The Council of the European Union has extended sanctions against the leadership of unrecognized Transnistria. The decision to prolong the restrictive measures, initially imposed on former and current leaders of the separatist region of Moldova, was adopted on October 27 and published in the Official Journal of the EU.
The sanctions, first introduced in February 2008, include a ban on entering EU countries for individuals involved in attempts to obstruct the resolution of the Transnistrian conflict. Those affected include the former self-proclaimed leader of Transnistria, Igor Smirnov, and his sons, the former “foreign minister” Valeria Litskay, as well as the current unrecognized “leader” Vadim Krasnoselsky.
The restrictions also apply to several Transnistrian “officials” involved in obstructing Romanian-language schools. Although the EU has renewed the sanctions annually, their enforcement has previously been temporarily suspended to facilitate progress in political dialogue and restore freedom of movement in the region.
The new decision by the EU Council extends the suspended sanctions until October 31, 2026.
