The Union of War Volunteers of Moldova reiterates its request to the authorities to draft a law that would represent them. The members of the Union demand that June 19 should be declared officially the day of remembrance for war volunteers.
Sergiu Caracai, chairman of the Union of War Volunteers of Moldova, in a news conference at IPN on June 12 said that in 1991 they went to war at the request of the then President and Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. Twenty-five years have passed since then, but the war volunteers are not recognized by the authorities and do not enjoy benefits.
“On March 21, we retransmitted to the authorities the letters that we sent to different governments in time. By this we ask for a law on war volunteers. We are every time told that we are covered by the law on war veterans, but nobody recognizes us when we ask for pensions and other benefits enjoyed by war veterans,” stated Caracai.
Union member Valeriu Mantaluta said many volunteers went to war in 1992 to defend the territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova so that this is a democratic state. “We want a law on war volunteers and nothing more. The people should know that we were also involved in that armed conflict,” stated the volunteer.
The Union’s deputy chairman Mihai Moron noted that following a request made by the authorities in 1992, those who cared about the fate of the state went to war. When these returned home, many of them remained without jobs and their wives went abroad to work to secure a better future for their children. “Twenty-five years have passed. How will the future generations know how many people fought in the Nistru war out of their own free will if there is no database?” he asked.
Mihai Moron also said that the largest number of Moldovans were killed in battle on June 19, 1992 - over 300. At 10am on June 19, volunteers will lay flowers at the monument to Ruler Stephan the Great in memory of the comrades killed in the line of duty. A patriotic meeting of war volunteers will be staged later in the central park of Chisinau.
