CHISINAU. Oct 7 (Interfax) - Three basic principles on which the conflict over Transdniestria should be settled are neutrality, dialogue, and status, Alexandr Stoianoglo, a presidential candidate in Moldova, said at a press briefing on Monday.
Stoianoglo categorically dismissed the use of force as a way to achieve the goal.
He regretted that Moldovan policymakers usually recall the 360,000 Moldovan citizens living in Transdniestria only before elections. "And they forget about them very easily after elections. And yet you get actively involved in national election campaigns every time. You still have the feeling that your wellbeing, your lives, and your future depend on who is in power in Chisinau," Stoianoglo said addressing potential voters living on the left bank of the Dniester river.
A good reputation with the residents of Transdniestria can be eared "only through dialogue, sincerity, delicacy, openness, and good will," he said.
"This is something that has been missing so much in relations between Chisinau and Tiraspol over the past few years. Everyone is having hard times, but you've been exposed to a torrent of feelings of anxiety and unpredictability, as well as numerous fakes and provocations often related to the danger of war and aggression. And this happens year after year," Stoianoglo said.
"By labeling the region's residents as separatists [...] the Moldovan authorities have adopted relevant legislation, while the principal amount of products exported to the European Union comes precisely from the left bank [of the Dniester]," Stoianoglo said. "Moldova won't go anywhere without you. We need to move ahead together," he said.
Stoianoglo called for eradicating the language of hatred and any forms of discrimination against Moldovan citizens in Transdniestria.
"There is no and cannot be any forcible solution to the issue of Transdniestria. People on both banks of the Dniester have long outgrown those savage and wicked ways to have it out with each other. Moreover, our citizens know very well the true price of both internal conflicts and their dramatic consequences lasting for decades. We have built up a gigantic agenda for discussing social, economic, environmental, and general legal issues. The residents of Transdniestria should not depend on discord between various elites," Stoianoglo said.
A presidential election in Moldova is scheduled for October 20. Eleven candidates are running for the office. All public opinion polls have ranked Stoianoglo as the second most popular presidential candidate who has every chance to proceed to the second round and compete with incumbent President Maia Sandu.