VIDEO // Solemn meeting at Moldova's Presidency: 35 years of Independence, between memory of past and responsibility of present

Members of the first democratically elected parliament of Moldova today returned to the hall where, 35 years ago, they had voted the Declaration of Independence. In the space where, on August 27, 1991, one of the most important pages in the country’s history was written, the former MPs recalled the events that preceded the proclamation of Independence and shared their visions about the future of  Moldova. The solemn meeting was opened with the performance of the National Anthem of the Republic of Moldova and the Anthem of the European Union.

Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu delivered a speech to those present. The speaker paid tribute to the people who had contributed to the proclamation of the Independence of the Republic of Moldova. Igor Grosu emphasized that, over the 35 years of independence, the mission of politicians had not changed – they must listen to the voice of the people and act in accordance with the aspirations and expectations of the citizens.

“Thirty-five years ago, in this hall, history was written. This page in the history of our state was the major work of the 277 deputies who, at a turning point, had the courage and proudly signed for the independence of the Republic of Moldova. Why do I say turning point? Just a week earlier, the Soviet Union had been shaken by the attempted coup d’état in Moscow. Around us there was uncertainty. No one could know for sure what would follow. And those victories achieved by the national liberation movement in recent years – the return to the Latin script and the declaration of the Romanian language as the state language, the adoption of the flag and the declaration of sovereignty – were one step away from being banned again. But here, in this hall, the deputies of the First Parliament chose freedom and democracy.”

“Our role as politicians over these 35 years has not changed. It was and has remained the same: to listen to and fully respect the will of the people. This is what democracy means, and it is one of the greatest achievements we obtained together with independence. We had and have the honor to know people who wrote history,” said Igor Grosu.

President Maia Sandu paid tribute to the members of the National Liberation Movement, the deputies of the Parliament of Independence, the veterans of the Dniester war and all citizens who had contributed to the development of the state. At the same time, Maia Sandu stressed that the country’s independence must be protected every day and that European integration remains an essential objective for the future of the Republic of Moldova.

“In these days, we celebrate the courage of the deputies of the Parliament of Independence, who voted for the Declaration of Independence and voted many important laws and acts that made it possible to create and ensure the functioning of the state of the Republic of Moldova. In these days, we express our deep gratitude to the people who, with weapons in hand, defended the independence of the Republic of Moldova in the Transnistria war. And likewise, we celebrate the honest work of all citizens of the Republic of Moldova who, in these 35 years, have contributed to the development and consolidation of the state of the Republic of Moldova. Unfortunately, our independence is tested every day and, every day, it must be protected. To succeed, we must be united. To succeed, we must know our history and honor our heroes. To succeed, we must work together to shelter the Republic of Moldova within the European Union. And to succeed, above all, we need enthusiasm – the enthusiasm of the people who, in the 1990s, managed to get independence, to believe in the future of the Republic of Moldova and to work for this future. We thank the generation of the National Liberation Movement; we thank the deputies of the Parliament of Independence. Happy anniversary to you, happy anniversary to the Republic of Moldova!” declared Maia Sandu.

Among the guests, there were members of the Constitutional Court, representatives of state institutions, the diplomatic corps, the academic community, civil society, as well as religious denominations and veterans, former officials and representatives of the younger generations.

The president of the Public Association “Parliament of Independence”, deputy in the first Parliament and signatory of the Declaration of Independence, Alexandru Arseni, recalled the moments that preceded the proclamation of the independence of the Republic of Moldova, including the reaction of Parliament to the attempted coup d’état in Moscow in August 1991.

“At that time, on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, there were Soviet military units, and in Tiraspol there was the 14th Army, which extended towards the south and the Balkans. That is, a force. Measures were taken to ensure that these forces respected the will of the sovereign people. There was no conflict. An extraordinary session of Parliament was convened and, at the same time, the Great National Assembly was convened. The government instructed the local self-administration bodies to ensure the presence of plenipotentiary delegates. For three days, people came on foot to the Great National Assembly,” said Arseni.

The former deputy emphasized that, in legal and constitutional terms, independence implies liberation from occupation and a return to the status of freedom and sovereignty, and he referred to the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, which was denounced by the first Parliament.

The solemn meeting was moderated by Ioana Vatamanu-Margineanu, granddaughter of writer Ion Vatamanu and professor Ion Margineanu, both signatories of the Declaration of Independence.

During the meeting, a Book of Honor was opened, in which participants put down messages and reflections on the affirmation and consolidation of the independence of the Republic of Moldova over these 35 years.

An exhibition titled, The Memory of Independence, was also inaugurated, bringing together exhibits from the collections of the Museum, the Archive and the Library of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, as well as from the holdings of the National Archives Agency. A photo gallery is available showing the deputies of the first Parliament returning to the historic hall where, 35 years ago, they voted the Declaration of Independence.