PHOTO Moldovan writer Ion Druta paid last respects

Chisinau, 2 October /MOLDPRES/ - The great departed writer, Ion Druta, was paid his last respects today.  
The funeral ceremony took place at the Chisinau-based Mihai Eminescu National Theatre, where his plays had been staged. Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu, MPs, representatives of the central public administration, writers, actors, stage managers, singers, admirers of Druta’s works paid homage to the departed writer in the hall of the theatre.    
A mourning rally was held afterwards. In his speech, the president of the Moldovan Writers’ Union, Teo Chiriac, said that Ion Druta had been a complex personality, a writer with character, who had left a vast work. In the context, writer Arcadie Suceveanu said that the providence had given Moldova a great personality, who assumed the destiny of Bessarabia. ‘’Ion Druta was able to lay our soul in his works. He was able to create a universe, a world which looks like us,’’ Suceveanu stressed. Writer Ion Hadarca said that, just as the river Raut, Dniester and Orhei were ours, in the same way, Ion Druta was ours and would remain forever.    
Subsequently, the funeral procession went to Soroca, where a religious service took place. Chisinau residents paid the last respects to the departed writer with applauses and the Choral Chapel Doina, led by Ilona Stepan, sang religious music.  
The prose writer, dramatist and essayist, People’s Writer, honorary member of the Romanian Academy, titular member of Moldova’s Academy of Sciences Ion Druta passed away at the age of 95 years on 28 September. The departed writer bequeathed to be buried at his native place, nearby the Candle of Gratitude – the monument to which he had dedicated 16 years of his life.  The last wish of the departed writer was fulfilled.