President Maia Sandu decreed a national day of mourning for July 4 to commemorate border police officer Sergey Muntean and aviation security officer Igor Ciofu, who died as a result of the tragic incident at the Chisinau International Airport on June 30, IPN reports.

On this day, Moldova’s diplomatic and consular missions abroad will hoist the state flag at half-mast. At midday, a moment’s silence will be observed in honor of the victims.

The public authorities, enterprises and organizations are recommended not to stage entertaining mass events, while the media outlets are recommended to take into account the particularities of the day of July 4 when editing publications and agreeing the programs.

President Maia Sandu also signed a decree to confer posthumously the Military Merit medal on Igor Ciofu, lieutenant colonel in reserve of the State Guard and Protection Service, and on Sergey Munteanu, chief deputy agent of the Border Police of the Ministry of the Interior.

The two men were shot dead by a foreign passenger who was banned entry into Moldova at the Chisinau International Airport. The man is from Tajikistan and is suspected of forming part of a criminal group that recently kidnapped the first vice president of a bank in Tajikistan. He flied to Chisinau via Turkey. While being accompanied to the sterile zone for being sent back, he hit the police officer and grabbed his gun, opening fire. The individual is now in the hospital in an unconscious state as he was hurt during the siege.