Transnistrian referendum, 2006

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Poster announcing the 17th September Referendum in Transnistria

The 2006 referendum in Transnistria took place in Transnistria on 17 September 2006. Currently there is disagreement as to whether the referendum was legitimate. On that date, Transnistria voted to continue its de facto independence and seek closer ties with Russia.

1 Political climate
2 Official results
3 Reactions
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Political climate

Western countries and organizations, such as the OSCE, have declared that no democratic elections can take place in Transnistria under the present circumstances and have refused to recognize or monitor them. Some parties and publications were banned. Some radio and TV frequencies from neighboring Moldova and Ukraine were jammed.

No political party in Transnistria ask for reunification with the Republic of Moldova. Previously, Transnistrian Supreme Court banned political organisations on the ground that they are "against the state", wanting reunification with Moldova^[1]. Before the referendum, 4 members of pro-moldovan NGO "Dignitas" from Slobozia were arrested by Transnistrian Special Forces, but were released after few days in custody, no charges being made against them ^[2].

[edit] Official results

Transnistria
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Transnistria

President Igor Smirnov Parliament Political parties Disputed status War of Transnistria Human rights 2006 presidential election See also: Politics of Moldova
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Data issued by Transnistrian authorities show of the 555,500 inhabitants, a total of 394,861 were registered to vote, down 5.6% from a year earlier.^[3]

The referendum asked voters:

Do you support the course towards the independence of Transnistria and the subsequent free association with the Russian Federation?
Yes: 97.2% - No: 1.9% - Invalid/undecided: 0.9%
Do you consider it possible to renounce Transnistria's independent status and subsequently become part of the Republic of Moldova?
Yes: 3.3% - No: 94.9% - Invalid/undecided: 1.8%

Voter turnout was 78.6%, substantially more than the 50%+1 required by law to validate the referendum.^[4] On the day of the referendum, no exit polling was allowed within 25 meters of polling stations, to prevent disruption of voting.^[5]

[edit] Reactions

International organisations, such as the OSCE^[6], European Union, GUAM, and some other countries (Bulgaria, Norway, Romania, Ukraine, Turkey, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia, Iceland, Norway) did not recognize the referendum.^[7]^[8]

According to Russian News Agency RIA Novosti, more than 130 international observers monitored the referendum and reported that "they did not register any procedural violations during the secret balloting",^[9] however in contradiction no international monitoring organizations have sent any observers.

Deputy from the Russian party "Rodina" Viktor Alksnis stated that referendum in Transnistria was held without any violations of legislation and democratic standards.^[10]

In the opinion of the Ukrainian foreign ministry, "the situation in Transnistria fails to meet the conditions of a free will expression by citizens". ^[11] According to the OSCE, the media climate in the Transdniestrian region is restrictive. Authorities there continue a long-standing campaign to silence independent opposition voices and movements.^[12]

The OSCE gave its verdict on the referendum in advance of the voting, and decided not to send any observers to monitor it. ^[13] 130 observers from CIS and Europe and from eleven election monitoring organizations who did attend the referendum had different reactions. ^[14] The representative of the Congress of Russian Communities from Moldova declared that the referendum was held according to international standards.^[15]

In contrast the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Moldova (HCHRM) claims to have observed a series of infringements at the referendum^[16]^[17]:

Groups of activists going into people’s homes, especially in Tiraspol and Bender districts, asking why they did not come to the referendum, and threatening that after the referendum they will be forced to look for a new home in Romania.
At some voting stations agents dressed in civil or militia uniforms forcing the observers from outside the sections to stay at a distance of 200-250 meters far from these places.
"Cleaning" of the list of voters by excluding some citizens who previously boycotted elections and referendums held in Transnistria.
"Electoral tourism" and multiple voting ^[18]
Participation in the referendum did not exceed the level of 50%, and mostly oscillated between 10% and 30%

Sergei Bagapsh, self proclaimed president of unrecognized Abkhazia, has said his republic "supports the aspirations of Transdniestria toward independence and its choice of unification with Russia." ^[19]

Karel De Gucht (Chairman of the OSCE) expressed an opinion about the "lack of basic requirements for free and fair elections, such as freedom of the media, freedom of assembly and political pluralism, in the region pre-determined the results" and argued that the questions in the referendum are suggestively worded.^[20] In a possible manipulation of the public opinion, people are asked to choose between freedom ("free association") and loss of independence ("renounce the Transnistria's independent status"), between reality ("support the course") and possibility ("consider it possible") This formulation could have resulted in a response bias. ^[21]

Victor Josu, deputy editor-in-chief of Russian-language Moldovan newspaper Moldavskiye Vedomosti, an accredited observer, described the referendum as a successful public relations action (regardless violations and non-recognition) and reported favorably on a comparison between "recognized Chişinau" and "unrecognized Tiraspol" in an article which emphasized the openness, transparency and glasnost of the referendum process.^[22]