The Republic of Moldova cannot become a European state by keeping the imperial Soviet symbols and aligning itself with the May 9 holiday in the formula promoted by Moscow, political pundit Anatol Țăranu stated in a public debate hosted by IPN News Agency. According to him, a large part of Moldovan society considers that the May 9 holiday in Soviet style does not resonate with the European integration desideratum.

The historian noted that the day of May 9 was used after World War II and later, in Vladimir Putin’s Russia, as an element of the ideological symbolism designed to ensure the consolidation of society.

“From 1965, the day of May 9 had acquired a new connotation in the Soviet Union. Any society needs to create profound symbols that enable to unite society. For example, in Nazi Germany such a symbol was the swastika. The swastika became an element that united the people around the Nazi ideology and Hitler’s regime. The May 9 holiday became a liaison that enabled the Soviet people to be cemented from inside. May 9 became one of the central points for uniting society. Later, when the regime of Putin was established, it was decided to return the Empire to its traditional borders when the necessity for this process to have ideological coverage appeared. This ideological model – the date of May 9 – was found,” stated Anatol Țăranu.

According to him, the Kremlin’s ideologists and the Russian propaganda continue to use May 9 as a symbol that comes to justify Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The Republic of Moldova cannot accept Russia’s formula for the May 9 holiday as it would turn into a supporter of the Russian military aggression.

“May 9 is not simply a holiday that remembers the people of World War II. Putin’s Russia thinks about the commemoration of the victims of World War II in the last place. The May 9 holiday is a liaison that keeps together at mentality level those who earlier formed the Soviet people. The May 9 holiday turned into an element for supporting the ongoing war against Ukraine. Putin makes a logical connection between the effort of the Soviet people in World War II and Ukraine. He speaks about the Russian aggression against Ukraine as about a patriotic war of Russia. This is blasphemy and we are participants in this blasphemy if we accept May 9 in Moscow’s version,” said the political pundit.

Anatol Țăranu noted that he supports the government’s idea of renouncing the May 9 holiday. A bill registered in Parliament provides that May 8 will become the day of commemoration and reconciliation in memory of those who died in World War II.

“By putting forward such an initiative, the current government tries to break the connection between Moldovan society and the Soviet past. The Republic of Moldova cannot become a European state by keeping the Soviet imperial symbols and traditions. The fact that a part of society has this attitude to the day of May 9 turns into a brake to the European course of the Republic of Moldova,” stated the historian.

The public debate entitled “Victory Day: between reconciliation, antagonization and destabilization” was the 11th installment of IPN’s project “Impact of the Past on Confidence and Peace Building Processes” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany.