Moldova and Transnistria

[brawler5k2]

My question for this forum is why did Transnistria separate from Moldova? Is this mostly an ethnic situation (as my early readings about this subject has so far implied), or is there more to this?

[PigmerikanMao]

To my understanding it was primarily in retaliation towards chauvinist policies officially adopted by the Moldovan SSR. Not that Transnistria was separating because of their own ethnic aspirations, but the ethnic fanaticism of the Romanian majority in Moldova began to threaten non Romanians such as Transnistrians and Gagauzians, I believe that along with the cryllic alphabet being abandoned and all other languages other than Moldovan being removed as a state language, the essential spark that led to the separation was a push in the government to deport people of non-Romanian/Moldovan ancestry (ie Russians, Slavs, Gagauzians, Transnistrians, etc).

This being said, economic factors were certainly an issue. The left bank of the Dniester had historically been economically underrepresented within the Moldovan SSR and this trend supposedly only intensified during and after Gorbachev's Perestroika reforms because Romanian fanatics were able to gain more state power. This ties mostly back into ethnic tensions, though. So too does the historical differences between the left bank people and the rest of Moldova reaching back into the middle ages- also an ethnic issue, I suppose.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Transnistria is basically a fucked up mafia state, LOL. Mischa Glenny's "McMafia" is a good book to read if one wants to get a good idea of what it's like...supposedly Putin once wondered aloud if it was time to "shut that black hole down", but I guess he ultimately decided against it (as Russia's complicity is a big part of the reason why Transnistria exists).

It does have a pretty impressive soccer stadium (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheriff_Stadium), though, one that was funded largely through laundered black market funds.

[Crabbensmasher]

Yeah, I think most (or close to it) of the people living there are ethnically Russian. After Moldovan independence from the USSR, there was a big drive for preserving the "unique Moldovan heritage" and distancing itself from Russia. This angered the Transnistrians, who were largely ethnically Russian. One of the final straws was the removal of Russian as an official language. It actually led to open warfare during the early 90s.
I believe one of the last Soviet Army units was stationed there, and many defected to the Transnistrian side. They still have munitions stored there from the Soviet days.

I don't think it has much of a unique cultural heritage, so it kind of promotes the USSR-era Transnistrian image in opposition to the pro-Moldovan cultural policies. Hence why you'll see large red banners, hammers and sickles and Soviet monuments everywhere.

Cultural heritage was very important for many former Soviet states. It helped fill the void that opened with the fall of communist ideology in 1991. Unfortunately, it's kind of boiled over into nationalistic tensions in some of the poor former bloc countries. Transnistria testifies to that.

[Yugo45]

Yeah, I think most (or close to it) of the people living there are ethnically Russian.

Actually, only about 30%. Then you got 30% Ukranians and slightly more then 30% Moldovans. And then you got all sorts of minorities.

[Crabbensmasher]

Ah, well either way, it was far more Russian than the rest of Moldova. That's really the main factor that sets it apart