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The removal of the military peacekeeping posts should be a priority in the agenda of the Transnistrian conflict settlement talks in the 5+2 format, considers the head of Promo-LEX Association Ion Manole. The human rights expert said the incident at the trilateral peacekeeping post No. 9, where a peacekeeper shot fatally a local, should motivate the constitutional authorities to achieve certain results, Info-Prim Neo reports.

Ion Manole stated it is strange that this case happened following the change of power in Transnistria. “Shevchuk (the new leader – e.n.) said he will take steps to facilitate the crossing of these illegal posts. It is evident that circles in Tiraspol and Moscow do not like such an intention,” said the jurist.

According to Ion Manole, it was repeatedly said that these posts have no role, goal or importance. “If the peacekeeping forces play the role of preventing a new conflict or a new military confrontation between the right and the left banks of the Nistru, as it is claimed, why are these posts situated on the territory controlled by the central authorities? It is thus not clear who these posts protect and from whom – Pirita from Chisinau or Chisinau from Pirita,” stated the jurist.

The expert also said that the protests staged by the locals may have a certain effect, but the protests mounted at the post in Pohrebea produced no results. “The people expressed their dissatisfaction, but gave up because the authorities did not support them,” said Ion Manole.

Promo-LEX will provide legal assistance to the family of the killed young man. Ion Manole said the circumstances must be examined thoroughly so as to see what can be done. “The person who shot is to blame for the young man’s death. We will see what the authorities will do and what the status of these peacekeepers is so that we are able to better protect the rights of the locals. It is a rare case. Nothing like that happened in 20 years. The situation is difficult, but I’m sure there are possibilities at national level to defend the rights of this family,” said the jurist.

Ion Manole also said that it is now important to analyze the steps taken by the chief of peacekeeping post No.9. “I was there and saw the tracks of the bullets shot at the car. It is evident that the man was shot in the back, when he did not pose a threat to the person who shot and to the life and health of those serving at the post. The state of the young man does not count. It is the ill will and incompetence of the Russian officer who shot an innocent and unarmed man that count,” said the jurist.

A Russian peacekeeper of the trilateral peacekeeping post No. 9 located on the bridge near Vadul lui Voda shot fatally a local who was driving a car in the morning of January 1. Vadim Pisari from Pirita died in the hospital shortly after he was shot.

As a result of the armed conflict of the spring-summer of 1992, Moldova and Russia signed an agreement concerning the principles of peacefully settling the conflict. One of the provisions envisioned the institution of a security zone with joint peacekeeping forces. Moldova pleads for replacing these posts with internationally-mandated civil forces.

Source: Info-prim.md