POST-SOVIET TERRITORIAL CONFLICTS IN MOLDOVA AND ESTONIA: WHEN POLITICAL ELITES CAN LEARN FROM THE MUTUAL MISTAKES

The article is devoted to the study of territorial confl icts in two  countries of the former USSR – Moldova and Estonia in 1989-1994.  Within the framework of the study, we conducted fi ve expert interviews with respondents, who was directly involved in  resolving the confl icts in Chisinau, Transnistria and Gagauzia. The  publications in Internet publications about the referendum in Narva  in 1993, its preparation and consequences were also analyzed.  Based on the conducted research, it was revealed that on the eve of  the referendum on autonomy in Narva, authorities of Estonia and the  administration of the city council of Narva  visited Moldova,  including Transnistria. This experience of the confl ict in Transnistria  let them take certain steps to ease tensions in Eastern Estonia.  Later, this Estonian experience was already applied by Moldovan  politicians in the process of relieving tension in the situation of Gagauzia. The detected interaction of political elites of Moldova and Transnistria is viewed from the perspective  of the concept of  “policy learning” by Hugh Heclo and Richard Rose.

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