On March 2, the citizens of the Republic of Moldova remember a difficult period of the country’s history and commemorate the best and most respectable persons, said President Nicolae Timofti, who today transmitted a message on the occasion of the commemoration of the victims of the armed conflict on the Nistru River, IPN reports, quoting the presidential press service.

“Undoubtedly, the armed conflict caused by the separatist forces, which was openly supported by the Russian Federation, marked our country’s destiny. Today we still feel the effects of the separation. History will arrange things, but the people must know that we will never give up reunifying the country as, otherwise, we will accept an injustice and will neglect the bloodshed on the Nistru,” the head of state says in his message.

Nicolae Timofti noted that about 300 combatants were killed in battle, while another several hundreds were hurt after legally putting up resistance to separatism 24 years ago. “On this Memory Day, we should remember the past so as not to repeat it and I express our gratitude to all the participants in the armed conflict on the Nistru, who fought and sacrificed themselves for the integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova,” said the head of state.

He also said that resolving the frozen conflict by peaceful ways, so as to ensure the security of the Moldovan people from both sides of the Nistru, is now the country’s priority. “The observance of the Statement of the OSCE Summit of 1999, concerning the pullout of the Russian troops from the territory of the neutral state Moldova, will be a step in this direction. We are always open and ready to cooperate so as to improve the negotiation format,” stated Nicolae Timofti.

Also today, the President’s advisers took part in the events dedicated to the Memory Day and laid flowers at the Monument to the Grieving Mother at the Memorial Complex “Eternity”.