On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the declaration of Moldova’s Independence, IPN News Agency decided to depict the portrait of the current Republic of Moldova. For the purpose, it provoked a number of people, including state officials, politicians, businessmen, civil rights activists and persons without posts and titles, but who have what to say. The generic picture is called “Thoughts about and for Moldova”.
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Stella Ciobanu, a Moldovan woman who settled in Germany: “I would compare my Moldova with LONGING. This is longing that aches and destroys those who left home not voluntarily, but out of necessity”.
On the 25th anniversary of its Independence, the Republic of Moldova looks like a child who only started to walk by himself. However, 25 years is a relatively small period for speaking about genuine independence, considers Stella Ciobanu, a Moldovan woman who settled in Germany. According to her, on the 25th anniversary of Moldova’s Independence, the people continue to go abroad to look for decent living conditions; mortality is higher than natality and the elderly can barely purchase food and milk on their pensions. Also, the families are destroyed. The young people do not have spiritual values, but only material ones. The roads are damaged, while the schools and nurseries are closed owing to the lack of working conditions. Instead, restaurants, discothèques and cafes appear one after another.
According to Stella Ciobanu, Moldova’s greatest accomplishments include the obtaining of sovereignty, switching over to the Latin script and ‘discovery’ of Moldova by the international community. Among the failures are the rhetoric of the spiritual and moral values disseminated erroneously by the politicians, seizing of power by political clans that promote only the own interests and monopolization of the tourism industry by corrupt groups.
“I would like to see my country clean, literally and figuratively. I would like all those who left to return and make effort to build a safer and nice future for the next generations. We should not be afraid to go out in the street in the middle of the night. I would like to be able to lead a decent life. We should keep and pass on what our parents left to us,” stated Stella Ciobanu.
Moldova’s Independence will ‘grow older’ in time. There is no absolute Independence, especially when the country is at a crossroads of geopolitical interests. However, Moldova was and will be dependent on the geopolitical and economic interests of the neighboring states.
A child reacts positively to images. To prove that he must be proud of the Republic of Moldova, Stella Ciobanu would show a child the beautiful places of the country, including the Saharna Monastery, the Capriana Monastery, Moldova’s Codrii Forest, Orheiul Vechi, the Nistru and the Prut Rivers, Cricova, the Soroca Fortress. “We would go to the grandparents to taste pies made by my mother and to collect pieces of advice given by my father,” said the Moldovan woman.
For Stella Ciobanu, Moldova’s future is only in the European Union as the country should return to its natural borders and should unite with Romania.
“I have a number of thoughts for the country and they are all nice! If the country offered me decent living conditions to stay at home near parents, relatives and friends, I would give my life for IT,” stated Stella Ciobanu.
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Stella Ciobanu, 33, settled in Germany. She has worked for 14 years in the tourism sector as a sales manager, organizer, guide and translator. She speaks six languages.
Anastasia Rusu, IPN
The articles of the series “Thoughts about and for Moldova” started to be published on July 18. Among the protagonists are: Dumitru Alaiba, Iurie Ciocan, Ana-Maria Tulea, Ion Manole, Olga Gagauz, Arcadie Barbarosie, Nicolae Botgros, Igor Dodon, Eugen Doga, Ghenadie Galca, Iulia Iabanji, Iurie Leanca, Petru Macovei, Igor Meriacre, Andrei Nastase, Mariana Onceanu Hadaca, Victor Parlicov, Maia Sandu, and Valeria Seican.
