President Yevgeny Shevchuk signed a decree “On the implementation of the outcome of the national referendum held on September 17, 2006”. The decree is aimed at the realization of the will of the people of Transnistria to a free accession to the Russian Federation.

In particular, the document stipulates bringing Transnistria’s legal system in conformity with the federal legislation of the Russian Federation as the fundamental line of the TMR’s internal policy. The plan for synchronizing Transnistrian legislation with that of Russia, with determined deadlines for its implementation is to be submitted for president’s approval no later than November 1, 2016.

Yevgeny Shevchuk’s decree should demonstrate the will of Transnistrian elite to integrate with the Russian Federation by the “Crimean” scenario, but with a deferred 10-year period. This move by Tiraspol authorities could be explained with an attempt to persuade the Kremlin to act more actively action in support of the TMR ahead of the president’s election due to be held December 11 as well as to boost support for Shevchuk’s campaign in the wake of the economic crisis in the unrecognized republic.

Republican referendum on relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Moldova was held September 17, 2006. Its outcome revealed that 97.2% of the citizens who took part in the vote supported the path toward the independence of TMR and its further free accession to the Russian Federation.