On December 2, it is 104 years of the founding of the Moldavian Democratic Republic (MDR). IPN asked historians about the significance of the MDR founded at the end of 1917 for the current Republic of Moldova. The opinions of historians are divergent. Some consider the MDR does not deserve great attention from the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, while others consider the anniversary of the MDR should be celebrated as a national holiday.
Sergiu Mustață, Doctor Habilitate of History, considers the MDR appeared in the context of World War I. “A number of republics were created on the territory of the former tsarist empire, but some of them weren’t recognized at international level. The MDR wasn’t recognized by any of the states and the People’s Council voted for the union of the MDR with Romania following the delicate relationship of Bessarabia with Ukraine, which wanted to make it part of its territory.” According to Sergiu Mustață, there is no descendant connection between the Republic of Moldova and the MDR. “The Republic of Moldova is a descendant of the MSSR, which, for its part, wasn’t a descendant of the MDR. There is no continuity between the MDR and the Republic of Moldova,” explained Sergiu Musteață.
For his part, Victor Stepaniuc, Doctor of History, said the anniversary of the MDR should become a national holiday. “The MDR was the expression of the aspirations of the Moldovans who asserted their right to statehood after the dismemberment of the Russian Empire,” stated Victor Stepaniuc. The MDR was created from down to up. A number of congresses, of soldiers, cooperatives, teachers expressed the Moldovans’ wish to regain the statehood lost in 1812. The MDR was the second Moldovan state after the Principality of Moldavia. Moldovan statehood was rebuilt. “Our ancestors created state institutions. They constituted a Parliament – the People’s Council, a government with ten ministries and started to create the own army. They even drafted a Constitution. We should be proud of what they managed to do even if the international conjuncture prevented the international recognition of the MDR,” said Victor Stepaniuc.
He noted that France and Romania opened yet consular offices under the Government in Chisinau and this can be considered partial international recognition of the MDR. The Baltic countries in 1990-1991 reaffirmed their independence declared in 1917 and their national day is the day when independence was declared in 1917. Rhe Republic of Moldova should also celebrate a national holiday on December 2.
