The Moldovan Parliament approved on first reading the change of the official language from Moldovan to Romanian, in a move that risks escalating tensions with the pro-Russian part of the country. The controversial reform, voted on by 56 lawmakers at the first reading, stemmed from the Constitutional Court’s need to amend the country’s fundamental statutes in accordance with what was requested by an old decision of 5 December 2013. Moldova’s name is Romanian.
The bill also drew harsh criticism from the opposition bloc of Communists and Socialists, who tried to hinder the work of the Assembly by carrying placards and banners such as “Don’t mock the Constitution” and “Moldova, Moldovans”. , Moldovans”. Moldovan and Romanian are practically the same language, but the reform has a very strong symbolic value for part of the population. “Everyone in Chisinau (capital, ed) knows and accepts that the language spoken, including politicians, is Romanian, denying that it is in everyone’s interest,” wrote Viktor Mosneag, editor of the main Moldovan newspaper Ziarul de Garda.
The Constitution specifies that constitutional amendments can be passed by two-thirds of the 101 deputies, but the majority argues that in this case the question will not be a fundamental statute change but a technical vote to bring the Constitution into conformity with the Constitution. Constitutional decision of the court. They also underline that the rule is still de facto still valid, but there is a formal obligation to change all legislative acts according to the Constitutional Court decision.
The country, which was part of the Soviet Union until 1991, has a large number of pro-Russians, and more than half of the 2 million Moldovans speak Russian, and despite the recent law many official certificates are still bilingual, Romanian and Russian. President Maia Sandu banned the Cyrillic script in ministries. Their fear is that pro-Europeans aim to unite with Romania, which, among other things, will guarantee access to the European Union, where the country has been an official candidate since last June.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
