Transnistria - Υπερδνειστερία

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THE Transnistria (YMD) is a tiny enclosed country in the northeast Balkans bordering Bessarabia (ie the rest of Moldova, with a border length of 411 km) to the west and Ukraine (border length 405 km) to the east. It is a narrow valley that stretches north-south along the banks of the Dniester River, which forms the natural border with most of Moldova. completely, coinciding with the left (east) bank of the Dniester. It includes ten cities and 69 communities, with a total of 147 locations (also counting the non-integrated ones). Six communities on the Left Bank (Kotsieri, Molovata Nua, Korzova, Pirita, Kosnitsa and Dorotskaya) remained under the control of the Moldovan government after the 1992 Transnistrian war, as part of Dubassari province. They are located north and south of the city of Dubasari, which is under the control of YMD. The village of Rogi in the Molovata Noua community is also controlled by YMD (Moldova controls the remaining nine of the ten villages in the six communities). to the east, southeast and south, on the opposite bank of the Dniester River from the city of Tiraspol (Proteagailovka, Giska, Kitskani and Kremenciug) are controlled by the YMD. Areas controlled by Moldova on the east bank and located on the east bank and controlled by the YMD) constitute a security zone together with the six villages and one town controlled by the YMD on the west bank, as well as two (Varnitsa and Kopanka) on the same west bank under the control of Moldova. The security situation inside is subject to the decisions of the Joint Control Committee. The main Transnistrian highway is the Tiraspol-Dubasari-Ribnica road. North and south of Dubasari it passes through the territories of the Moldavian-controlled villages (Dorotskaya, Kotsieri, Rogi, while Vasilievka is located completely east of the road). Conflicts have erupted repeatedly when the YMD prevented villagers from reaching their farm east of the road. The Transnistrians are able to travel (usually without difficulty) in and out of the YMD-controlled area to neighboring's Moldova, in Ukraine but also in Russia by road or by (when the service is not interrupted by political tensions) two international trains, the Moscow-Chisinau which operates all year round and the seasonal Saratov-Varna line. However, foreign travelers travel mainly through Chisinau Airport, the capital of Moldova, or Odessa Airport, Ukraine.

At a glance

First of all, Transnistria (officially the Transnistrian Republic of Moldova, in Russian: Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublika, PMR) is not recognized as an independent state by any of the 193 UN countries except by three other unrecognized state entities ( Artsakh). However, it is a de facto independent state formation from Moldova since September 2, 1990, when it declared its independence assisted by Russians and Ukrainians volunteers, and the 14th Russian Army as he defeated them Moldovan forces in the Transnistrian War. While a ceasefire has been in place since 1992, the European Council recognizes Transnistria as an area of ​​"frozen conflict". Her self-esteem remains controversial. Transnistria continues to claim independence and maintains sovereignty over its territory. In a referendum on September 17, 2006, voters in the self-proclaimed Republic voted 93.1% in favor of independence from the Moldova and union with Russia (with which the area does not border). It does not seem that the Russia will accept the union with Transnistria in the near future. While Transnistria is not a classic tourist destination in itself, it offers a certain Stalinist charm and is one of the few "non-existent countries" (at least according to the UN) that are not inside or near an active war zone. Transnistria is divided into five administrative districts and two free cities.

Appropriate visit period

Every season of the year.

Local holidays

The following holidays are celebrated in Transnistria:

   January 1 - New Year (according to the Gregorian calendar), is celebrated until Christmas (January 7). February 23 - Defender of the Fatherland Day. March 8 - International Women's Day Easter (according to the Gregorian calendar) - Sunday and Monday. Remembrance Day (one week after Easter in the Gregorian calendar) - Sunday and Monday. May 1 - International Workers' Solidarity Day. May 9 - Victory Day. September 2 - Democracy Day (since 1991) - the main state holiday of YMD. November 7 - Day of the Great October Revolution December 24 - Constitution Day of YMD.

April 12 is a local holiday for the city of Tiraspol, as it is the day of the liberation of the city from the Germans during World War II.

Languages

Russian, Moldavian, Ukrainian

Areas

Important cities

Additional tourist destinations

How to get there

By air

Transnistria does not have its own international airport. Foreign travelers travel to Transnistria mainly via Chisinau Airport, the capital of Moldova or Odessa Airport, Ukraine.

By train

There are train stations in both the capital Tiraspol and the neighboring city of Bender (Bender Station 1 and Bender Station 2) from where freight trains run to and from Moscow but cannot be used by foreign travelers.

By road

Road access is available from both Moldova and Ukraine. It is easier to access from the Moldovan side as no border formalities are required as Moldova still considers the area as a continuation of its territory. Every day, minibuses carry people from Chisinau, Moldova to and from Tiraspol (via Bender). Upon entering Transnistria travelers present their passport and are provided (free of charge) with a separate Migration Card stating (in Russian and English) the length of their stay and the address of their accommodation during their stay in the territory of YMD. This card remains in the possession of the traveler and he must show it at the respective Border Checkpoint upon his departure from the territory of YMD. the duration of the trip is a little less than 2 hours. The route to Tiraspol starts from the main bus station in Chisinau and ends outside Tiraspol Railway Station. On the way back, follow the same route (ticket price Tiraspol-Chisinau: 39.95 YMR rubles).

By boat

How to move

Public transport in YMD is regular and cheap, whether you travel by trolley or minibus (minivan). At the price of 3 Transnistrian rubles ($ 0.27 USD) the traveler can reach from the center of Tiraspol to nearby towns or villages such as Tsitkani, Bender or Vladimirovtsa.

What to see

Entertainment

Transactions and purchases

Transactions and purchases are made only with the local Transnistrian Ruble ("PRB" or "RUP"), a currency not recognized by any other country in the world. So for any transaction the foreign traveler is obliged to exchange his money in the local currency as soon as he arrives in Transnistria, in one of the many exchange offices that one can find in the center of Tiraspol or Bender.

Cost

The country is cheap compared to European data. Imported products are obviously much more expensive.

Tourist infrastructure

The country has no tourist traffic at all.

Studies

Job opportunities

Stay safe

Health and precautions