Parliament speaker says Moldova has moral duty for tricolour to be hoisted in Brussels

Chisinau, 27 April /MOLDPRES/ - The parliament today marks the State Flag Day by a string of actions titled ”The 25th Anniversary of Tricolour”. Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu came up with the initiative, the parliament’s communication and public relations department has reported.

Early in the morning, the parliament convened at a solemn meeting dedicated to the 25th anniversary of tricolour's designation as State Flag. Attending the event were President Nicolae Timofti, Prime Minister Chiril Gaburici, first Moldovan President Mircea Snegur, ministers, diplomats, MPs of the first parliament, representatives of the central public authorities and clergy.

In a speech given at the meeting, Candu underlined that the tricolour was a defining symbol of our identity in the history and represented the respectable past, living present and promising future.

”For our children, we have the moral duty that, in a predictable future, the Moldovan tricolour be found in Brussels, hoisted in the heart of Europe, where distinct nations, which share the same ideals and common values, live together harmoniously. Now, we have the obligation to speed up political processes and not miss the friendly conjuncture emerged once the Association Agreement ratified – to build up a modern and European country,” Andrian Candu said.

Candu urged the authorities to join efforts, so that the tricolour unites all Moldovan citizens, regardless of the ethnic group or to be at home all over Moldova. ”We need peace and stability in order to build a common European path for everybody who lives in and love this country, no matter the ethnic group and place of residence – in Briceni or Balti, Cahul or Comrat, in Tiraspol or in Tighina. Let’s respectably honour Moldova’s flag and become more united with our common values,” Andrian Candu said.

In his speech, Nicolae Timofti highlighted that the tricolour symbolised the past, present and future of Moldova, by mirroring its democratic principles and historic tradition. ”I am confident that under the colour of tricolour we one day will mark the event of our return to the European space. Honour the Tricolour!,” Nicolae Timofti said.

Moldova’s first president Mircea Snegur and ex-MP in the first parliament Mihai Cotorobai also spoke about the significance of the national symbols.

In the meeting’s opening, soprano Ana Cernicova, accompanied by the Presidential Orchestra, sang the national anthem and two children read poems about the tricolour. At the same time, the MPs and guests watched a documentary about the history of tricolour.

The schedule of actions started with the Tricolour’s Dance. About 80 young people, students of the National College of Choreography, dressed in national costumes, danced a hora outside the parliament, in the presence of Moldova’s leadership and guests.

At the same time, an exhibition of flags, due to be opened for public on 27-30 April, at 14.00-16.00, was inaugurated in the parliament’s hall. The 40 exhibits are owned by collector Petru Costin.

Today evening, the Presidential Orchestra will perform on the square of the parliament at 19.00 and the Chisinau Youth Orchestra will perform at 20.00. The public will also watch a light show for the first time ever. The parliament’s building will be lighted in tricolored colours. 

The State Flag Day was established on 23 April 2010. The MPs of the first democratically-elected parliament officialised the tricolour as State Flag on 27 April 1990.

(Editor M. Jantovan)