About the Republic of Moldova on its Independence Day

Romanian Prime minister Victor Ponta is paying a significant visit to Chisinau, 22 years after the Republic of Moldova broke away from the USSR.

Valentin Țigău, 27.08.2013, 15:35

On August 27th 1991, the National Assembly in the former Soviet Republic of Moldova imposed on the Parliament in Chisinau the voting of the Declaration of Independence from the USSR and the adoption of the song “Awaken, Romanians” as the national anthem, the same as that of neighboring Romania. The Declaration proclaimed “a sovereign, independent and democratic state, free to decide its present and future, with no outside interference, in keeping with the sacred ideals and aspirations of the people in the historical and ethnic area of its national evolution”.

Moreover, it called on Moscow to start negotiations on the withdrawal of the Soviet troops from the territory of the Republic of Moldova. 22 years since that act which withdrew the former Romanian historical province of Bessarabia with a predominantly Romanian-speaking population from under Russian and Soviet administration, on Monday and Tuesday, Romanian Prime Minister, Victor Ponta paid a significant visit to Chisinau.

During the visit, Victor Ponta and his Moldovan counterpart, Iurie Leanca assessed a number of joint projects designed to deepen Moldova’s relationship with Romania. One of the projects is the building of the cross border gas pipeline from Iasi, Romania to Ungheni, the Republic of Moldova. The project is said to prove Romania’s role as a crucial partner of the Republic of Moldova in its efforts for European integration, in terms of its effective integration into the European space included.

Also, the dispute from the time of the communist rule in Chisinau when the Romanian TV could no longer broadcast its programmes in the Republic of Moldova will urgently be settled. “I think, Prime Minister Ponta said, that the settlement of that dispute will facilitate a better communication and information, with the observance of the freedom of the press and the freedom of expression.” The Romanian Prime Minister’s visit to Chisinau can also be regarded as a gesture of encouragement for the Moldovan democratic government which expects to sign the Association Agreement with the EU at the Vilnius summit of the EU Eastern partnership due in November, which will fundamentally strengthen the current pro-European undertaking of Moldova.

By and large, the relationship between Romania and the Republic of Moldova is at an unprecedented level, as a release of the Romanian government says. There is an extremely dense and active political dialogue and an open, result-based approach to concrete cooperation. “Bucharest assists Moldova in complying with its commitments towards the EU and at a wider level for its measuring up to the European standards”, the release says.