CHISINAU (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th May, 2023) Opponents of the cancellation of Victory Day in Moldova on Thursday are holding a picket outside the parliament building in Chisinau ahead of a discussion of the initiative at the level of commissions and lawmakers, a Sputnik correspondent reported.
On Wednesday, Moldova's ruling Party of Action and Solidarity registered an initiative in parliament to rename Victory Day as the Day of Remembrance of the Fallen Soldiers of World War II, which is expected to be celebrated on May 8. The discussion of the initiative was included in the working agenda of a parliamentary session on May 25.
On Thursday morning, a spontaneous picket by opponents of the initiative gathered in front of the parliament building with posters saying "May 9 is Victory Day" and a copy of the Victory Banner.
On May 9, Victory Day was celebrated in former Soviet countries including in 500 Moldovan cities and towns where 43,000 people took part in the events, the police said. According to Moldovan opposition estimates, no less than 100,000 people took part in the celebrations in Chisinau alone, and nearly 30,000 more could not reach the Moldovan capital because police turned back cars heading for the city.
In April 2022, Moldova banned the wearing of the St. George's ribbon, as well as the display of the letters "V" and "Z," which have become the symbols of the ongoing Russian military operation in Ukraine. For wearing these symbols, individuals risk being fined $250-500; officials could be fined $500-1000, and organizations $1,000-1,670. The ban on wearing the St. George's ribbon has been criticized by the Moldovan opposition.
About 400,000 troops from Moldova fought in the Red Army, and 19 of them became Heroes of the Soviet Union.
