Victims of totalitarian regimes commemorated in Chisinau

Chisinau, 23 August /MOLDPRES/- Moldova marks today the Day of remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes. This was declared a day of mourning by the Chisinau government.

In the morning, the state flag in front of the government building was blown up. The event was attended by government members and MPs. They kept a moment of silence in the memory of the victims of the totalitarian and authoritarian regimes. Subsequently, the ministers and MPs offered black ribbons to the participants.

Prime Minister Maia Sandu said that by recognizing and condemning crimes committed by totalitarian and authoritarian regimes and condemning crimes against humanity, the government wants to lay the foundation for a national reconciliation, based on the spirit of tolerance and mutual respect.

“Every family in Moldova suffered from totalitarian regimes. Every citizen of these lands has been personally harmed or has relatives who have been killed, deported, persecuted, sentenced to forced labor, left homeless. Let’s pretend that these atrocities did not exist, it means not only to deny the history and tragic truth of those times, but also to risk those bad things to recur. Political interests should not be the basis of the analysis of historical truth. And the historical truth is that all totalitarian regimes must be treated equally. We want the citizens of the Republic of Moldova to live in peace and harmony. The government dissociates itself from the harmful practices of dividing society and deepening existing divergences. We want this day to be a beginning for the unification of society around compassion and understanding ” the premier said.

The decision on the Day of remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes was approved by the government on 21 August and entered into force today, with publication in the Official Journal of Moldova.

On September 23, 2008, the European Parliament adopted a declaration proclaiming August 23 as the European Day of Remembrance for the victims of Stalinism and Nazism. On April 2, 2009, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution on European conscience and totalitarianism, condemning crimes against humanity and serious human rights violations committed by all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes.

The European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Totalitarian Regimes was officially marked, for the first time, in 2011, in Warsaw, Poland.