Moldovan separatist leader denounces new trade duties

FILE PHOTO: Head of Transdniestria Vadim Krasnoselsky takes part in a ceremony marking the Defender of the Fatherland Day in Tiraspol, Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniestria, February 23, 2023. REUTERS/Vladislav Bachev

CHISINAU (Reuters) - The leader of Moldova's separatist Transdniestria enclave denounced on Friday the introduction of import and export duties for his pro-Russian region, saying central authorities were violating fundamental rights and crushing business.

Transndiestria broke away from Moldova before the 1991 collapse of Soviet rule and then fought a brief war with the newly independent state, but the two sides have existed side by side with few incidents for more than 30 years. Some 2,000 Russian "peacekeepers" are installed on their joint "border".