Moldova’s ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), which holds a parliamentary majority, has tabled a draft law aimed at extending the country’s tax regime to companies operating in the separatist region of Transnistria, in what appears to be a coordinated push for deeper reintegration.

The separatist region, which has hosted Russian troops since the secessionist war in 1992, has been under economic strain since Gazprom terminated its direct and mostly free gas supplies in January 2025.

The bill, submitted to parliament on February 26, proposes that firms in Transnistria pay taxes — including VAT — under the same rules that apply across the rest of Moldova. Revenues collected from the region would be channelled into a dedicated development fund intended to support Transnistria’s gradual economic integration.

On the same day, during a meeting between Moldovan constitutional authorities and Transnistrian representatives mediated by the OSCE, Chisinau proposed that all schools in the separatist territory adopt Romanian — the official language of the Republic of Moldova — as the main language of instruction, according to Newsmaker.md.

The legislative and policy initiatives follow a series of assertive steps by Chisinau. On February 25, President Maia Sandu signed a decree stripping nine current and former Transnistrian officials of their Moldovan citizenship. While no detailed explanation was provided, Moldovan legislation on actions undermining the state allows for such sanctions in cases deemed to threaten sovereignty and territorial integrity.

At the February 26 meeting, Transnistrian representatives called for the repeal of Moldova’s Law on Separatism, arguing that it exposes residents of the breakaway region to potential criminal prosecution. Transnistria’s foreign affairs representative, Vitaly Ignatiev, also cited alleged cases of detentions and entry bans affecting Transnistrian residents at border crossings and at Chisinau International Airport.

Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Valeriu Chiveri said the government would pursue settlement efforts exclusively through political and diplomatic means.

“The Moldovan authorities will advance the settlement of the conflict using only political and diplomatic instruments,” he said, while stressing that respect for Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders remains the foundation of negotiations.

The talks took place in the so-called “1+1” format between political representatives from Chisinau and Tiraspol at the OSCE Mission’s office. The previous meeting in this format was held in April 2025, when then deputy prime minister for reintegration Oleg Serebryan met Ignatiev in Bender.

Parliament speaker Igor Grosu and opposition PSRM leader Igor Dodon both welcomed the resumption of dialogue, underlining that negotiations are essential and that several unresolved issues require discussion.

Taken together, the recent legislative moves and diplomatic engagement suggest that Chisinau is seeking to accelerate a process of economic and institutional alignment with Transnistria, while maintaining a formal commitment to negotiation rather than coercion. Moldova seeks to complete the accession talks with the European Union in 2028 and the Transnistrian region impacts a number of negotiation chapters.