Union Council suggests instituting Mourning Day on May 16

The Union Council proposes instituting a national Mourning Day on May 16 in the context of the commemoration of 200 years of the dismemberment of the Country of Moldova by the Russian Empire in 1812 and of the victims of occupation. In a news conference on Wednesday, members of the Council said that they make this recommendation to the Government of Moldova, Info-Prim Neo reports. The Union Council said that the state flag on this day should be flown at half mast in all the settlements and a minute’s silence should be observed as a gesture of compassion for the victims of the tsarist occupation. The Council drew up a plan of action for this day. Iulia Deleu, the head of the Foundation “Law and Democracy” and a member of the Council, said they suggest holding different commemoration activities. “A service should be held at the Church to remember the victims of those events. The Chisinau City Hall should stage a commemoration meeting, while the museums should mount exhibitions of historical documents on the Russian-Turkish war and its consequences. Reports related to the event should be broadcast on radio stations and TV channels, while all the education institutions should organize patriotic education classes,” said Iulia Deleu. Gheorghe Vita, the chairman of the Union of Romanians from Bessarabia, Northern Bucovina and Hertza Region and co-chairman of the Union Council, said that the local public authorities should work out their own action plans for this day and the media outlets should cover these activities. “The activities can be financed from the budget allocations approved for 2012,” he stated. The Council is waiting for an answer from the Government within the legal term of 30 days. A march involving over 10,000 participants will be staged on May 13 along the Embassies of Russia and Turkey. There will be also organized a concert with singers from Romania. The Union Council says that this is the first initiative and the Governments of Moldova and Romania are given the chance to show their positions on the events of May 1812.