Today marks 107 years since the Union of Bessarabia with Romania. The vote of the Council of State in Chisinau on March 27, 1918 opened the process of the Great Union, which was finalized with the Great Assembly of Alba Iulia on December 1, 1918, when Romanians from Transylvania, Banat, Maramureș and Crisana decided to unite with the country, laying the foundations for the modern Romanian state.
The unification of Bessarabia, as it had been defined by the Tsarist administration in 1812, was preceded by the establishment of the Moldovan Democratic Republic at the end of 1917, first proclaiming its autonomy within the Russian Republic, then, after the October Revolution, its independence from Bolshevik Russia and, a few months later, on March 27/April 9, 1918, the union with the Kingdom of Romania.
Igor Botan, executive director of the Association for Participatory Democracy, emphasized during a debate with IPN that the "Great Union" was the historical process that united all the historical provinces inhabited by Romanians in 1918 into the same national state, called Romania.
Historian Ion Negrei says that the union of Bessarabia with Romania was a legitimate, internationally recognized and essential act for the stability of the region at the beginning of the 20th century. The position of the international community towards the Union of Bessarabia with Romania was officially expressed during the Paris Peace Conference of 1919-1920.
According to Ion Negrei, the Union of Bessarabia with Romania was not only of national but also of European importance, contributing to the security of the entire continent. The international recognition of the Union succeeded in averting the danger of the spread of Bolshevik Russia.
ADEPT Director Igor Botan says that in the current context, any developments between the Republic of Moldova and Romania must be based on respect for the rule of law and international treaties.
The expert points out that in the last 15 years the number of Moldovans who support the Union with Romania has increased three times. An important factor in this change is education. The history of Romanians is taught in Moldovan schools, which helps to strengthen a common identity. About a third of Moldovans also hold Romanian citizenship, giving them access to better economic and social opportunities in the European Union.
On the occasion of the anniversary, a monument to Queen Maria will be unveiled in the square of the "Gheorghe Asachi" High School in Chisinau. The inauguration will be attended by the delegation of the Romanian Senate's Committee on Culture and Media, led by its President Cristian-Augustin Niculescu-Tagararlas.
During the day, the delegation will participate in a series of official meetings with the Moldovan authorities. And a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova and the Ministry of Culture of Romania on cooperation in the field of theater arts, thus strengthening cultural relations between the two countries.
