Volunteers of the Civic Platform “Actiunea 2012” aim to collect over 100,000 signatures in support of a legislative initiative concerning the status of the Bessarabians in Romania. On June 28, a tent will be put up in Europe Square in Chisinau, where signatures will be collected during five weekends. In a news conference at IPN, the volunteers said that a similar campaign is taking place in Romania. It was launched in April and more than 70,000 signatures have been collected since then.

Only the citizens of Moldova with residence in Romania can put their signatures in support of the initiative, based on data from the passport. According to the volunteers, the initiative refers to the facilitation of employment of the Bessarabians in Romania and the diminution of the sum of €500 that the person applying for a visa to Romania must possess. Under the initiative, the Bessarabians in Romania must enjoy the same rights to health, education and social protection as all the Romanians.

Irina Gutu, a member of the Civic Platform “Actiunea 2012”, said that the goal of this campaign is to bring the two sister countries closer and to facilitate the work of the Bessarabians in Romania. An increasing number of Moldovans become citizens of Romania and thus more people will need such a law.

“We, the Romanians from the left side of the Prut, showed not only once that we want to form part of the Great Romania. It’s time to mobilize and give our support to a bill concerning the status of the Moldovans in Romania,” said Irina Gutu.

Sorin Becciu said that the initiative will contain a provision regarding the constitution of a parliamentary commission or institution that would manager the relations with Moldova.

The campaign “Bringing Bessarabia home” in Romania will close on August 31.