The National Union of the Independence War Veterans demands stooping denigrating the former Tiraspol political detainees who have been recently awarded the Order of the Republic. In a news conference on August 17, the Union's executive director, Colonel in reserve Gheorghe Slutu said the chairman of the Democratic Party Marian Lupu and the leader of the sociopolitical movement “Ravnopravie” Valery Klimenko will be sued if they do not publicly apologize for naming those who fought for Moldova's independence criminals, Info-Prim Neo reports. Gheorghe Slutu said Acting President Mihai Ghimpu decided to award Ilie Ilascu, Andrei Ivantoc, Alexandru Lesco, Tudor Popa, Petru Godiac and Stefan Uratu at the suggestion of the National Union of the Independence War Veterans. “Their cases have been examined by the competent parliamentary commission that involves representatives of all the factions, except the Communist one. The serious accusations made by Lupu and Klimenko are an insult not only to the members of the “Ilascu” group, but also to other veterans, Gheorghe Slutu said. Former captain Anatolie Rusu said the former political prisoners of the Tiraspol regime, who had been held for 12-15 years, do not deserve being named criminals because they fought to defend the language and the people. “Only Mihai Ghimpu reacted to our call and awarded these courageous men. Marian Lupu, when he was Head of Parliament, promised many things, but did nothing, while Mister Voronin said we should ask the Romanian authorities for medals because we were sent to war by them,” said Anatolie Rusu. General police major Anton Gamurari said the police officers who fought on the Nistru in 1992 struggled against the criminal Transnistrian regime, not against the residents of Transnistria. “The Cossacks who killed people and robbed homes continue to live in those homes. They received medals from Igor Smirnov. We, the native people, are taught how to live by foreigners,” Anton Gamurari said. On August 2, Acting President Mihai Ghimpu signed a decree to confer the Order of the Republic on Petru Godiac, Ilie Ilascu, Andrei Ivantoc, Alexandru Lesco, Tudor Popa and Stefan Uratu in gratitude for their remarkable contribution to the national liberation movement. The Russian Foreign Ministry criticized the decision, saying the decree undermines stability on the Nistru.