The Cold War Battleground of Moldova & Transnistria
How to make you care about people that you never knew were alive?
THE BATTLEGROUND
Ex-Soviet countries are caught between the EU frying pan and Russian fire. Rather than being helped, they’re ‘encouraged’ to choose a side. This is particularly difficult for those in Eastern Europe because of their proximity to the war in Ukraine.
Moldova and Transnistria, with a combined population that’s less than the City of Cape Town, may have it the hardest.
Moldova was split between Romanian and Russian sentiments when the Soviet Union fell. The latter founded the breakaway Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic which is more commonly known as Transnistria. “Commonly” is a misnomer because you’re probably learning about them for the first time.
Transnistria sits in between Moldova and Ukraine. Emphasising awkwardness, it’s population in 2015 was 29.1% Russian, 28.6% Moldovan and Romanian, and 22.9% Ukrainian.
Roughly half of Romania and Moldova want the latter to be absorbed into the former. Moldova’s motivation is that it would be an easier path to joining the EU. Consequently, Moldova’s eye-candy president, Maia Sandu, is a mouthpiece for NATO.
THE RIGHT TO EXIST
Moldova has the right to choose its future, to give up its identity and become EU/Romanian. But it’s ridiculous that Transnistrians don’t have the same rights, and haven’t had any rights as international citizens despite existing for 33 years.
It’s the opposite of human rights that the USA decides who exists or doesn’t, who gets the label of democracy. Because NATO doesn’t wants Transnistria to have Russia as its ally, or seek accession to it, their humanity is forsaken. This is about geopolitics, not people. Consequently, an undeveloped Transnistria has been mostly isolated, eking out an existence as if it was still a bad 1990.
PEOPLE LIKE US
How to make you care about people that you never knew were alive? It’s not in my power but the guys at Yes Theory have done it for me.
I hope that you watch their short, edutaining and heartwarming videos about Transnistria and Moldova.
Billboard photo credit to Adam Jones.
The Transnitian people seem very delightful and "Grandma" is adorable.
Mike, I've been aware of the orange colored section of the map between Ukraine and Moldova but the name slipped my mind. Thanks for refreshing my memory and I'll watch the videos.