Sovereignty Day: 36 years since act that opened Moldova’s path to independence

The Republic of Moldova is celebrating Sovereignty Day today. On June 23, 1990, the deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the Moldavian SSR adopted the Declaration of Sovereignty. The document represented one of the most important steps in the process of breaking away from the Soviet system and proclaiming Independence in 1991.

"On June 23 we celebrate Sovereignty Day, the day when, 36 years ago, our people declared their desire to be free to decide their own future and changed the destiny of their country forever. Thanks to that courageous decision, today we can forge our own path – the European one. United, under the tricolor, for Moldova," wrote Speaker Igor Grosu on his Facebook page.

On Sovereignty Day, Daniel Vodă, an associate expert at the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE), issued an appeal to the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova to adopt a political declaration requesting the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from the country’s territory. Vodă recalled that the document approved by the legislature on June 23, 1990 enshrined the principle according to which "Moldova is a unitary and indivisible state."

"There was still a year to go until independence. Almost a year and eight months until the Moldovan-Russian war. That is why, as every year, I propose that on Sovereignty Day the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova adopt the same political declaration: the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from the country’s territory. It is the most reliable test for those who say they support the state of the Republic of Moldova. Because ordinary people, at the grassroots level, understand very well: sovereignty means not having Russian soldiers at home," said Daniel Vodă.

Historians point out that the proclamation of sovereignty took place during a period of profound transformations in the former Soviet space, when several republics were claiming the right to decide their political future independently. In this context, the Republic of Moldova joined the process of consolidating its political and institutional autonomy. The Declaration of Sovereignty established the priority of republican legislation over union legislation and laid the foundations for its own citizenship.

At the same time, the document recognized the Republic of Moldova’s right to develop diplomatic relations with states around the world and to promote its interests internationally. The act adopted on June 23, 1990 reaffirmed the unitary and indivisible character of the state and highlighted its commitment to peace, security, and international cooperation. It also declared the republic’s natural resources, national heritage, and economic potential to be the exclusive property of the state.

The Declaration of Sovereignty served as the foundation for drafting a new Constitution and for developing the country’s legislative framework. The document was approved almost unanimously, with only one abstention recorded. A year later, on the first anniversary of the proclamation of sovereignty, the first series of postage stamps featuring the symbols of statehood was issued in Chișinău.