The outgoing President and Prime Minister were the first to lay flowers to the monument to Stephan the Great on the Independence Day, officially called the Republic’s Day. At about 09.00, without delivering speeches and staying too long, Vladimir Voronin and Zinaida Grecianyi got onto cars and went to the Memorial Complex “Eternity”, followed by ministers and other officials from the central administration. Soon afterward, politicians from the Opposition, members of the first Parliament, people of culture and ordinary people gathered near the monument to Stephan the Great to participate in the meeting organized by the Association “Parlamentul 90”, Info-Prim Neo reports. At the memorial complex, the senior authorities were expected by police officers accompanied by their families and workers who were polishing the pavement along which the head of state was to go. No official speeches were given at the complex either. The official ceremony to open the Republic’s Day started in the Great National Assembly Square at 10.00. The “Independence Cup” race began soon after. The politicians from the Opposition delivered discourses near the monument to Stephan the Great while the engines of the cars were making great noise. [The PL president Mihai Ghimpu] said that August 27 is a day them reminds of work and real struggles between communism and democracy, a day that the people have expected tens of years, a day that offered Moldova the possibility of being free and democratic. “Unfortunately, the people did not benefit from this independence, freedom and European values during the 18 years. They experienced great difficulties and problems. The Declaration of Independence signed 18 years ago laid the foundation of our future, which should be in the EU. I was invited in the evening to Voronin’s reception to celebrate the Republic’s Day. I will not go. I mark today the Independence Day of Moldova, not the Republic’s Day,” Ghimpu said. [Marian Lupu, the president of the PDM] said: “18 years of Independence is an important event for our country as it regained its independence and sovereignty and started to develop its statehood. Moldova must follow a democratic path. It should be an authentic democratic state based on European values, the preeminence of the law, a functional market economy.” “It regrettable that many of those that witnessed that crucial moment for our country have already departed this life. We assure you that from now on what happened 18 years ago will not remain without continuity,” said [Vladimir Filat, the president of the PLDM.] “18 years it is when a person comes of age. We realize that we grew up making many mistakes, being naives and allowing many persons to decide our fate. We are already adults and are able to decide our destiny ourselves.” [Serafim Urecheanu, the president of the AMN] said that the Independence Day is very important in the life of any state. “Moldova is a product of history made through the people’s will. History is the main author of our Independence,” he said.