What Could Happen After an Illegal Referendum?

Perhaps everyone who reads this blog is aware of the illegal, widely-discussed and highly controversial referendum that took place in Transnistria last Sunday, 17 September. I watched several TV programs/talk shows on Moldovan television on this issue. The opinions regarding the significance, meaning and implications of this event vary greatly. On one hand, there is the every-problem-is-an-opportunity-attitude, which I also share. These people think that the referendum will change the status-quo of the negotiations, given that after the referendum, the Transnistrian authorities cannot be regarded as a serious and legitimate negotiating partner. This will allow the Moldovan authorities with the support of bigger world powers like US and EU, as well as international organizations like UN, to put more pressure on Russia to withdraw its armed forces from the Moldovan territory. On the other hand, there is a growing number of people who think that Moldova should give up Transnistria, and let it become whatever it wants, even part of Russia. Although this attitude is partly justified by the exhaustion caused by the prolongation of, and chronical failure to solve this conflict, it is still wrong. In my opinion, giving in on Transnistria would mean abandoning 550,000 people to an illegal self-proclaimed government and giving up on the very idea of achieving democracy in that area. In my view, the Moldovan government should commit even more to the goal of an reintegrated country by engaging in increasingly persistent and active diplomatic actions.