In 1996 and in 2002, the town was the centre of a dispute regarding the attempts of local Moldovan (Romanian) inhabitants to use Romanian language and Latin script in the local Moldovan school, which is against the policy of the government of Transnistria. The Transnistrian press attacked the local authorities "that allowed the fifth column of Moldova in Transnistria to operate". The head of the Parent-Teacher Association of the Moldovan school, Mihai Speian, was arrested by the Transnistrian authorities on August 28th, 2002. He was released on September 12th, following a protest by the OSCE mission in Moldova. The school was moved to the village of Doroţcaia, Dubăsari district, which is in the area controlled by the central government of the Republic of Moldova.
 

In 1989, the population of the city was 11,712. According to the 2004 Census in Transnistria, the city itself had 11,473 inhabitants, including 5,570 Moldovans (Romanians), 3,275 Russians, 2,248 Ukrainians, 83 Germans, 67 Belarussians, 63 Bulgarians, 46 Armenians, 39 Poles, 26 Gagauzians, 14 Jews, and 42 others and non-declared.