The investing of the Filip Government, protests, direct presidential elections after a period of about 20 years and other events marked the year 2016. At yearend, IPN News Agency presents the most important events of each of the 12 months of the year.
---
Key event of August: The 25th anniversary of the declaration of Moldova’s independence
The Government of Romania on August 3 decided to allocate the first €60 million tranche of the loan of €150 million provided to the Republic of Moldova. The lending agreement between Romania and Moldova was signed in Chisinau on October 7, 2015 and was ratified in 2016, being supplemented as a result of the exchange of notes between the Prime Ministers of Romania and Moldova.
On August 5, the Chisinau Appeals Court accepted the request of the lawyers for the Mayor of Orhei Ilan Shor and placed this under house arrest. The court ordered that Ilan Shor should yield up his passport to the prosecution bodies. The mayor was also banned from leaving his home and receiving guests. Since then Ilan Shor has been under house arrest. He was arrested on June 22 this year on charges of swindle and money laundering in a case concerning stealing at Banca de Economii.
On August 16, Sergey Tarnovski won Moldova’s first medal at the Rio Olympic Games. He finished 3rd in the 1,000m canoe sprint with the result of 4:00.852. The 19-year-old was bested only by Germany’s Sebastian Brendel (3:56.926) and Brazil’s Isaquias Queiroz (3:58.529). Later the Ukrainian athlete who represented Moldova at the Rio Olympics failed the dope test, but he challenged the test result. A decision as to the withdrawal or keeping of his medal hasn’t been yet taken.
On August 25, there was approved the list of winners of the National Award 2016. These are: Constantin Etsko, Victor Tvircun, Gheorghe Gaberi, Constantin Sirghi, Anatolie Zolotcov, Nicolae Glib, Petru Hadarca, Virgiliu Margineanu and Leontina Vatamanu, Andrei Turcanu, Traian Vasilcau, Simion Zamsa. Civil society expressed its bewilderment at the fact that the award was conferred on Traian Vasilcau even if this was accused of plagiarizing. A commission examined the situation and decided to give him the prize.
On August 27, it was marked the 25th anniversary of the declaration of Moldova’s independence. The military parade staged on this occasion involved about 2,000 war veterans, 1,200 National Army service members, 440 representatives of the Ministry of the Interior, 50 representatives of the Security and Intelligence Service and 50 employees of the Civil Protection and State Guard Service. This also featured foreign military contingents, such as the “Mihai Viteazul” Guard Brigade 30 and the “Military Tradition” Association of Romania, the Royal Irish Regiment, the Ukrainian Odessa Military Academy, the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas Staff Battalion, and the Polish Honor Guard. Groups of people protested in central Chisinau against the current government and against what they considered to be unnecessarily lavish festivities. At several sites around the Assembly Square, which hosted the celebrations, the protesters unsuccessfully tried to break through the police cordon in an apparent attempt to reach the government officials gathered for the inaugurating ceremony and the military parade. Political leaders were spotted among them, including Balti Mayor Renato Usatii and Socialist Igor Dodon.
Selection by Mariana Galben, IPN
