Democratic Party won't partake in June 28 commemoration

The Democratic Party of Moldova will not participate in the commemorative events on June 28, recently decreed by acting president Mihai Ghimpu to be the Day of Soviet Occupation. Furthermore, the Democrats are calling for an extraordinary meeting of the four-party Alliance for European Integration (AEI) to discuss Ghimpu's unilateral decision, announced Democrat leader Marian Lupu at a news conference on Friday, Info-Prim Neo reports. Marian Lupu stated Ghimpu's move infringed the alliance's cooperation principles established by its four parties in August 2009, and described the decree as an act adopted “under the influence of emotions”. Moreover, the Democratic Party is asking for the postponement of the Cojocaru Commission's report (commission for the study of the totalitarian communist regime in Moldova), scheduled to be heard in Parliament on June 28, as well as the postponement of the amendment of the Law on Political Parties and the annulment of the Law on the National State Conception. The lawmakers had little time to study the respective documents, explained Lupu before labeling them “unfortunate”. He argued it was not right to respond to past repression with other repressions. “I regret to find these actions delivering a blow to the AEI”. “These issues weren't discussed in any way within the AEI. We fell into the same trap on May 9 and I regret to see that the lesson hasn't been learned”, said Marian Lupu. The Democrat leader went on to say that, according to legal experts, only Parliament may adopt decisions on official and commemoration days. Marian Lupu assumed that after the joint AEI meeting Mihai Ghimpu could recall his decree. The Democrat leader also said the banning of communist symbols would be a gift to the Party of Communists, which would consequently become a victim in the voters' eyes and would thus increase its standing without making any investment. Lupu recalled that CoE Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland on a recent visit to Chisinau warned the AEI leaders against the idea to outlaw the hammer and sickle. On June 24, acting President Mihai Ghimpu issued a decree declaring June 28 as the Day of Soviet Occupation and Commemoration of the Victims of the Communist Totalitarian Regime. On June 28 national flags across Moldova will fly at half-mast, flowers will be laid at monuments and memorials for the victims of the communist totalitarian regime, and all the public authorities, organizations and businesses shall renounce entertainment activities.