The Ministry of Defense says it will support the veterans if the organizations of which they form part are unified and depoliticized. “In such a small country as Moldova we need a unified organization of veterans that will represent the interests of all the categories of veterans,” Minister of Defense Vitalie Marinuta said, quoited in a communique from the Ministry. The statements were made at a meeting of the minister, war veterans and Armed Forces military staff in reserve. According to the minister, the legal rights of the veterans are not adequately protected as there are about 40 veterans organizations. “You are still young and strong and I urge you to continue doing good things as we want that you share all your life and professional experience,” Vitalie Marinuta said. According to the Ministry of Defense, 45,738 war veterans are recorded at the zonal military centers in Moldova at present. 29,167 of them participated in the armed conflict for defending Moldova's integrity and independence, 9,191 are participants in the military operations in Afghanistan and other countries, 6,800 are participants in the Second World War, 2,495 took part in liquidating the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, while 580 participated in the events in Hungary.