From an etymological point of view, Transnistria means “beyond the Dniester”, while Pridnestrovie means “at the Dniester”. The formal name, enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic, is Приднестровская Молдавская Республика in Russian and Republica Moldovenească Nistreană in Moldovan. The abbreviation used by the authorities is the Russian-language abbreviation, namely ПМР (PMR). The short name used locally is Pridnestrovie (official transliteration of Russian Приднестровье) according to a presidential edict of 2000. After the secession in 1990 following the dismemberment of the Soviet Union and the subsequent declaration of independence from Moldova, it became the scene in 1992 of a war that was resolved with an agreement between Russia, Moldova and the newly established Moldavian Republic of Pridnestrovie. A demilitarized zone was then created along the border between Moldova and Ukraine and the twenty localities within it continued to declare themselves independent and united under a single state. Transnistria today is still a de facto state, that is, a nation proclaimed independent, endowed with its own autonomous political and administrative system, its own laws, police, army, borders, currency, flag and anthem.
VISA AND DOCUMENTS
Entrances to Transnistria can be from Moldova (Bender, Dubasary and Rybnitsa are the three main gates) or from Ukraine. The entry and exit to/from Moldova do not create problems, because you are de jure always in Moldova. Even leaving Ukraine, if you have entered Moldova, should not cause you problems unless you plan to return to Moldova in the short term. Moldovans may in the future protest that you have left Moldova illegally, because you do not have an exit stamp. To enter Transnistria, you only need a passport with at least 6 months of residual validity. In recent years, entry procedures have been simplified. Depending on how long you stay in the country, you will be issued a leaflet already filled in with the duration of your visa. Transit visas 12h, those from 24h or a few more days are issued without any problem.
Western governments advise against going to this country but, unlike other areas of the world, these are only political issues.
COIN
Transnistrian ruble is the official currency of Transnistria and circulates only within this state. This currency has a very variable exchange rate even if tied to the US dollar, but is not accepted beyond the borders of Transnistria. In the territory of Transnistria, payments in other currencies (including the Moldovan Leu) and neither are Western credit cards accepted. On 22th August 2014, Transnistria was the first country in the world to put into circulation plastic coins very similar to casino fisches. These coins have denominations of 1, 3, 5 and 10 rubles. Coins replace equivalent banknotes due to the low value of these banknotes. All four new coins have a different shape. The 1 ruble coin is round, the 3 ruble is square, the 5 ruble is pentagonal, and the 10 ruble is hexagonal. On each coin is depicted a famous folk hero.
SHERIFF TIRASPOL
Football Club Sheriff Tiraspol plays in the Super Liga, the top division of the Moldovan league. Founded in 1993 the company belongs to the sheriff holding company. With 20 Moldovan championships won (including 10 consecutives from 2000 to 2009), 11 successes in the Moldovan Cup and 7 Moldovan Super Cups it is the most titled club in Moldovan football. They were also the only Moldovan club to have qualified for the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League groups. The team currently ranks 71st in the UEFA rankings.
Most important success at European level was that of 28 September 2021 with the external victory against Real Madrid.
REAL MADRID: Courtois; Militão, Alaba, Nacho (21′ st Kroos), Gutiérrez (21′ st Modrić), Casemiro (21′ st Jović), Valverde, Camavinga, Hazard (21′ st Rodrygo), Benzema, Vinicius. Coach: Ancelotti.
FC SHERIFF: Athanasiadis; Arboleda, Constance, Christian, Dulanto, Addo, Kolovos (45′ st Nikolov), Thill, Traoré, Castañeda (33′ st Julien), Yakhshiboev (12′ st Bruno). Coach: Vernydub.
GOALS – 25′ Yakhshiboev (S), 65′ Benzema (R), 89′ Thill (S).
