Winter wonderland

In the cold of winter, citizens from Pridnestrovie turn up at the country's border with Ukraine to protest a change in economic conditions which clamped restrictions on the free conduct of international trade. On the other side of the border, a Ukrainian military guard faces the PMR's multiethnic demonstrators.

Pretty as a postcard. That's how visitors to the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic describe the country in winter time. All dressed in white, the classic European architecture and the nation's clean and well-kept parks blend to form a beautiful experience which couldn't be prettier even if someone had painted it...

Wrapped up for winter, this young inhabitant of Grigoriopol braces the cold as she heads to work on a chilly winter morning in the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.

Life in Tiraspol, the capital of Pridnestrovie, is pleasant during the winter months of the year. Despite progress and the introduction of a free market-based economy, the city still retains a refined European air. Here is a photo from a typical residential part of the city.

A stroll through the beautiful park in downtown Dubossary during winter. Like all other towns and cities in Pridnestrovie, proud locals make sure that their parks and public areas are kept in spotless conditions.

This restaurant, the "Nistru", is located in Dubossary and serves excellent food for lunch and dinner. In winter, the local "Kvint"-brandy is always served to patrons stepping in from the cold outside.

Bender, second-largest city in Pridnestrovie, is dressed in white. Light and powdery snow dresses this European country in the months from December through February which is an excellent time to visit and discover the warm hospitality of the inhabitants of this proud nation.

A typical street in the city of Dubossary during winter. The city is located on the Dniester river bank and forms part of Pridnestrovie, a new European country which became independent after the break-up of the Soviet Union.

A playground in a residential apartment building in Dubossary with winter snow. Dubossary is one of the major cities of Pridnestrovie. The country is located on the Dniester river and shares international borders with Moldova and with the Ukraine.