Romanian Language Day to be celebrated on third day of annual fete after August 24 and Republic’s Day

Changing the name of the Independence Day into Republic’s Day and not honoring during 5 years the Romanian Language Day is an attempt of the communist government to draw out of people’ conscience the ideas of common Romanian past, independence, and to diminish the importance of national holydays, [the publicist, Constantin Tanase] considers. According to Tanase, the main stress is laid upon the day of August 24, for which millions of lei are spent, after which the day of August 27 is marked. In this situation the Romanian Language Day is the third to be celebrated and also has the misfortune to be the third day of the annual fete. Referring to the fact that not a single cultural-artistic event dedicated to this celebration will take place in the center of Chisinau, Tanase said that the present communist government was displeased of the fact that Great National Assembly Square (GNAS) was and remains a symbol of the fight for national freedom back in 1989 and 1991. According to Tanase, in order to fulfill their goals, the communists used the Wine Fair and Beer Fest as a mechanism for diminishing the value of GNAS. [The head of the Writers Union, the academician Mihai Cimpoi], says that in GNAS will not take place actions dedicated to Romanian Day Language because of president’s direct command. Initially there was a joint program of Writers Union and of the Municipal Department for Culture, which included as in the previous years an ample program for celebrating the day in GNAS, where the Romanian language was proclaimed as state language. However, all these events were distributed in other locations – “Stefan cel Mare” Public Park, the square of the National Opera and Teatrul Verde (Green Theatre) from Valea Morilor. “These changes undermine the truth, the common sense, so that the two national holydays have no value anymore – one was liquidated and the second was renamed, the cited source said. Minai Cipmoi says that this situation is due to the attitude of the communist government regarding the language, history and culture. “It is tried to efface from people’s mind the events which occurred 1989 and 1991 in order to continue the national identity mutilation process”, Mihai Cimpoi said. [The MP, Dumitru Braghis, also the leader of the Social Democracy Party] believes that one more time the communists showed a hostile attitude towards National Holydays. “If we have national holydays, we have the duty to honor them, not to diminish their importance”, Dumitru Braghis said. “To run from Chisinau and country on the Romanian Language Day is disgraceful for any kind of public persons”, [Leonid Bujor, the MP of “Moldova Noastra” Alliance] told Info-Prim Neo. According to Bujor, not allowing activities dedicated to the celebration of the event from 1989 when Romanian language was proclaimed national language is an attempt to ignore people’s achievements and to prove that it means nothing. “I think that despite the fact that no concrete actions are planned in GNAS, people will come there and will be glad about the day of August 31, 1989 and this will be a sign for communist authorities to return to national values”, Leonid Bujor said, being sure that he will be present in GNAS on the Romanian Language Day. [The head of People’s Christian-Democrat Party, Iurie Rosca] did not want to discuss with the Info-Prim Neo reporter and [the head of PCDP parliamentary faction, Vlad Cubreacov] suggested to Info-Prim Neo News Agency to go on August 31 in GNAS and to give to others an example. Asked were will he be on this day, Cubreacov said: “I will be in a locality and I will celebrate this day with my peasants”. [The municipal councilor, Oleg Cernei], says that the Romanian Language Day is a national holyday and can be celebrated in GNAS, according to the order of the interim Mayor on limiting the actions in GNAS. Cernei says that there is a Governmental order by means of which all the leaders of localities had been warned not to organize on Government’s behalf any actions dedicated to the holyday on August 31. Only those who want to celebrate have the right to do it. In this way loyal persons will be verified, the municipal councilor says. Cernei says that the government plans to suspend the Romanian Language Day starting next year. [Vladimir Sarban, the secretary of the Municipal Council] told Info-Prim Neo that the issue on celebrating Romanian Language has two aspects. By prohibiting the celebration actions in GNAM, where the Wine Fair and Beer Fest are organized, and some inadequate artistic bands are performing is an insult to the Romanian language, to history and to those who speak Romanian. “It would not bother me so much if other activities related to linguistic education of the people, promoting the language would be performed with the financial support of the state”, Vladimir Sarban says. On the other hand, the former book shops were transformed into bars; the libraries located in rural localities have few readers, and in Chisinau’s book shops other literature rather a Romanian language text books is asked. “We can not allow anyone to transform the holyday of August 31 in a 8th of March, when you offer a flower and a kiss and you are not worrying until the next year…”, Vladimir Sarban declared. Solicited by Info-Prim Neo, the head of the communist faction of [the Municipal Council, Svetlana Popa], told that she is on vacation and she will not give any declarations. The mobile telephones of many MPs and councilor of Communists Party of Moldova, including the head of [the Parliamentary Committee for Culture, Education and Media, Victor Stepaniuc] were turned off these days.