Transnistria, nostalgia is the norm in this shadow country.

Transnistria, or Pridnestrovie, as they like to call it, does not really exist, and they are longing for the USSR. It is a breakaway, self-declared state internationally recognised as part of Moldova. It is a narrow strip of land between the Dniester River and the border with Ukraine, with Tiraspol as its capital. I took a day-trip here from Chișinău.

Day trip

Marshrutkas (minibuses) run from Chisinau to Tiraspol, the capital, but if you want to see several places in Transnistria, it is best to take an organised trip. You have to bring a passport, and you usually get a twelve-hour visa. The guides will also tell you what to do and what not to do. Like saying “Transnistria” because the locals say it sounds like “fascistria”. And, as in many suppressing regimes, they are a little paranoid about being photographed.

Tighina Fortress

When this fortress was built, it was called Tighina Fortress. When the Ottomans conquered it in the 1600th century, they changed the name to Bender Fortress. It is a well-preserved complex comprising a church, a fortress, and a museum. One part of the museum is displaying torture instruments, and it was pretty graphic. The other museum was more centred around ancient tools and traditions. One thing that caught my attention was the display of Carl XIIth of Sweden. The story is long and complicated, but the king and soldiers, fleeing, set up camp near this fortress, and, since the king was injured, stayed there for two years.

Tiraspol

The capital of Transnistria is Tiraspol. It is full of Soviet memorabilia, propaganda and nostalgia. The story behind this part of Moldova’s desire to be an independent country, rather than being a part of Moldova, is also complicated, and as a result, after a civil war in the 1990s. During the Soviet era, this part of the country was supported and was the most developed industrial region. When the Soviet Union collapsed, many in Moldova were campaigning for reunification with Romania. The “Transnistrian” wanted to stay loyal to the Russians, who continued to finance them with gas and electricity.

Symbol heavy

By visiting Transnistria, where it is difficult to talk to locals, and the guide is from the Moldovan side, the information is very one-sided. As a westerner, it is easy to take the part of what the guide says, but still remember, there are always at least two sides to a story. However, the situation is not unique to Moldova; you have the same thing in so many of the Caucasus countries and even in Central Asian countries. And not least the war in Ukraine, which is still ongoing when this post is written.

Therefore, I think pictures speak louder than words, so I will not write too much about the conflict but will show the impressions I got from what I saw: an interesting thing and my first experience. In Transnistria, the coins are made of plastic. They have four different values and different colours and shapes. They are very light compared to metal coins. In the bank, you can buy a souvenir package of the four coins. No other country recognises their money, and international credit cards do not work in this country.

Souvenirs

I do not usually buy souvenirs, but I did actually buy the four coins. They were not very expensive and were something unique from this country. When we arrived at a secondhand nostalgia and souvenir shop, I had no difficulty resisting the urge to buy anything from the propaganda shelf.

We visited a Cantine built in earlier times, meant to provide union workers with a cheaper place to eat. Today, it looked more like a museum, and propaganda TV was on constantly. Anyone can now go there and eat for a very affordable price.

Back to USSR

That was the restaurant’s translated name. We had lunch here, and the food was tasty, but you really felt that you had gone fifty years back in time. However, here they did have wify, so this was the only part where we could go online in Transnistria. Outside the restaurant, you can see a Russian Volga, around the corner a red Lada, and, will you believe it, an American Tesla…

Even though you get an impression of depressed and not too happy people, with poverty, and a constant reminder that they are unique, it is interesting to see, and you are left with wonder. The country has an elected government that is very pro-Russian, of course, but Russia will not recognise the country. Behind the scenes, the country is “governed” by the oligarch Viktor Gushan. He runs the company, Sheriff. Viktor Gushan is a former KGB officer, the owner of most piveta companies in Transnistria, and has enormous power but chooses to keep a low profile.

Keep up the morale

At the main square in Tiraspol, all the martyrs have been laid out on display. You have those from the Great Patriotic War (WWII) and the civil war with Moldova. You do get a little overwhelmed by all the propaganda in such a small area, but I guess that when you are just a small group of people and feel left out by the rest of the world, it is essential to keep people’s morale up. This is the guide’s words, so I take them for what they are, she said. In the last election, in Transnistria, thirty per cent voted for Europe, and that is a drastic change, she said. Maybe the younger generation, which does not remember the USSR, wants a change?