The municipality of Chisinau has 42 citizens of honor. The list is opened by Alexei Beliskii, Dmitri Jerebin and Vasili Liubko, who were commanders in the USSR. Most recently, at the beginning of this year, the title was conferred on academicians Gheorghe Ghidirim and Ion Ababii, IPN reports.
In 1977, the title of citizen of honor was given to Natalia Gheorghiu, who headed the Pediatric Surgery Department and was a correspondent member of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences. The same year, the title was conferred on the Heroes of the Socialist Labor Vera Odobescu and Gheorghe Seletski.
Leonid Grigorashchenko, editor-in-chief of the College of Art Experts of the Ministry of Culture of Moldova, who was a correspondent member of the USSR Academy of Arts, became a citizen of honor in 1989. In almost 20 years, in 2007, the title was conferred on the National Opera prima donna Maria Biesu.
Among the citizens of honor of Chisinau are also composers Gheorghe Zamfir and Eugen Doga, politician Ilie Ilascu, writer Dumitru Matcovschi, linguist Valentin Mandacanu, and conductor Nicolae Botgros.
Even if they are not natives of Moldova, citizens of honor of Chisinau are also the ex-President of France Jacques Chirac, ex-Mayor of Moscow Yury Lujzhov, cosmonaut Yuri Gidzenko, and singer Sofia Rotaru.
Besides the honorific title, the citizens of honor of Chisinau also benefit from concessions throughout life. 50% of their bills are paid by the municipality. They can travel free by public units of transport and are invitees of honor at all the events staged in the municipality of Chisinau.
