Banning symbols like the so-called St. George’s ribbon and the letters Z and V was the right thing to do, especially in the context of the Russian military aggression in Ukraine. This is the opinion of some political commentators in Chisinau, according to whom Moldova must limit the spread of symbols that incite hatred and war. However, there are voices that say that the government is out for fast political gains to make up for its inability to deliver results in the economy and the judicial sector.
“Regarding the interdiction of the St. George’s ribbon, it’s been an overdue decision and the argument is simple: this ribbon has stirred so many conflicts and agitated people despite lacking meaning. I consider it a symbol of a state that started a war in the Republic of Moldova. The Baltic countries have reached their current status because they were able to sort out which their values are and which aren’t”, said Ecaterina Mardarovici, director of the 50/50 NGO, during a talk show on TV8.
“This law gives the government easy-earned political capital. It is much harder to sentence fat cats to prison, which is why they are banning the ribbon. On the other hand, those who defend this ribbon seemed to have been in political hibernation, and now the decision is playing into their hands. This is a lifeline for them, because they, too, can derive political gains”, said the political commentator Ilian Cașu.
Representatives of extra-parliamentary parties believe that May 9, when some political parties mark Victory Day, will be a good opportunity for pro-Russian parties to defy the law.
“This ribbon represents the expansion of Russian imperialism. I guess that this symbol will be used very soon, regardless of the decision taken by the Parliament. The law will be defied, because now the desire of some political actors to rally the people around them, to create the impression of a monolith, matters more”, said Chiril Moțpan of the DA Platform.
Violating the ban is punishable by fines of up to 9,000 lei in the case of individuals and up to 30,000 lei for public officials or legal entities.
