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| A Woman's Directory For Travel and Life. WAVE Journey is your one stop online resource for women oriented businesses and services around the world. WAVE Journey is for every woman to enjoy. If you love to travel, cook, read or revel in outdoor activities this website is for you. If you are looking to connect with other like-minded women or if you are interested in finding businesses or services that cater to women, WAVE Journey is your number one online resource. Transdniestr – Back in the USSR~ Article by Anne-Sophie Redisch |
| WAVE Journey |
| Women's Adventures, Vacations & Experiences ~ Your Journey Starts Here! |
Along 25 Oktober Avenue a large sign proclaims 17 years! This will have changed to 18
now. That’s how old Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, better known as Transnistria or
Transdniestr, is. Wedged between Ukraine and Moldova, it’s a breakaway republic, still
adhering to a Soviet system; a living memorial to times gone by.
now. That’s how old Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, better known as Transnistria or
Transdniestr, is. Wedged between Ukraine and Moldova, it’s a breakaway republic, still
adhering to a Soviet system; a living memorial to times gone by.
My teenaged daughter and I walk through
the wide leafy avenues of capital city Tiraspol
with our new Transdniestrian friend Anya. We
pass by imposing buildings, plenty of
monuments, memorials and pretty riverbanks.
Tiraspol is very green. And very clean. Not a
scrap of paper anywhere. No rubbish dumped
haphazardly about. We’re told street
sweepers are highly valued. Earning as much
as university graduates, the sweepers are
also given an apartment after 10 years of
service.
the wide leafy avenues of capital city Tiraspol
with our new Transdniestrian friend Anya. We
pass by imposing buildings, plenty of
monuments, memorials and pretty riverbanks.
Tiraspol is very green. And very clean. Not a
scrap of paper anywhere. No rubbish dumped
haphazardly about. We’re told street
sweepers are highly valued. Earning as much
as university graduates, the sweepers are
also given an apartment after 10 years of
service.
Outside the government building, we bump
into Vladimir Ilyich Uljanov, better known
as Lenin. In most Eastern European
countries, remnants of the Soviet past
have been eradicated or relegated to
slightly satiric monument parks. Not here.
into Vladimir Ilyich Uljanov, better known
as Lenin. In most Eastern European
countries, remnants of the Soviet past
have been eradicated or relegated to
slightly satiric monument parks. Not here.
In 1989, the Moldovan parliament enacted
several laws which led people to believe a
union with Romania was forthcoming. Not
several laws which led people to believe a
union with Romania was forthcoming. Not
us, said the 700 000 mainly Russian-speaking residents of the region Transdniestr. On 2
September 1990, this little strip of land on the east bank of the river Dniestr, declared its
independence from Moldova. Soon after, a war ensued. In Tiraspol, its casualties are
remembered next to the victims of World War II and the Soviet campaign in Afghanistan.
September 1990, this little strip of land on the east bank of the river Dniestr, declared its
independence from Moldova. Soon after, a war ensued. In Tiraspol, its casualties are
remembered next to the victims of World War II and the Soviet campaign in Afghanistan.
Anya shows me her passport. It is written in 3
languages: Russian, Ukrainian and Moldovan,
all in Cyrillic script. It’s not very useful outside
the republic, though. As Transdniestr is
internationally unrecognized, the citizens need
a Moldovan passport for travel outside the
country.
languages: Russian, Ukrainian and Moldovan,
all in Cyrillic script. It’s not very useful outside
the republic, though. As Transdniestr is
internationally unrecognized, the citizens need
a Moldovan passport for travel outside the
country.
Not being recognized by the international
community doesn’t seem to be a deterrent. The
little republic has its own national anthem, flag,
coat-of-arms, currency, stamps, constitution,
parliament, government and borders. The
community doesn’t seem to be a deterrent. The
little republic has its own national anthem, flag,
coat-of-arms, currency, stamps, constitution,
parliament, government and borders. The
Then a more secular stop: Sheriff is a shop
selling football supporter gear for Team Sheriff.
Hmm. Didn't I see a Sheriff petrol station out by
Bendery near the border? And a Sheriff grocery
store? Also, didn’t we drive past Sheriff
Stadium? A name worth noting, it seems. Some
claim Sheriff is run by Transdniestrian president
Igor Smirnov. Some also claim it’s a cover for
money-laundering.
selling football supporter gear for Team Sheriff.
Hmm. Didn't I see a Sheriff petrol station out by
Bendery near the border? And a Sheriff grocery
store? Also, didn’t we drive past Sheriff
Stadium? A name worth noting, it seems. Some
claim Sheriff is run by Transdniestrian president
Igor Smirnov. Some also claim it’s a cover for
money-laundering.
Outside Dom Soviet (Parliament), another bust of Lenin
resides on a pedestal. Nearby, an outdoor photo
gallery exhibits the annually elected “Best people of
Tiraspol”, including a local doctor, a school teacher, a
policeman and about 10 others. I ask who elects the
“best people”. Anya assumes it’s the administration. No
SMS-voting here, then. Probably easier that way. On
the opposite side, another gallery shows a more
permanent collection of fine, upstanding Tiraspol
citizens; a “best people through the ages”. Military
uniforms are prominently present. And President
Smirnov.
resides on a pedestal. Nearby, an outdoor photo
gallery exhibits the annually elected “Best people of
Tiraspol”, including a local doctor, a school teacher, a
policeman and about 10 others. I ask who elects the
“best people”. Anya assumes it’s the administration. No
SMS-voting here, then. Probably easier that way. On
the opposite side, another gallery shows a more
permanent collection of fine, upstanding Tiraspol
citizens; a “best people through the ages”. Military
uniforms are prominently present. And President
Smirnov.
We continue past the children’s cultural centre, the
theatre, the university and a statue commemorating first
man in space Yuri Gagarin. Then Dom Knigi, an entire
theatre, the university and a statue commemorating first
man in space Yuri Gagarin. Then Dom Knigi, an entire
block devoted to books! Or rather, it was. I like the name Dom Knigi (meaning House of
Books). Always have, ever since I first saw the words on a huge book shop in what was
once Leningrad back in the 80s. A love of literature seems to have pervaded the Soviet
Union. Everyone read books; even forbidden ones. I remember discussing Tolstoy and
Ibsen with a total stranger on a freezing cold Leningrad street back then. French was our
common language.
Books). Always have, ever since I first saw the words on a huge book shop in what was
once Leningrad back in the 80s. A love of literature seems to have pervaded the Soviet
Union. Everyone read books; even forbidden ones. I remember discussing Tolstoy and
Ibsen with a total stranger on a freezing cold Leningrad street back then. French was our
common language.
Today, even Transdniestrian kids would rather play Nintendo. And while the Dom Knigi still
exists, it has been reduced to ¼ of its original size. But inside, it's wonderfully old with
dusty volumes on shelves behind counters. Remember when everything was behind
counters? Again, pre-Gorbachev Russia comes to mind. Except here, the staff is friendly,
smiling.
exists, it has been reduced to ¼ of its original size. But inside, it's wonderfully old with
dusty volumes on shelves behind counters. Remember when everything was behind
counters? Again, pre-Gorbachev Russia comes to mind. Except here, the staff is friendly,
smiling.
We head for the Russian Orthodox Pokrovskaya
church, built only 10 years ago to replace a
much smaller one. A revival of religion, perhaps?
White and with shining golden domes,
Pokrovskaya is pleasantly cool and quiet inside.
The intoxicating scent of incense pervades the
air.
church, built only 10 years ago to replace a
much smaller one. A revival of religion, perhaps?
White and with shining golden domes,
Pokrovskaya is pleasantly cool and quiet inside.
The intoxicating scent of incense pervades the
air.
border police are notoriously crooked. Or so the rumour goes. Mentally prepared for an
unpleasant experience, I handed over our passports to Anya when we entered. After a
few minutes with the border guards, she was back. That was it? No harassing? No euros,
dollars or Moldovan lei discreetly slid across a desk? Not so much as a menacing stare but
rather a “welcome in Transdniestr”? Perhaps we just got lucky.
unpleasant experience, I handed over our passports to Anya when we entered. After a
few minutes with the border guards, she was back. That was it? No harassing? No euros,
dollars or Moldovan lei discreetly slid across a desk? Not so much as a menacing stare but
rather a “welcome in Transdniestr”? Perhaps we just got lucky.