire, which was the main stabilizing element in that region and in Balkans, generally till events of 1917-1918. Uniting many different nations, preventing (by its might including military) monoethnic states from swallowing small nations, Russia actually was the pivot of order in the whole pre-revolution Europe. Exemption of Russia from the Eurosystem caused disintegration processes of some other European states and forming of new state associations. The given process is brightly illustrated by events taken place in Europe after disintegration of the USSR in 1991. In both cases the main role in those events were taken by national intelligentsia and bureaucracy. The first appealed to shades of great predecessors and using the general rise of people’s political activity, provided ideological motivation and explained the necessity of creating their state; the bureaucracy registered those actions and suppressed the otherwise-minded.

On territories of former Russian provinces – Bessarabian and Hersonian – in 1919 two tendencies were observed. One for Sovietization, that is for joining the RSFSR as Bessarabian SSR and Ukrainian SSR, the second – for creating bourgeois-nationalist states. Trans-Dniestria as a part of New Russia is politically attracted to Ukrainian SSR, but by its national composition it is a region where three ethnic groups are equally represented: Russians, Ukrainians, Moldavians. Availability (already that time) of considerable industrial potentiality and significant number of revolution-oriented proletarians let pro-Soviet forces come to power, on the basis of ideas of equality and internationalism. On territory of Bessarabia, where the main part of population were peasants, the political life was concentrated mainly in Kishinev, where positions of bureaucracy and land-lords were strong. That is why the attempt of creating here the Bessarabian SSR in 1919, as a part of the RSFSR (the Government of I.N. Krivorukov), was prevented, and the Councils (Soviets) were eliminated.

Meanwhile Romania, on the pretext of protecting that territory from German invasion and Russia’s quit from the First world war, disarmed the troops of the Romanian Front (of the Russian Army)and actually seized the territory between the rivers Prut and Dniester. Politically the seizure was motivated by the request of “Sfatul Ţării” (“Council of Country”) about joining the Kingdom of Romania. Territories across the Dniester remained without control. During years of civil war, the forces, willing to stay there, had been constantly changing. There were Petliura troops, Germans, troops of the Entente. After all cataclysms, the Left Bank joined the Ukrainian SSR (as a frontier region), and together with the latter – the USSR.

Foreign policy of the Soviet state of that period oriented to step-by-step restitution of former Russian territories to the USSR. That is why there was a process of forming bridge-heads for possible future restitution of earlier lost territories. One of its milestones was creation of a new state formation on a number of districts of the Ukrainian SSR in 1924 – the Moldavian Autonomous SSR.

The Moldavian Autonomous Republic was created on territories which had never been a part of Moldova, that act was purely political and propagandistic – it was creation of an outpost of Soviet foreign policy in that region and trump in fight for territories between Dniester and Prut, annexation of those the USSR had never recognized. And the latter affirmed it several times, including the so-called “secret protocols” of 1939 of the Soviet-German Agreement of non-aggression. That’s why troops appeared in Bessarabia in 1940 generally did not cause any protests in the world.

On August 2^nd 1940, after creation of the Moldavian SSR, the territory of the Moldavian Autonomous SSR was divided between Ukraine and Moldavia, and the very MASSR was eliminated. The act was done without any dramatic consequences for population, but was not a legal act and is practically invalid because the Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR and of the MASSR were violated. The transfer of territory is impossible without agreement of supreme power bodies of the above-mentioned republics; it was not fixed in documents regarding creation of Moldavian SSR. Since the level of living and national relations in the Ukrainian and Moldavian SSR were equal, and the transfer of territory into the MSSR had no negative impact on Trans-Dniestria’s population life, those issues were not raised and discussed up till 1989, when under influence of perestroika policy on territory of all created Soviet republics there was a rise of nationalism. During that period the Central Committee of the CPM and the Supreme Council of the MSSR adopted a number decisions and decrees, roused political activity of working people, first of all, of working class on the territory of former MASSR. It was availability of 30% of industrial working class of Moldavia that caused so high activity in summer 1989 and during the whole 1990.

The obstacles were bills “About state language”, “About functioning of languages in the MSSR”. The bills were promulgated in March 1989 for nation-wide discussion. On May 23^rd 1989, the 10^th Extraordinary session of the City Council sent its suggestions. They consisted in ensuring equal rights for all nations, adoption of two state languages (Russian and Moldavian), keeping Cyrillic alphabet adopted before, holding obligatory referendum for considered bills.

During summer, there was active polemics “heated” by nationalists who organized mass processions and other acts of exerting active open pressure at power bodies of the MSSR. The atmosphere of undisguised terror and threats caused adoption of pro-nationalist bills and first open collision of nationalist and internationalist forces. The apotheosis of confrontation were the events of August 1989.

1^st period: from August 1989 till early November 1990. Is characterized by acute political struggle, active people’s manifestation in support of these or those positions, and by gradual re-creation of people’s state bodies, separate from those of ruling forces of Moldova. It ends with the start of open military aggression of ruling circles of Moldova and proclamation of a new state, created in order to protect constitutional rights of Trans-Dniestria’s citizens from forced suppression. The individual feature of people’s movements in Tiraspol was that on the Left Bank, working collectives (headed by their leaders) united with bodies of both Communist Party and Soviet power. At the same time in the rest part of the MSSR districts, the Soviet power bodies and the Communist party remove themselves from influence upon people’s mass, and stay at conformist positions (together with the PFM) regarding those bills. Afterwards that very consolidation let us say about Trans-Dniestria as about unified political force opposed to the PFM. In June-July the situation keeps on escalating. On June 25^th, 28^th 1989, celebration of Reunion of Bessarabia and the USSR, is broken down by mass meetings and processions of the PFM activists. Their mottoes claim for separation from the USSR, reconsideration of borders, raises anti-Russian hysteria. In answer to that, on July 8^th there is a constituent congress of the interethnic movement “Unity”. But already on July 9^th the meeting of “Unity” in Kishinev is broken down. The same day in Tiraspol, on a meeting, people require to stop revelry of nationalism, and for the first time they raise the question of recreation of autonomy and giving a statute of “special district” to Tiraspol. The situation escalates, militia bodies do not cope with it, that’s why on July 22^nd it is decided to create WDAM (Workers’ Detachments of Assisting Militia).

The main events take place in August.

August 3^rd: there is published a message about convoking the 13^th session of the MMSR Supreme Council for August 29^th in order to pass bills “About state language”, “About functioning of languages in the MSSR”, “About passing the Moldavian language to the Latin alphabet”. All bills undisguise pro-nationalist character, they have 10 days for discussion. M. I. Snegur is elect as the Chairman of the MSSR Supreme Council , with support of the PFM.

August 11^th: Tiraspol. The meeting of WCC (Working Collective Councils) introduces its suggestions regarding the bills: not to hold the session of August 29^th 1989, to discuss the bills article by article in Councils of all levels. It warns about readiness for extreme steps, including strikes. It expresses distrust to central bodies of the Communist Party and Soviet power of the MSSR, it takes decision about electing a United WCC (UWCC) in order to coordinate steps for protecting rights of the Russian-speaking population, working out concrete measures of struggle, preparing information for mass media. B. M. Shtefan is elect as its Chairman.

August 14^th: The 10^th Extraordinary session of the City council supports requests of the UWCC.

August 16^th: precautionary two-hours political strike.

August 17^th: the meeting of the “Unity” supports the idea of strike.

August 18^th: it turns into a constant, a republican-wide one.

Requests: to stipulate Russian as the language of interethnic communication, to make it legally equal with the Moldavian, to let Councils regulate linguistic relations on their territories by themselves, considering opinions of the population.

August 21^st: At 7.30 the Kirov plant stopps working, by the end of the day it is supported by “Electromash” and the plant FCA-6 (Ferro-Concrete Articles). Start of strikes in Tiraspol.

August 22^nd: the meeting of Tiraspol inhabitants takes decision about beginning a general strike. That day 23 enterprises take part in it. The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPM S. K. Grossu and Deputy Chairman of the MSSR Supreme Council came to Tiraspol. The attempt to press strikers fails.

August 24^th: despite protests, the Presidium of the MSSR Supreme Council raises the controversial bills for the session on August 29^th.

August 26^th: the UWCC is transformed into a Strike Committee (SC). The information bulletin “Striking Tiraspol” is edited.

40 enterprises from Tiraspol, 25 from Bendery, 23 from Rybnitsa, 9 from Kishinev and 4 from Comrat take part in the strike.

The first information about strike appears in Soviet mass media. Kishinev authorities hinder journalists from access to the information; the beginning of informational blockade.

August 28^th: geography of strikers enlarges. There joins the “Aeroflot”, enterprises from Edintsy and Beltsy. The republican Strike Committee is created. The central press, by presentation of Kishinev, proclaims the strike “a plot of directors” against perestroika. Everyday meetings in Tiraspol.

August 29^th: the 13^th session of the MSSR Supreme Council. In Tiraspol there is a meeting of the UWCC and the PFM. The resolution to keep struggling is affirmed.

August 30^th: 179 enterprises take part in the strike, 400 ones express their solidarity. Railway workers join the strike.

September.

Defeat of the strike, adoption of anti-people laws, passing to new forms of struggle.

September 1^st: the 13^th session of the MSSR Supreme Council finishes its work. All anti-people bills are passed without amendments by open ballot. Opinions of strikers left unconsidered.

September 3^rd: Tiraspol responds with a city-wide meeting. A resolution adopted: to express distrust to authorities of central power bodies of the MSSR and Central Committee of the CPM, to consider its session decision invalid. To approve actions of deputies from Tiraspol and Interethnic movement. To demand transfer of mass media under control of Councils, to support the Movement “Gagauz-Halky” (“Gagauz People”). Decided to keep striking.

September 6^th: the 12^th Extraordinary session of Tiraspol City Council. A group of deputies depart to Moscow in order to explain positions of strikers and to break the informational blockade. 200 enterprises take part in the strike. The General Committee of the CPM headed by L.V. Tsurkan takes decision to stop the strike. The Strike Committee refuses.

September 13^th: 13^th Extraordinary session of the City Council. It marks worsening of general economic situation in the city. It decides: to demand abolition of adopted laws, in case of refusal till January 1^st 1990, - to create an autonomous republic within the MSSR on the Left Bank, plus the towns Bendery and Beltsy. Till October 10^th, to hold referendum in those cities regarding that matter. Till October 25^th – to motivate and prepare transfer to regional economic self-provision and self-financing. Decided to stop striking.

September 15^th: the city-wide meeting decides not stop struggling but under influence of tripartite negotiations (on September 9^th the Commission of the USSR Supreme Council, representatives of the MSSR Supreme Council and the Strike Committee and promise personally from M. S. Gorbachiov to consider the conflict on the highest level), the movement starts to go down.

September 30^th: a project of referendum is presented for consideration. A commission of autonomy is created, headed by V. F. Grutsenko.

October.

Political reasons of recreating the MASSR are presented in press, the necessity of introducing the toponym Trans-Dniestrian (Trans-Dniestrian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic – TASSR) is explained. Reasons of economic self-provision and self-financing aspects are presented; polemics takes place between that idea’s supporters and opponents.

October 27^th: the 14^th session of the city Council adopts regulations of referendum.

November.

Rise of the PFM activity in Kishinev.

November 7^th: breakdown of the military parade on the occasion of the October revolution’s anniversary.

November 10^th: a crowd of less than 10 thousand people makes pogroms, tries to take by storm the building of the MSSR MIA (Ministry of Internal Affairs), commits outrages on city streets. .A lot of injured. The UWCC and the Executive Committee of the city Council react by offering to forbid activity of the PFM, prohibit edition of its press as destructive. Demands are ignored.

November 12^th: Gagauz people decide to create their own autonomy. The PFM succeeds to make the Government resign. Elections to the MSSR Supreme Council and local Councils are fixed at February 25^th 1990.

December 1989 – February 1990.

Laws about language, adopted before, come into force. Crowds of the PFM supporters weekly gather in Kishinev. The situation escalates after overthrow of Ceauşescu regime in neighboring Romania.

January 28^th: a city referendum is held in Tiraspol. Before that, the same referendum held in Rybnitsa.

Decisions:

1. To give the statute of an independent territory (with rights of self-financing) to Tiraspol and its suburbia.

2. In case of creating the TASSR, it is decided reasonable (for Tiraspol and suburbia) to join it.

February 25^th: elections to local Councils are held, the main part of mandates appear to be in hands of the UWCC and supporters of independence.

Spring 1990.

Generally within the USSR, the situation is characterized by strengthening centrifugal forces. Baltic republics, and after them – other republics stand on the way of open disobedience and orientation towards independence. Weakness of Gorbachiov, his inability for firm and adequate influence upon processes within country, gave new strength also to the PFM, supporters of which received majority of seats in the MSSR Supreme Council and open support from the Central Committee of the CPM headed by P. K. Luchinski.

March 24^th: the organizing session of the newly elect city Council elects I. N. Smirnov as its Chairman and V.N. Ryliakov (the Head of the UWCC) as its Vice-Chairman.

April 17^th: the first session of the MSSR Supreme Council starts. Situation tensed, crowds of the PFM supporters stay around the building. Permanent pressing upon deputies from Trans-Dniestria and Interethnic Movement. Under that pressure is decided to change the symbol of republic (the flag) in favor of the Romanian tricolor.

April 30^th: extraordinary session of the city Councils of Tiraspol and Bendery. Decided not to use the new flag, taking the Soviet one instead.

May 4^th: the MSSR Supreme Council finds it illegal and demands using tricolors.

May 8^th: attempts of the Pedagogical Institute students to march with tricolors. Stopped by the population. On border with Romania fraternizing takes place; “bridges of flowers”.

May 10^th – 12^th: Baltic republics leave the USSR.

May 18^th: Decree of attesting (within term - up till 1994) all those on whom the language decrees are spread.

May 19^th: Nationalism-ground murder of D. Matiushin in Kishinev, waves of indignation throughout Moldavia.

May 20^th: In Varnitsa (a suburb of Bendery) a meeting of the PFM supporters is held. Claims to go to Bendery and raise the tricolor. The counteractions between people militia detachments and the PFM supporters almost turned into a bloodshed.

May 22^nd: deputies of the MSSR Supreme Council from Trans-Dniestria leave the session in protest against constant pressure and infringement of their rights. The crowd beats and humiliates them.

Summer.

Passing to understanding necessity of all regions of Trans-Dniestria. Beginning of forming the state.

June 2^nd: 673 delegates from 9 districts and cities gathered in Parkany for the 1^st Congress of all levels deputies of Trans-Dniestria. A coordinating council of social and economic development of the region is elect, headed by I. N. Smirnov. A declaration adopted regarding that issue, telegrams and inquiries sent in address of the USSR central bodies.

Declaration:

1. To call back the issues of language and flag and hold a referendum on them.

2. To consider reasonable the recognition of the TASSR within the MSSR. To create it by September 1^st 1990.

June 6^th: the Supreme Council of the SSR of Moldova (SSRM) finds those decisions anticonstitutional, for the first time there is used the term “separatism” regarding Trans-Dniestrian people. A number of adding and new articles are included in the Penal Code of the MSSR in order to protect the tricolor. Opponents are threatened with fines and prison.

June 22^nd: extraordinary session of the city Council of Tiraspol takes decisions as follows:

1. To stop operation of anti-Russian decrees.

2. To demand holding of a republican-wide referendum.

3. Not to fulfill decisions of the Supreme Council of SSRM.

4. To be subordinated directly to laws, Constitution and President of the USSR.

5. To delegate extraordinary authority to the city Council, in case of forced obligation to adopt anti-people decrees from the Government of the SSRM.

6. To recognize decisions of congresses of all levels and hold a referendum regarding the issue of joining the TASSR.

July.

July 1^st: referendum in Bendery, there 95% of population took part among whom 80% voted against the tricolor and for joining the TASSR

July 4^th: the PFM congress. Determined objectives: gaining independence, creation of a Romanian Republic of Moldova, reconstruction of the ethnonym “Romanian” instead of “Moldavian” in all abbreviations, withdrawal of the Soviet Army units, liquidation of the KGB department, restitution of territories given to Ukraine in 1940, independence of the national Church, denouncing the treaty about creating the MSSR from August 2^nd 1940..

July 5^th: the SSRM Supreme Council takes decision about renaming the districts Kotovsk and Lazovsk and district centers. Edition of the resolution “About anticonstitutional activity of a number of districts in the Trans-Dniestrian part of the SSRM”.

In early July one of the active UWCC members – A. Z. Volkova (docent of the Tiraspol State Pedagogical Institute – TSPI) – resigns from office. The UWCC states strengthening of the PFM influence among students and decides to picket the institute. Active polemics in press regarding that issue and the results of the CPSU 28^th Congress. Opinions are direct opposite.

July 23^rd: the SSRM Supreme Council Chairman M. I. Snegur makes a speech on the republican TV, accuses Trans-Dniestria of economic problems taken place in the republic, of separatism. He emerges the MIA to take operative measures against those who violate new decrees. “Culprits” were named: Smirnov, Belitchenko.

July 25^th: the MSSR Supreme Council session decreed to delegate power in republic and in local governments to Councils and remove the CPM and its members. Membership in parties forbidden; heads of state power bodies, of courts, MIA, Central Committee of the CPM of Tiraspol and the UWCC do not support that decision, regarding “depolitization” as an attempt to remove the CPM and put the PFM in power. The MSSR Supreme Council finds illegal the fact of recognizing the MSSR after the decree of the USSR dated August 2^nd 1940.

August.

August 5^th: referendum in Rybnitsa district. Population fully supports the idea of creating the TASSR.

August 5^th: referendum in village Parkany. Interethnic movement supporters win. In Kishinev, a decision is taken to remove the monument to V. I. Lenin. Tiraspol inhabitants protest against that action.

August 12^th: referendum in Dubossary affirms the wish of the town inhabitants to stay together with all Trans-Dniestrian people.

August 18^th: the 1^st session of people deputies of steppe south of the SSRM declares the Gagauz Republic within the USSR and about exiting from subordination to power and bodies of the SSRM. They demand self-governing, their own banking, custom and tax service, own state budget. Mutual economic calculations and determination of boundaries of the SSRM are stipulated to be done till January 1^st 1991. On October 28^th 1990 – to hold elections to the Gagauz Republic Supreme Council.

August 21^st: the session of Tiraspol city Council recognized and approved those decisions. Initiative of establishing the 2^nd Extraordinary Congress of Trans-Dniestria people’s deputies. The SSRM power bodies take militia out of subordination to local Councils.

September.

Situation in Gagauzia escalated, the SSRM is preparing the forced suppression of the republic. Workers of Trans-Dniestria through press express their solidarity with Comrat and insist to convoke the 2^nd congress of all-level Councils.

September 2^nd: The 2^nd Extraordinary Congress took place. The decision of creating the TMSSR is unanimously taken; its creation was the consequence of antidemocratic activity of the SSRM Supreme Council. It was declared that all attempts of forced suppression would be interpreted as interference into internal affairs of the sovereign state with all consequences. The TMSSR Supreme Council Presidium is elect, consisting of 18 deputies, headed by I. N. Smirnov. The capital is the city of Tiraspol. In Kishinev, the extraordinary session of Moldova Supreme Council took decision to introduce the post of the President (Snegur), to make citizens pass the military service only in Moldova. The Congress in Tiraspol found anticonstitutional, and its decisions invalid. In case when bodies of the new republic start to work, than in response there would be proclaimed emergency state and special governing for that region.

September 9^th: In response to the ultimatum of Moldova Government, in Tiraspol a republican-wide meeting was held in support of the TMSSR. Resolution:

1. To approve decision about creation of the Gagauz Republic and the TMSSR.

2. To protest roughly against decree of creating the National Army of Moldova and the corpus of “carabiners” (policemen).

September 12^th: extraordinary session of Tiraspol city Council. Among others, it was decided to subordinate the City Department of Internal Affairs (CDIA) to the Executive committee. From all districts of Moldova telegrams come, where people understand and support actions of Trans-Dniestria and Gagauzia people. The “Committee of support of the TMSSR” is created in order to break the informational blockade. Appeal to peoples of the USSR with request to recognize the TMSSR.

September 16^th: in the village of Lunga (Dubossary district), the PFM holds the “Great National Assembly” of their supporters. The President of Moldova M. Snegur took part there, too. The same day the 2^nd Congress of Councils opened in Comrat (Gagauz Republic), where there was marked the role of special forces of the RM MIA in provoking conflicts. The Republic’s provisional government is authorized with special power for preventing bloodshed. Delegates from Trans-Dniestria took part there.

September 17^th: the Tiraspol department of the PFM declares the territory of the TMSSR occupied, about working in the underground and about guerilla struggle, declares all statesmen of the new republic out of law.

September 21^st: Resolution of the TMSSR Supreme Council:

1. To establish a state university on the basis of the TSPI.

2. To consider the issue about activity of the PFM in the TMSSR.

3. To establish Russian, Moldavian, and Ukrainian languages as equal in official affairs.

4. To hold elections to the TMSSR Supreme Council on November 25^th 1990.

September 27^th: a commission of the USSR President came to Tiraspol and Comrat. Its aim is to learn the situation and report to Moscow. The commission had a number of meetings.

October.

October 13^th: joint declaration of the provisional TMSSR Supreme Council and of the Gagauz Republic Provisional Committee (GR PC) about endless threats to their address from the RM authority. It was decided:

1. To coordinate joint actions and ensure any important assistance to each other.

2. To hold elections in fixed terms. The decision sent to the USSR Supreme Council and the UNO. It was asked about delegating observers to the elections.

October 9^th: resolution of the TMSSR provisional Supreme Council about elaboration of the TMSSR coat of arms, flag and anthem.

October 20^th: resolution of the RM Supreme Council Presidium: to deny the centralized union state and to pass to making bilateral treaties with republics of the USSR and of the world.

October 22^nd: a special subdivision of militia is sent from Kishinev to Dubossary City department of Internal affairs. In the town, a meeting of protest was held by that fact. A protest to the RM President is declared. The meeting decided:

1. To withdraw forces came to the town.

2. To stop activity of inquiry group from Kishinev, directed against the TMSSR supporters.

October 25^th: in order to decrease tensions, meetings of the PFM and the UWCC are forbidden as able to provoke conflicts.

October 25^th: situation in Gagauzian Republic escalates before elections. The RM minister of internal affairs Costash decrees to concentrate 2000 militiamen on the GR borders. In towns of the RM after the PFM appeal “Moldova in Danger”, there begins gathering of volunteers for suppressing the GR. Creation of detachments is sanctioned by the government. Roads are blocked. The UWCC initiates requests to Gorbachiov to prevent potential bloodshed. No answer. The Extraordinary session of the RM Supreme Council declares emergency state in southern part of the republic. The whole population of the GR stands to protect it, the City council of Tiraspol takes decision to assist the GR in keeping order at the elections.

October 26^th: a unified column of volunteers from all towns of the TMSSR comes for assistance through the Ukrainian SSR territory.

October 27^th: The GR PC sends to the USSR Supreme Council a request about introducing Internal Troops (IT) of the MIA of the USSR.

October 28^th: the Commander of the IT of the USSR Yu. V. Shatalin comes to Comrat. Negotiations in Chimishlia. Agreement is made regarding withdrawal of Moldavian and Gagauzian volunteers. Elections in the GR take place. 97% of electors took part. Provocation fails.

November.

Nomination of the TMSSR deputies candidates began. Active elaboration of programs and their publishing in press is made.

November 1^st: tension near Dubossary increases. A crowded meeting takes place. In main streets and entries to the town there stand patrols of WDAM.

November 2^nd: there appears information about special police detachments (SPD) approaching the town. In Tiraspol, there is a gathering and departure of volunteers. When breaking into the town, the SPD forces of the RM open fire at resisting citizens. Three people killed: O. Gheletiuk, V. Gotka, V. Mitsul. 16 people wounded. The SPD fail to enter the town, having blocked ways out. In fact, the stage of peaceful development of conflict between the RM and TMSSR finishes by events of that day. After fusillade in Dubossary and with the same government in power in the RM, any possibility of compromise is actually self-excluded.

Translated by Ernest A. Vardanean