Moldovan president attends ceremony dedicated to 28th anniversary of Soviet troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan
15:06 | 15.02.2017 Category: Official
Chisinau, 15 February /MOLDPRES/ - President Igor Dodon today participated in a ceremony dedicated to the 28th anniversary of the Soviet troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan, the presidential press service has reported.
At the ceremony, the head of state gave the following speech:
“Dear veterans,
Today, 15 February, we mark the 28th anniversary of the Soviet troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan. We want to pay homage to all those who participated in this conflict. In the ten years of conflict, about 12,500 of all those more than 600,000 soldiers and officers of the Soviet Army were our fellow countrymen, of whom over 300 ones paid the commitment assumed with their own lives.
I want to stress my deep confidence that the political speculations on the concerned subject must be stopped, and the present and next generations should respect the heroes who took part in the Afghanistan war. You, the veterans of this conflict, along with your fellows from the other union republics, fulfilled your military duty with honour.
Many of you were at the basis of the creation of the Armed Forces and the structures ensuring the national security, bringing a decisive contribution to the strengthening of our statehood. One of the constant concerns of all of us must be the cultivation of patriotism, devotion, courage, resoluteness, and you represent an example in this respect.
In the 25 years of Moldova’s independence, in the time interval 1992-2017, only 31 participants in the Afghanistan war were awarded orders and medals, despite the fact that the number of those deserving this is much larger. I propose that we today start a good tradition, according to which, on this day annually, the country’s President will sign decrees on awarding participants in the Afghanistan war.
Observing the proposal by the Union of the Afghanistan War Veterans, today I signed the decree on awarding the medal “Meritul Civic” (Civil Merit) to a number of six veterans for special merits.
Each participant in the combat actions, each family deserves increased attention on behalf of the State and we will insist on this fact, including on ensuring proper social guarantees to these persons.
Dear veterans of the Afghanistan war! I address you words of gratitude and recognition for the heroism and self-sacrifice you proved within the international mission; I wish you long life, health, welfare and much success.
Moldova is proud of you!”