First parliament speaker of Moldova passed away

Chisinau, 8 December /MOLDPRES/- Historian and politician Alexandru Mosanu, professor, PhD in history, honorary member of the Romanian Academy, first Parliament Speaker during 3 September 1990-2 February 1993, died at the age of 85 on 7 December.

Mosanu suffered from an incurable disease. Last year, he suffered heavy surgery.

In a message of condolences posted on social networks, Education, Culture and Research Minister Monica Babuc said she was deeply saddened about the death of Mosanu, first president of the parliament of Moldova.

Mosanu was born on 19 July 1932 in Braniste village, Balti county, today Rascani district. He studied at the Faculty of History of the State University. In 1957-1977 he worked at the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences in Chisinau. Since 1976 he has been teaching at the Faculty of History of the USM, where he served as head of the department of modern and contemporary universal history (1980-1990) and dean of the faculty of history (1989-1990). In 1989-1990 he was president of the Association of Historians of Moldova, since 1994 – editor-in-chief of the “Destin romanesc” magazine of history and culture.

His research activity resulted in studies especially concerning the history of the Romanian workers’ movement at the end of the 19th century, early the 20th century. He carried out a tireless political activity, entered in the national liberation struggle. He was one of the founders of the Popular Front.

In 1990-2001 he was MP and on 3 September 1990 he became Parliament Speaker. He made a decisive contribution to the elaboration of some legislative acts on the Moldovan flag and the anthem „Deșteaptă-te române” (Wake up Romanian). He is the one who read in parliament the draft declaration of independence on 27 August 1991, which was voted on the same day unanimously by the 278 MPs. The introduction course “History of Romanians” in schools is due to him too.

In 1993, he resigned from parliament, becoming president of the Moldovan Intelligence Congress, where he was elected a lawmaker. He was deputy head of the Party of Democratic Forces, and after the merger of this party with the Social-Liberal Party, he served as honorary leader of this party (until 2005).

Mosanu was awarded the “Steaua Romaniei” National Order as senior officer (2014) and the Romanian Cultural Institute Award, for the promotion of the values of the Romanian national culture.

(Reporter N. Roibu, editor A. Răileanu)