President of the unrecognized Transdnestrian Moldovan Republic Igor Smirnov at a book signing in Moscow in April 2007
Photo: Vasily Shaposhnikov
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United Russia Gets Transdniestrian Money Flowing Again
Moscow has unfrozen financial aid to the unrecognized and cash-strapped Transdniestrian Moldovan Republic, and it may receive 675 million rubles in the near future. The news was announced by speaker of the local parliament and head of the Renewal Party Evgeny Shevchuk, the main political opponent to President Igor Smirnov. The money is coming at the insistence of the United Russia Party.
The money, Shevchuk promises, will be spent on social needs, including the pensions of 130,000 people. Transdniestria has not received any money from Russia in over a year. In the autumn of last year, Russia gave it about $60 million to hold a referendum on independence. That money was soon spent, however, and the territory's economy was hit by drought and economic blockade from Moldova.
Smirnov's pleas for more money went unanswered. He was known as a spendthrift. Transdniestria owes Russia over $1 billion for natural gas. Yesterday, Shevchuk demanded that Transdniestrian Gazprombank, which is run by Smirnov's daughter-in-law Mrina, account for the payment money. “We didn't pay Russia for the gas, but the money was collected. It is in Gazprombank,” Shevchuk said.
While Smirnov has been receiving the cold shoulder from Moscow, Shevchuk has become a frequent guest. He was a honored guest at the United Russia Party congress in October and the Renewal Party campaigned for United Russia. There are many Russian citizens in Transdniestria. The Patriotic Party of the Transdniestrian Moldovan Republic, headed by Marina Smirnova, supported Just Russia. United Russia received 83.58 percent of the vote of Transdniestrian Russians, and Just Russia 4.96 percent.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Dec. 20, 2007
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