Politicians, people of culture and science, relatives and friends came to say goodbye to Master Mihai Volontir. In the morning of September 17, the actor’s body was taken to the National Palace “Nicolae Sulac” for the farewell ceremony, IPN reports.
Those who attended the ceremony expressed their sadness at the actor’s death. “Master Mihai Volontir, you showed the world that our people is a people that deserves everyone’s respect. We thank you for your kindness and for the fact that by your own example you taught us to be better and more honest,” said the president of the Theater Union of Moldova Sandu Grecu.
“I didn’t think I will reach the moment when I will realize that we will never see you again. We did nice things and worked together for our country’s future. You left this country and it is orphan now,” said actor Ion Ungureanu.
“We say goodbye to one of the most treasured persons of our nation. Master Mihai Volontir was a MAN by profession and by faith. He was a living legend and we were lucky to be his contemporaries. He can also boast of great merits in such areas as music, politics and science. By theater, music and film, Volontir changed the mentality and destinies. By his roles, he became a model of kindness and love for the nation,” said the president of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova Gheorghe Duca.
The farewell ceremony was also attended by senior state officials. “This life is very short, sang the master. We start to realize the meaning of these words when we lose such remarkable personalities. I would like to continue to speak about the master at present. Mihai Volontir played over 120 parts in films that became known all over the world. We will never forget Master Mihai Volontir. He will always be present in our lives,” said Head of Parliament Andrian Candu.
“I have the feeling that we all remained orphans. Mihai Volontir was a pillar of our nation. He loved a lot arts, theater, his people and his country. He devoted himself to his work in our country even if he was invited to go and work in bigger and richer countries. He preferred to remain at home... The master is a symbol and virtue of our nation,” stated Prime Minister Valeriu Strelet.
“There are not enough words to express our sadness at the separation from the great man and actor Mihai Volontir. His life is a lesson for us about how to keep kindness, love and faithfulness to a woman, to a town and to the stage for life and about how to keep respect for a people,” said Minister of Culture Monica Babuc.
Former President of Moldova Mircea Snegur remembered how he worked together with Mihai Volontir in Moldova’s first Parliament. “Mihai Volontir was a Member of Parliament in the 1990s and he struggled for the prosperous future of our country. He was a kindhearted man and a real patriot. He was known in the whole former Soviet Union and in the whole world. Volontir’s death is an irrecoverable loss for us,” he stated.
Mihai Volontir will be buried at the Central Cemetery situated on Armeneasca St. September 17 was declared a National Day of Mourning for the remarkable actor, singer and film director who was an active promoter of the national and cultural values and who signed the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Moldova.
