Transdnestr separatists a cause for concern as division of language and ethnicity continue knocking at Ukraine door

In what is shaping up to be another hot spot. The residents of Moldova's Transdnestr region Sunday votes overwhelming for succession and independence from Moldova. Whilst the World Government's refuse to recognise the ballot the fact still remains that a large section of Moldova's population does not wish to remain under Moldovan rule.

The President of Ukraine also has rejected the referendum as being valid.

There is no quick solution to this problem.

Ukraine also faces the potential of separatist movements building momentum if divisions are not resolved.

The election of Party of Region's Viktor Yanakovich as Prime Minister has dampened for the time being calls for Ukraine to divide into a lose federation of autonomous republics. Crimea is already an autonomous republic and there and those that recommend the creation of additional autonomous regions.

The Hungarian community on Western Ukraine, carved off from Hungary as party of the divisions following the collapse of the Austrian-Hungarian empire after the first and second world wars, have long held the belief that they should be re-united with Hungary. They speak Hungarian and they even set their clocks to Hungarian time. Most of this regions supported Yushchenko's election on the hope that by joining the EU they will be re-united. However during the March parliamentary elections the Hungarian did not support Our Ukraine with their vote split amongst various candidates. All who were part of the Hungarian alliance be it from different directions. Should they be allowed to form an autonomous republic and choose Hungarian as their official language?

Many of the problems related to ethnicity stem from the first and second world war. I do not claim to have the answer other then to give them more autonomy. Burying your head in the sand and hoping it will go away will not resolve this problem.


Transdnestr for independence, union with Russia - referendum

Source:RIA Novosti September 18

TIRASPOL, September 18 (RIA Novosti) - The vast majority of the population of Transdnestr, a self-proclaimed republic in Moldova, voted Sunday for independence and future accession to Russia, the central election committee said Monday.

Transdnestr held a referendum to decide whether it should continue seeking independence and union with Russia. No public disturbances were registered at the polls, a Transdnestr government official earlier said.

More than 389,000 registered voters were asked to answer two questions -- whether they want the Transdnestr Region's independence from Moldova and its subsequent union with Russia, or whether they believe the region should become part of Moldova.

The election committee said 78.6% of voters participated in the referendum. According to preliminary results, 97.1% of voters cast their ballots in favor of independence and union with Russia.

More than 130 international observers participated in monitoring the Sunday referendum in the breakaway republic. They said they did not register any procedural violations during the secret balloting.

Commenting on the preliminary results of the Transdnestr referendum, the speaker of the upper house of the Russian parliament said Monday that the population of the self-proclaimed republic voted for future union with Russia in hopes of resolving the long-running conflict with Moldova as soon as possible.

"The referendum in Transdnestr, conducted in conditions of political instability and economic blockade, became a form of expression of public will, which reflects the desire of the population to live in stability and predictability," Sergei Mironov said.

Transdnestr, which has a predominantly Russian-speaking population, proclaimed its independence from Moldova in the early 1990s, following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Armed clashes between Moldova and Transdnestr ensued, and Russia has retained a military presence in the breakaway region ever since.

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