Voronin says Romania started Moldova's war against Transnistria

A Moldovan tank in Bender, Transdniestria's 2nd largest city, in 1992. Moldova's Voronin now says Romania was behind the war

CHISINAU (Tiraspol Times) - If Moldova's President is to be believed, his Romanian counterpart is foaming at the mouth over Transdniestria, the 'de facto' independent country whose official name is Pridnestrovie but which is also known as Transnistria or Trans-Dniester.

" - As soon as we begin approaching to resolving the Transnistria question, Romania immediately falls into a hysteria. President Basescu spits everything out of himself," says Voronin.

Vladimir Voronin also claimed that Romania's intelligence agency and a number of secret services from Romania are actively undermining what Moldova is doing vis-a-vis Transdniestria.
" - Nine Romanian special services work to suppress our initiatives," he told viewers during an interview program broadcast on the country's NIT TV channel.

He gave no evidence of his assertions, and Romania has itself denied the point. On one point, however, even Romanian historians increasingly agree:

" - I think far from everybody knows that it was precisely Romania who forced [Moldovan President #1 Mircea] Snegur to unleash a war on the Dniester," explained Vladimir Voronin.

In the run-up to the war, Romania escalated its military support to Moldova by supplying weaponry, ammunition, and armed vehicles as well as two contingents of military advisers. The Romanians fought on Moldova's side and undertook a large part of the training of Moldova's police and military forces at the time.

Romania's involvement in the 1992 war against Transdniestria

On 2 March 1992, Kuranty reported that large groups of Romanian volunteers had arrived in Moldova to take up arms against Transdniestria. Three days later, an article in Izvestiya confirmed the active presence of Romanian troops among the fighters.

At an official level, Romania was active too. On 17 March 1992, the Romanian government publicly demanded urgent measures from Russia towards a settlement that would bring "Transnistria" under the full control of Moldova.

On 19 March 1992, Moldova's President Mircea Snegur openly declared he "did not exclude the possibility" of Moldova turning to Romania for military help. This statement was a cover-up of the actual reality: Namely that Romania at the time had already been financing and equipping Moldova for the attacks to be carried out on Transdniestrian territory.

During the war of aggression, which was supported militarily by Romania, Moldova used MIG 29 bombers against the population of Bender, PMR's second largest city. Romania maintained a daily supply line of arms and ammunition, as well as personnel, to Moldova throughout the war.

Transdniestria's Security minister Vladimir Antiufeev have confirmed that Romania supported Moldova directly in the war by supplying arms and Romanian tanks. Both Moldova and Transdniestria also availed themselves of Soviet left-over weaponry which had been left behind in their respective territories.

Apart from weapons, Romania was active in supplying financing as confirmed by Mircea Snegur's Prime Minister, Anatol Plugaru, in Moldova on Tuesday.

See also:
» Moldova President blames Romania for "unsolved" Transdniestria claim
» Dynamics of the Moldova / Transdniestria ethnic conflict (1988-92)