Opposition parties criticise President Vladimir Voronin for his recent statements about state symbols

The Opposition parties criticise the recent accusations regarding the state’s symbols made by President Vladimir Voronin. Leaders of a number of political organisations signed a relevant joint statement at a roundtable meeting. Anatol Petrencu, president of the “European Action” Movement which organised the meeting, said that the bellicose and anti-Romania statements made by Vladimir Voronin do not represent the national interests but the interests of an anti-statehood, anti-national and anti-European clan and of a political bunch that came to power accidentally. Andrei Dumbraveanu, leader of the Ecologist Party “Green Alliance”, said that the latest political events were intended to destabilise the social-political situation in Moldova, to divide the society according to ethnic and national criteria to the detriment of the pro-European course and to divert people’s attention away from the economic problems. The president of the Christian-Humanist Party Ion Mereuta said that under such conditions the national democratic forces should unify and form a single electoral bloc or a single party, draw up a joint list of candidates, select a national leader through a process organised by the intellectuality. Mereuta also said that this is a difficult process, but attainable if the national interests prevail. Mihai Cimpoi, chairman of the Writers Union, proposed declaring the year 2008 “the year of fighting for the Romanian language, national symbols and values”. If the Moldovan senior authorities persevere with xenophobia acts, the Opposition parties will take open actions against the present government, the meeting participants said.