Stephen the Great is the supreme symbol of Moldovan statehood and the Republic of Moldova needs the administration model left by the ruler, President Igor Dodon said in the ceremony held to inaugurate the Year of Moldovan Ruler Stephan the Great and Holy. According to him, in 2018 society will witness more units and anti-state ideas and messages than ever and it is thus time to use safe historical benchmarks. “The Year of Stephan the Great and Holy can help us overcome temptations and recklessness so as to firmly continue our road towards strengthening the Moldovan statehood and identity in an independent way,” stated Igor Dodon.
In the inaugural event, a group of priests of the Metropolitan Cathedral “God’s Birth” held a service to commemorate the heroic deeds of the ruler, while artistic groups from a number of education institutions sang patriotic songs about Stephan the Great, IPN reports.
On the occasion of the launch of the Year of Stephan the Great, in recognition of the contribution made to developing and consolidating Moldova’s statehood, state awards were conferred on: Victor Puscas, ex-president of the Constitutional Court; Vasile Chirtoca, Chisinau councilor; Sergiu Curnic, bishop of the Church “Assumption of the Mother of God” of Chisinau; Valeriu Ostalep, director of the Institute of Diplomatic, Political and Security Studies; Vlad Batrincea, MP; Elena Pahomova, journalist; Nicolae Pascaru, chairman of the National Movement “Voievod” and Dumitru Roibu, chairman of the public association “Urmasii lui Stefan” (“Followers of Stephan”).
Igor Dodon also announced an initiative to legalize the historical flag of Moldova as a national public symbol. The Socialist MPs will propose examining the bill in Parliament.
The program devoted to the Year of Moldovan Ruler Stephan the Great and Holy includes over 50 measures, such as: the launch of three parts of the documentary-scientific film “History of Moldova”, reconstruction of the monuments to Stephan the Great in Moldova’s settlements, holding of festivals, concerts, exhibitions and roundtable meetings centering on the rule of Stephan the Great. It is also planned to make the documentary “Stephan the Great and Holy, Ruler of the Moldovan Country”. The education institutions will promote the personality of the great Voivode and a book about the ruler will be printed for school libraries.
