Smirnov Defies Parliament

Practically all Transnistrian media outlets in December 2007 were writing about the forthcoming cancellation of the tax on migration, which the competent service of the Tiraspol interior ministry has been for a log time levied from citizens of different states entering the region. The regional parliament adopted an amendment to the concept of the 2008 budgetary and fiscal policy to this end. The speaker of the Transnistrian parliament, Yevgeniy Shevchuk, within a series of news conferences in late 2007, has repeatedly confirmed that the MPs are resolute to call off this procedure starting 2008 as it tarnishes the breakaway republic's "image."

But on 1 January 2008, Igor Smirnov proved once again who is the genuine master of the Transnistrian house. The same employees of the migration and border guard services were meeting travellers at all the crossing checkpoints. Just as before, papers were checked by two services, not by one, as the MPs have pushed for. The tax on migration is collected just as before. The explanation is simple - Igor Smirnov put a veto on several articles of the 2008regional budget law. At the same time, he ruled to ignore a parliament's decision on the amendment of the border regime. The lawmakers of the breakaway republic who went on Christmas holydays, failed to identify any lever of influence on the concerned situation.

Even two weeks after Smirnov's demarche, the Transnistrian parliament did not deem right to react to the overt defiance of its decisions by the head of the breakaway region. Speaker Yevgeniy Shevchuk keeps silent. Other MPs of the majority faction Obnovlenye find it necessary neither. And the time passes.

The region's residents do not understand what is going on. They knew the decisions by the local legislature, and were convinced that there was put an end to the humiliating queues. Many times, these several Moldovan lei, collected by employees of the department which was formerly led by the region's vice-president Aleksandr Korolyov, transform into a significant sum. Especially for the residents of the right bank of the Dniestre river who travel more often. Now, it turned out that the decisions adopted by the legislative body have little value in the eyes of Igor Smirnov. The republic's leader ignored the arguments saying that the maintenance of the old regime is likely to undermine trust in the region's leadership. It seems that the "image" of the breakaway republic on the international stage is beyond his interests.

Following the Christmas holidays, the lawmakers of the Transnistrian parliament are to hold the first plenary meeting in 2008. For the time being, we cannot say whether the issue of the veto imposed by Smirnov will be included on the meeting's agenda. It is clear that the Transnistrian leader is willing to go all the way with it: all those who reap the benefits of the present border regime stand as Smirnov's support in the struggle for power. First of all, it is about the interior ministry which was led by the current vice-president Aleksandr Korolyov till 2007. The days to come will show us whether the MPs would like to face an open confrontation with Smirnov or not, and whether they will manage to overcome the veto imposed by him.

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