VZCZCXRO4499
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHCH #1266 3590916
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 240916Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7472
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS CHISINAU 001266 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/UMB, DRL/AE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PBTS PGOV PHUM MD
SUBJECT: TRANSNISTRIAN PARLIAMENT PASSES BILL TO FACILITATE 
DIPLOMATIC TRAVEL 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please Protect Accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Transnistrian Supreme Soviet passed a bill on 
December 19, 2008, providing for a simplified travel regime for 
foreign diplomats.  According to the new law, diplomats accredited 
in Chisinau would be able to travel to Transnistria without prior 
notification or coordination with Tiraspol authorities.  It is 
likely that Smirnov will veto the bill, in which case the "Supreme 
Soviet" should have enough votes to override the veto.  Even if the 
law passes, it remains to be seen whether or not the Transnistria 
border authorities will respect their own entity's legal system. 
End Summary. 
 
Free Movement to and Within Transnistria in Future 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On December 19, 2008 the Transnistrian Supreme Soviet 
passed in its second and final reading a bill establishing a new 
travel regime for individuals with diplomatic and consular immunity. 
 The newly adopted bill provides for free, unimpeded entry and/or 
transit for diplomats and their family members without prior notice 
for either official or personal travel.  This bill also provides for 
free movement within Transnistria, except to areas which are 
considered "closed" and require special permits to be accessed.  The 
TN "Foreign Ministry" was given the authority to deny access to 
diplomats who "openly called for forceful change of the 
constitutional order or for other extremist activity against the 
state". 
 
Diplomats Are Often Turned Away Under Current Regime 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Currently foreign diplomats accredited in Chisinau (except 
for Russian and Ukrainian diplomats, and OSCE Mission staff) wishing 
to visit Transnistria for either business or personal purpose, have 
to undergo a complex process of coordinating of their trip with the 
Transnistrian "Foreign Ministry" or risk being turned away at the 
checkposts.  Either through poor coordination between various 
agencies in Tiraspol, or as a result of an active intention declared 
by hardliners, diplomats are frequently turned away at the 
checkpoint.  Access or denial is an unpredictable affair, and each 
trip involves a risk of wasted time for the journey and cancelled 
appointments, every time travel is undertaken. 
 
Comment: 
------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) This law will still have to be promulgated by "President" 
Smirnov, before it would come into force.  However, it is quite 
likely that Smirnov may impose his veto by refusing to sign this 
bill.  When this draft bill was examined in its first reading, the 
Executive Branch indicated its opposition to it.  The current 
problematic travel regime is regulated by Smirnov's decree and 
serves to support Transnistria's self-isolationism as favored by the 
hard-liners.  The bill was personally introduced by Parliamentary 
Speaker Shevchuk in an effort to facilitate greater contact with the 
outside world.  However, even if the bill passes, it remains to be 
seen whether the "Border Guards," who are controlled by the 
hard-liners, will actually implement the new law.