Homage paid to members of first Parliament

Members of the first Parliament of Moldova (1990-1994) laid flowers to the monument to Ruler Stephan the Great in Chisinau in the morning of April 17, when it is 20 years of the constitution of the first democratically elected legislative body. Head of Parliament Mihai Ghimpu and Prime Minister Vlad Filat also took part in the ceremony, Info-Prim Neo reports. A service was then held at the Central Cemetery in honor of the 50 first MPs who passed away. “It is our duty to remember them,” said Pantelei Sandulachi, the head of the Association “Parlamentul 90”, who was a member of the first legislature. Pantelei Sandulachi said 20 years ago he was one of the youngest MPs and was very glad that he contributed to laying the basis for the first Parliament. He also said that the members of the first legislative body decided not to be simple observers of the government process, but intervene with criticism and help when necessary. “We will not allow the Alliance for European Integration to ‘derail’,” he stressed. Speaker Mihai Ghimpu, who was a lawmaker in the first Parliament as well, said it is not easy to build democracy, but he is proud that the Soviet imperial Moldova was transformed into an independent and sovereign country. Premier Vlad Filat said he brought flowers to those who constituted the first Parliament and laid the foundation of Moldova by the decisions they took, especially as regards the language, sovereignty and independence. The first Parliament of the independent Moldova had 372 members.