You're reading: Russia looks askance at Moldova rebel region poll

TIRASPOL, Moldova - Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniestria votes for a president on Sunday with its veteran leader running for a fifth term against the wishes of his patron, Russia, which now appears to see him as an obstacle to a long-term settlement there.

A strip of land running down the eastern rim of Moldova, Transdniestria has been outside Moldovan government control since fighting a brief war after the collapse of Soviet rule in 1992 over fears Moldova would join neighbouring Romania.

Its veteran leader, Igor Smirnov, has played on the anxieties of the 550,000 largely Russian-speaking population to declare independence with a long-term aim of joining Russia.

But he has failed to gain world recognition for independence, even from Russia — a key player in international talks aimed at finding a solution to one of Europe’s most intractable post-Soviet "frozen conflicts".

Russia, which keeps the separatist region supplied with free gas and retains 1,500 troops there, now appears to have tired of Smirnov’s delaying tactics in settlement talks which also involve the United States and the European Union.

"We (Moscow) are in favour of a rapid normalisation of the situation … so that everything can be solved in the framework of unconditional respect for the sovereignty of Moldova with special status guaranteed for Transdniestria," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, in November.

"This is the only road to compromise," he told Moldovan students.

Moscow has publicly urged the 70-year-old Smirnov not to run in the Dec. 11 poll but to step aside in favour of fresh ideas in the shape of parliamentary speaker Anatoly Kaminsky, his biggest challenger in the poll.

But Smirnov is adamant he will run to defend what he sees as a likely sell-out of sovereignty by other candidates.

"BLACK HOLE"

Moldovan authorities and EU officials say that over the years the breakaway region has become a "black hole" of arms, drugs and people-trafficking.

Sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova is one of the poorest nations in Europe and would eagerly embrace a solution that would keep Transdniestria part of its territory.

Moldova, an EU aspirant, is itself in a period of huge uncertainty and holds an election in parliament on Dec. 16 to try to elect a president and end a two-year political impasse.

Smirnov, on the campaign trail on Wednesday, told voters to be wary of other candidates who would surrender Transdniestria’s hard fought-for independence.

"Sooner or later our statehood will be recognised," he told crowds who cheered him on with cries of "Igor Smirnov is our faithful course!", "The motherland must not be sold!".

Kaminsky, whose own party is close to that of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s United Russia, drew heavily on his ties with the Moscow elite in his campaign.

Billboards around the territory show Kaminsky side-by-side with Putin above a slogan reading: ""We are for Kaminsky! We are supported by Russia!"

Kaminsky, while careful to remain committed to defending Transdniestrian "statehood", warned the region was heading for stagnation.

Basic infrastructure such as roads, railways and telecommunications were collapsing, he said, and nepotism was rife.

"Smirnov has been in power for 20 years and for 15-18 of them the same people have been holding jobs in the ministries and heads of administration. There is no flow of new ideas and new people," he told Reuters.

Analysts believe Smirnov, using his advantage as incumbent, will easily triumph in Sunday’s poll. But if he does not get 50 percent there will be a run-off vote, in all probability against Kaminsky.

It remains to be seen what pressure Moscow might bring to bear on him if he secures a fifth five-year term. But it gave a hint at possible economic pressure when Russia’s consumer safety agency threatened in October to ban imports of Transdniestria’s Kvint brandy, one of its signature exports.

Moldova and Transdniestria on Dec. 1 held their first official meeting in almost six years under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and involving envoys from Russia, Ukraine, the United States and the EU.

The next meeting is scheduled for next February.