The Republic of Moldova celebrates 28 years since the proclamation of independence. On Tuesday, August 27, the holiday in the capital started with the traditional flower laying at "Eternity" Memorial Complex and at the monument of ruler Stephen the Great and Holy. The evening culminated with a concert of local singers held in the Great National Assembly Square, IPN reports.
Country’s top leadership President Igor Dodon, Parliament Speaker Zinaida Greceanii and Prime Minister Maia Sandu went to "Eternity" complex together. However, to the monument of Stephen the Great and Holy, the head of the cabinet, along with her colleagues from the government and citizens, laid flowers an hour later than the head of state, who was accompanied by the speaker of the parliament, ambassadors and officials.
"Despite all the hardships and challenges that we have to face, the Republic of Moldova, which has a glorious past, will also have a promising future," President Igor Dodon told the reporters. According to the head of state, it is wonderful to have a sovereign and independent state, and though there have been trials and challenges over the 28 years, it is important to move forward.
Prime Minister Maia Sandu says that last year she was among the protesters and that what matters is that this year, free citizens have been able to celebrate as they should in a democratic country. "We have to thank the people who had the courage to oppose an oppressive regime and, today, they enjoy freedom. It is true that we still have a lot of work to do in order to enjoy prosperity as well. However, now we can enjoy freedom and I congratulate all the citizens of this country on this occasion”, said the prime minister.
"We really wanted to come here today symbolically, to lay flowers together with the people, for we tried to lay flowers last year but weren’t allowed by the oligarchic regime," the prime minister stated.
Andrei Nastase, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs, said that as a citizen he regretted that Moldova, at the anniversary of 28 years of independence, did not become a democratic state, a true rule of law and was still at square one. "August 27, 2019 must be a new beginning for us, as unfortunately for almost 30 years, the principles and values for which our forerunners had fought were desecrated, compromised by people, who by chance or not, came to power, and took care mostly of themselves and their close supporters and less of the people and the country. This is the time for serious summing up and, of course, we will no longer permit such false steps, as previously experienced by the Republic of Moldova over the years, to continue to be taken”, noted Andrei Nastase.
Around the monument of Stephen the Great there was organized a protest by the Occupy Guguță community. Its representatives came with placards that said: "Not only resignations and commissions, but also convictions", "We want the truth about the Turkish teachers", "This is not desoligarchization", "Empty words!" etc. The country's leadership has said that it largely agrees with the protesters' messages.
On August 27, 1991, 28 years ago, the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova adopted the Declaration of Independence, a document signed by 278 deputies. This founding act is marked every year as Independence Day. The original declaration burned during the 2009 protests in Chisinau, but was restored in 2010.
