A day of national mourning was declared in connection with the funeral of the first President of the Republic of Moldova Mircea Snegur. In all in the localities of the country and at Moldova’s embassies and consular offices abroad, the flags will be flown at half-mast. A moment of silence will be observed in memory of the ex-President at midday, IPN reports.

By a presidential decree signed by Maia Sandu, the public authorities, enterprises and organizations are recommended to give up holding mass recreational activities, while the media outlets are requested to take into account the particularities of this day when editing publications and agreeing programs.

On Saturday morning, a service will be held at the Nativity Metropolitan Cathedral, where the President’s body was laid. At 9:45am, the funeral procession will go to the Palace of the Republic where a funeral and mourning ceremony will be held starting at 10am. At 1pm, the funeral procession will go to the central square of Chisinau, where homage will be rendered to Mircea Snegur. At 1:45pm, the procession will go to the Central Cemetery on Armenească St, where the burial ceremony will take place.

The national public broadcaster “Teleradio-Moldova” will broadcast the funeral live.

Moldova’s first President was 83. He suffered from an incurable disease.

Mircea Snegur was born on January 17, 1940 in Trifănești village of Soroca county. He was an agronomist-scientist, a doctor of agricultural sciences. A former activist of the Communist Party, Mircea Snegur supported the proclaiming of the Republic of Moldova’s independence and acted for the new state to be recognized by the West. Being the chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, in the critical moment in August 1989, he accepted to support the law that declared Romanian the official language and restored the tricolor. Such a step earned him Moldovans’ sympathy.

On September 3, 1990, Mircea Snegur was named President by the Supreme Soviet of the former Soviet republic. He held office until December 1, 1996.