Victor Stepaniuc screens his thesis of doctor of historical sciences

The outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Victor Stepaniuc will screen his thesis of doctor of historical sciences themed “Evolution of Moldovan Statehood in the Contemporary Epoch” that he presented on February 28, 2008. The film “Moldova - Contemporary State” is produced at Moldova-Film Studio with public money. Victor Stepaniuc is the screenwriter. His consultant Dragos Vicol wrote the scripts for another three historical movies, two of which were written together with the author of the “Moldovan-Romanian” dictionary, Vasile Stati. Eugen Sobor, the president of the Filmmakers Union, told Info-Prim Neo that nine documentaries, full-length or of at least 30 minutes, are now being prepared for production at Moldova-Film. All these films are “state order”, which means that they will be made with public money. Sobor said that work on the following movies will start until this yearend: [“Dragos’ Legend”] (the deposing period), script by Dragos Vicol, [“Roman Musatin”,] script by Vasile Stati, Dragos Vicol, [“Alexandru cel Bun”,] script by Vasile Stati, Dragos Vicol, [“Moldova – Autonomous Republic"], script by Victor Andon, [“Moldova – Contemporary State”], script by Victor Stepaniuc, [“Dimitrie Cantemir” (film one)], script and direction by Rafael Agadjanean, [“Dimitrie Cantemir” (film two)], script and direction by Rafael Agadjanean and [“Russia - Benefactor”] and [“First Republic”], whose authors are not known by the Filmmakers Union, but allegedly they are persons close to Stepaniuc. The president of the Filmmakers Union said that an ordinance to transfer 1.600 million lei (of the 2.700 million lei planned for 2009) for documentaries whose production will stat this year was submitted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to the State Treasury. The script of a full-length documentary costs 25,000-30,000 lei. According to Sobor, both Stepaniuc and the administration of Moldova-Film Studio defied the laws and norms on the transparent management of public money, which say that the production of a film is initiated only after the script is discussed by the Artistic Board of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and ban the participation of public persons in activities paid with public money. Eugen Sobor also said that during the last few years the professional filmmakers had not have access to Moldova-Film, which produces propagandistic films-journals themed “Moldova in Acts” featuring Vladimir Voronin, Zinaida Greceanyi and other Communist dignitaries cutting ribbons and giving ‘presents’. These films absorb a lot of public money even if they are ‘disposable’, Sobor said. This week, the Board of the Filmmakers Union decided to disseminate this information. The leaders of the four Democratic parties that formed the Alliance for European Integration were the first to receive it. In the letter, the Board says that the works made at Moldova-Film Studio during the last few years are dubious and full of neo-Communist dogmas. The Board considers that the future relevant parliamentary commission should watch the films made at Moldova-Film with public money and make decisions about their artistic quality and ideation fund. The Board also suggests reviewing the role of Moldova-Film Studio in the present social and cultural situation, of the artistic and executive personnel. According to the quoted source, the studio’s director Aurel Mateuta has four deputies, two of whom – former Communist MP Piotr Palamarciuc and former deputy minister of culture and tourism Valeriu Turcanu - write scripts. The Board asks removing this financial and ideological anarchy and revitalizing Moldova-Film so that it serves the national artistic and cultural interests. Speaking about the quality of the thesis of doctor of Victor Stepaniuc, which formed the basis for the script of the film “Moldova - Contemporary State”, historian Ion Varta told recently the press that “Stepaniuc shows unimaginable abilities. In only eight lines of his thesis of doctor of history, he committed tens of serious and very serious mistakes. His entire work is full of mistakes and it is an absolute failure. Varta also said that Stepaniuc flagrantly falsified the historical sources and certain assertions made by representatives of the Romanian historiography. “He does not know what impartiality, equidistance and the principle of historism mean. He is far from objectively addressing the historical theme that he chose as subject for his investigation.” Ion Varta said that the failure of Stepaniuc’s work is due to the “party order, poor qualification and membership of a political party that is dogmatic and got stuck in history, which marked his work in a very unfavorable way.” Before the national holidays dedicated to the Independence and the Romanian Language, the doctor of historical sciences and screenwriter Victor Steapaniuc, who gave the start at the cycling race on August 26, said: "I want to congratulate these volunteers, but also to wish them good luck and to have a nice race. We must not forget that our country has many beautiful historical places and {interesting churches}”.