Moldova celebrates 35 years since adoption of Declaration of Sovereignty

Today Moldova marks 35 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty, a fundamental document that paved the way for the country's independence. The act was voted on June 23, 1990, by the deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the Moldavian SSR. On the anniversary, the country's leadership urges citizens to participate in the Sovereignty March, organized in the capital.

According to historians, the adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty took place in a tense context, marked by the imminent dissolution of the Soviet Union and a wave of similar proclamations across the region. The Republic of Moldova followed the examples of Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Georgia and Russia, marking a clear break from the union center in Moscow.

The Declaration stipulated the supremacy of Moldovan SSR laws over union laws, the establishment of Moldovan citizenship, and the affirmation of the unitary, indivisible, and demilitarized character of the state. Additionally, all natural resources and assets on the territory of the republic were declared the exclusive property of Moldova.

June 1990 was a defining month for shaping Moldovan statehood: the national radio and television were created, Moldova-Press news agency and the newspaper "Sfatul Țării" were established, and the Parliament officially condemned Ribbentrop-Molotov pact. These measures clearly demonstrated Chisinau's political will to detach from Moscow's influence.

The Declaration's text was meticulously developed, taking into account all the implications of de facto breaking away from the Soviet Union. Despite opposition from pro-Soviet deputies, the document was adopted by a large majority, representing a decisive victory for democratic forces.

Its provisions formed the basis of the process of drafting a new Constitution and concluding the Union Treaty in a framework of sovereign states. The Declaration gave the Moldovan Parliament the exclusive right to validate or reject any decision coming from outside the borders of the republic.

Externally, the document undermined Moscow's exclusive authority over international policy, granting Moldova the status of a future subject of international law. At the same time, it established the principles of separation of powers in the state and the protection of citizens in accordance with European liberal-democratic values.

A crucial point of the Declaration was the establishment of unique Moldovan citizenship. Despite pressures to maintain dual citizenship, both Moldovan and Soviet, the firm stance of the document's authors led to the adoption of a single citizenship: that of the Republic of Moldova.

Former president Mircea Snegur later wrote in his memoirs that this document was a true strategic map for the development of the Moldovan state, the consolidation of sovereignty, and international affirmation.

After the adoption of the Declaration, Moldova went through difficult months, facing separatist movements supported by Moscow, but the document laid the foundation for a new type of relationship with the union center. The failure of the coup in Moscow in August 1991 accelerated the process of collapse of the USSR, and on August 27, 1991, the Republic of Moldova officially declared independence, on the solid foundation of the Declaration of Sovereignty.

Exactly one year after its adoption, on June 23, 1991, the first postal stamps of the Republic of Moldova were put into circulation, bearing the Coat of Arms and the National Flag — symbols of the new sovereign state.

The Declaration of Sovereignty remains an essential pillar of the modern history of the Republic of Moldova and a symbol of the unwavering will of the people to shape their own destiny.

Iuliana Gorea Costin emphasizes that "Declaration of Sovereignty was not just a political document — it was an act of courage, vision, and dignity."

Liliana Nicolaescu-Onofrei, chairwoman of the Committee for Culture, Education, Research, Youth, Sports and Media, recalls the atmosphere after the adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty.

Authorities Encourage Citizens to Participate in Sovereignty March

Authorities urge citizens to participate this evening in the Sovereignty March, an event organized at the initiative of President Maia Sandu to mark 35 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova.

The march will begin at 7:00 PM from the monument to Ion and Doina Aldea-Teodorovici on Alexei Mateevici Street and will continue to the front of the Presidency building — the symbolic place where, in 1990, the country's sovereignty was proclaimed. The event is considered a tribute to the fight for national rebirth and liberation from Soviet domination.

In front of the Presidency, speeches will be delivered by Maia Sandu and Ion Hadârcă, president of the '90 Parliament Association and former vice-president of the first democratically elected Parliament.

Organizers encourage participants to wear traditional shirts as a sign of respect for cultural identity.