GOVERNMENT AND SUPREME SOVIET PALACE

100 m north of the Veterans' Memorial with its tank, the Zelinsky Museum and De Wollant Park, you can see a six-storey brick-coloured building. It is notable for its typical Soviet architecture, its white vertical lines and its pediment surmounted by Transnistrian and Russian flags. A column surmounted by a statue of Lenin standing upright with his jacket in the wind, with minimalist curves, all carved in one piece, stands in front of the building and seems to protect the place. This is the Palace of the Government and the Supreme Soviet. The Government and Legislative Assembly were established in 1990 by local activists and elected officials who were in favour of maintaining the USSR and then Transnistrian independence. From 1990 to 2011, Transnistria was presided over by Igor Smirnov, from 2011 to 2016 by Yevgeny Shevchuk and since 2016 by Vadim Krasnoselski. The Transnistrian government and self-proclaimed state are recognized only by other self-proclaimed republics: Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Russia has established very close relations with Transnistria but does not recognise it as sovereign and officially considers it part of Moldova. The Supreme Soviet is the local unicameral parliament with 43 deputies elected for five years (like the President).

It is not possible to visit the building unless you are part of an official delegation or have very good contacts.