Moldova-Ukraine Border Plan Makes Transnistria Anxious

Russian peacekeepers at the Moldovan-Transnistrain de factor border checkpoint in Dubasari. Photo: Clay Gilliland/Flikr.

A European Union-backed project aiming at establishing a Moldovan-Ukrainian joint border control point is fuelling tension between the Moldovan government and the separatist authorities in Transnistria.

Moldova and Ukraine have discussed the joint project meant to ease traffic and trade since 2015, when they signed a cooperation deal.

It came back onto the agenda of the two countries after Moldovan Prime Minister Pavel Filip visited Kiev recently.

Arrangements have now been agreed and Moldova’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Lilian Darii, last week told EU missions that the Cuciurgan-Pervomaisk joint checkpoint would become operational at the end of May.