The heroes killed in the Nistru armed conflict of the spring-summer of 1992 were commemorated on the Memory Day that is celebrated on March 2. After the religious service and the laying of flowers at the monument to ruler Stephan the Great, volunteers, service members and police officers went on a march to the Memorial Complex “Eternity” where they took part in a commemoration event, IPN reports.
Moldova’s first President Mircea Snegur said that with the passing of time we better realize the conditions of peace in which we live nowadays, but we cannot forget what we went through to ensure these conditions of peace. 27 years ago when Moldova declared its independence, separatists from Tiraspol, being politically, militarily and logically supported by radical and hostile circles from Moscow, started a real war on the Nistru River.
Mircea Snegur noted that the Republic of Moldova then didn’t have the necessary arsenal and could not cope with the forces of Russia’s 14th Army that on May 19 became directly involved in fighting, on the side of the separatists, arming these simultaneously. “I will always be grateful to you for those heroic deeds,” said Mircea Snegur, addressing the participants in the event.
Attending the event, Prime Minister Pavel Filip said the years that passed since the spring of 1992 left a deep and painful imprint on the hearts of the Moldovan people. Now hundreds of women still mourn for their sons, husbands and brothers killed in battle. The Premier said the price paid for Moldova’s freedom and independence was too high and the memory of the heroes killed in battle should be kept. The courage showed by those who took part in the war is a lesson of dignity we continue to learn today.
According to the presidential press service, President Igor Dodon keeps in memory those dramatic events of Moldova’s nation, but we should not remain hostage of those events. “The decades that passed show once again that these memories are definitely not sufficient for building a state and improving the quality of life. The continuous emigration of the inhabitants of Moldova that mainly takes place for social reasons is a proof of this,” said President Dodon.
A number of 300 combatants and more than 400 civilians were killed and several hundred people were injured in the war for defending the integrity and independence of the Republic of Moldova. The ceasefire agreement between Moldova and Russia was signed on July 21, 1992.
