The government of Moldova has condemned a recent appeal by the de facto authorities in the country's breakaway Transdniester region asking Russia to recognize the region's travel documents.
Parliament speaker Andrian Candu said on April 6 that such a move by Moscow would "constitute a crude violation of international law."
De facto officials in Transdniester on April 5 held joint parliamentary hearings with Russian lawmakers at which they adopted a resolution asking Moscow to recognize the region's "passports."
The request follows a controversial decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognize documents issued by Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
The Transdniester resolution expressed support for Russia's proclaimed policy of "protecting" ethnic Russians and "consolidating the Russian world."
Moldova's pro-European Prime Minister Pavel Filip said on April 6 that Russia has proclaimed its support for Moldova's territorial integrity and that he did not expect "the scenario applied in eastern Ukraine to develop in this region."
Transdniester declared independence in 1992 and has received economic, political, and military support from Moscow ever since.
Russia maintains a 1,200-strong military force in the region despite Moldova's repeated calls for it to be withdrawn and replaced with international peacekeepers.
