Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CHISINAU625
2008-06-16 11:25:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Chisinau
Cable title:  

LEFT-BANK COMMUNIST PARTY MOUNTS NEW PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS

Tags:  PBTS PGOV PHUM MD 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0224
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHCH #0625 1681125
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161125Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6778
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
XMT AMEMBASSY MINSK
UNCLAS CHISINAU 000625 

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/UMB, DRL/AE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PBTS PGOV PHUM MD
SUBJECT: LEFT-BANK COMMUNIST PARTY MOUNTS NEW PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS
IN TRANSNISTRIA


Sensitive but Unclassified. Please Protect Accordingly.

UNCLAS CHISINAU 000625

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/UMB, DRL/AE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PBTS PGOV PHUM MD
SUBJECT: LEFT-BANK COMMUNIST PARTY MOUNTS NEW PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS
IN TRANSNISTRIA


Sensitive but Unclassified. Please Protect Accordingly.


1. (SBU) Summary: The Pridnestrovie (Transnistria) Communist Party
is facing opposition from Transnistrian authorities in its attempts
to demonstrate in favor of the dismissal of Transnistrian
"President" Smirnov and the holding of new elections. While
Transnistrian demonstrators have mustered in the hundreds several
times since April in Benderi, authorities in Dubasari have prevented
protests. End Summary.


2. (SBU) The June 7 rally in Benderi, the region's second largest
city, attracted several hundred demonstrators. The protesters
reiterated their previous demands for the dismissal of Smirnov and
the Cabinet, dissolution of the Supreme Soviet, and organization of
early elections. The participants also protested against price
rises and increasing poverty. (Note: From January through May of
this year, Transnistria has suffered an inflation rate of 17.9%.
Yearly inflation in 2007 was 29.4%. End note.) Pridnestrovie
Communist Party leader Oleg Horjan declared that his Communist Party
(not to be confused with Vladimir Gavrilchenko's more conservative
Communist Party of Pridnestrovie) would start collecting signatures
in support of Smirnov's dismissal, if authorities did not respond to
their demands. Oleg Gudymo, member of the Supreme Soviet, leader of
the Patriotic Party of Transnistria, and former KGB officer, also
attended the demonstration. In his speech Gudymo tried to shift the
focus from internal causes of the economic crisis to external
pressure on Transnistria, but was booed off the stage by the crowd.


3. (SBU) In Dubasari, the head of the raion (county) administration,
Igor Mazur, is known as a hard-liner who does not tolerate dissent,
and has consistently impeded efforts to organize demonstrations.
Pridnestrovie Communist Party activists, including a member of the
Dubasari Raion Council, have been arrested twice when distributing
leaflets announcing a demonstration, and charged with illegal
distribution of printed materials. (Note: In a possible sign of
increasing judicial independence in one part of Transnistria, the
Dubasari raion court acquitted the arrestees on June 6. End note.)


4. (SBU) Comment: These demonstrations show a slow crumbling of
Transnistria's previously monolithic, Soviet-style governmental
administration. Horjan's consistent opposition to Smirnov's
administration is showing some results. While the authorities
ignore his demands, they are not completely successful in thwarting
his efforts. End comment.

Kirby