Bessarabia Joined Romania 97 Years Ago
The 97th anniversary of Bessarabia's union with Romania was accompanied by rich celebrations, including official visits and concerts.
Bogdan Matei, 27.03.2015, 13:38
On March the 27th, 1918, towards the end of World War I, amid the chaos triggered by the collapse of the Tsarist Empire and by the Bolshevik revolution, the legislative body in Chisinau decided Bessarabia, a province with a predominantly Romanian-speaking population held under Russian occupation for more than a century, should join the Kingdom of Romania. The province was part of Greater Romania for only 22 years.
In the summer of 1940, Bessarabia was once again annexed by Moscow, further to an ultimatum by Soviet dictator Stalin. Another half a century of Russian occupation followed, a lot more burdening under the Bolshevik regime than it had been under the Tsars. The north and south of Bessarabia were transferred to Soviet Ukraine. From the rest of the province, renamed The Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova, tens of thousands of people sought refuge in Romania. Other thousands of people, viewed as undesirable, were deported to Siberia or Kazakhstan. To replace them, the Soviets brought in colonists from elsewhere in the communist empire.
On August 27th, 1991, when, after the failed neo-communist coup in Moscow, Chisinau proclaimed its independence, the ethnic Romanians only accounted for two-thirds of Moldova’s population. Bucharest was the first capital in the world to recognise the new state, on the very same day it proclaimed its independence. By virtue of their shared language, history and culture, Romania was the most reliable and active advocate for Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial independence, constantly threatened by Moscow’s interference and the pro-Russian secessionism in Transdniester. Romania’s support for Moldova and its European aspirations was reiterated on Thursday by President Klaus Iohannis, PM Victor Ponta, Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu, in the meetings in Bucharest with the Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament Andrian Candu. In turn, the latter stated:
“Moldova’s EU accession and integration is an irreversible and undeniable process, it is the only possible solution. It is the strong wish of the citizens of Moldova to become members of the European Union, together with Romania, and we count on the support of Romania, its Government, its Parliament, to be able to step up this irreversible process.”
In power since 2009, Moldova’s current pro-European administration last year signed association and free trade agreements with Brussels, and it hopes to join the EU in 2020.
