A monument dedicated to civilians and soldiers who died near the battlefield of Cocieri in March 1992 was unveiled on Saturday, August 6, in the village with the same name. The event was attended by officials, veterans, former war volunteers and families of the victims, Info-Prim Neo reports. “It is a well-known fact that a nation does not have a present or future as long as it doesn't treasure its past. It is a moral duty for everyone of us to keep in memory all those who died in battle in 1992. Today we laid one more stone at the foundation of the sovereign and independent state of Moldova”, declared in his speech Moldova's acting President Marian Lupu. Cocieri Mayor Ion Mitcul said the idea of a monument appeared in 2004 and work started in 2009 at the initiative of the 1992 War Veterans' Associations from Dubasari and Cocieri. “Those who defended Moldova's statehood deserve to be revered. It is our duty, of those who remained alive, to honor them and remember their heroism. They fought bravely and sacrificed their lives so that we can have a better living, a peaceful sky”, said Ion Mitcul. The granite stone statue displays the names of 64 people who died in battle at Cocieri. The monument was erected at a cost of 422,000 lei, being financed from the local budget, the state budget, and also from private donations. The monument represents three crucifix-shaped inlaid elements which symbolize Moldova's sovereignty, statehood and independence.