CHISINAU, September 01, /ITAR-TASS/. The mayor of Chisinau, Dorin Chirtoaca, suggested removing all WWII monument to Soviet soldiers in Moldova in order to step up the country’s integration with the European Union.
Chirtoaca was very impressed by his recent trip to Estonia where he had met Prime Minister Taavi Roivas of the Estonian Reform Party.
“Estonia restored the right state of things after it had relocated the Bronze Soldier monument from the city center to the periphery. If Moldova follows suit, we are going to become full-fledged European citizens in 10, 15, 20 or 25 years from now,” Chirtoaca said.
Last week, Moldova marked the 70th anniversary of the country’s liberation from fascist occupiers. Along with Victory Day, this is one of the most honored holidays in Moldova. Hundreds of thousands of people come to WWII monuments to pay tribute to Soviet soldiers. About 80% of more than 500 WWII monuments in Moldova need renovation.
“The governments of Moscow and St. Petersburg as well as administrations of Omsk, Tyumen and other Russian regions are helping Moldova to restore the monuments,” Farit Mukhametshin, Russia’s ambassador to Chisinau, told Itar-Tass.
He said Moldova had undertaken a commitment to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Victory and renovate WWII monuments in its territory at the CIS summit in 2012.
“Unfortunately, some Moldovan politicians call liberators ‘occupiers’ and are trying to declare a war on monuments to Soviet soldiers and officers in Moldova. It would never occur to the German government to disturb the graves of Soviet soldiers in Berlin’s Treptov Park. It is good that Europeans whom we like to cite as examples respect our veterans,” Vadim Mishin, the head of the parliamentary commission for national minorities, said.
He called on Moldovan deputies and politicians to respect the memory of their fathers and forefathers.