Sympathizers of the Bloc of Communists and Socialists (BCS) organized a protest on Monday in front of the Constitutional Court building in Chisinau “in defense of the Moldovan language”, disagreeing with the bill passed last week in the first reading by the parliament, which provides that the phrase “Romanian language” will replace ” the Moldovan language” in all legislation of the Republic of Moldova, including the Constitution, reports Radio Moldova and Ştiri.md, reported by Agerpres.

The gathered crowd chanted “We are Moldovans!”, “We speak Moldovan!”, “Moldova, Moldovans, Moldovans!”. and “Respect the Constitution!”, quoted media reported.

“Someone is attacking what is sacred for every Moldovan in this country. They are trying to shove down our throats something other than what is in the Constitution,” socialist Vasile Bolea expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that all official documents of the Republic of Moldova will contain the words “native language” and “Moldovan language.” to be replaced by “Romanian language”, as stipulated by the new draft law already voted in the first reading.

“I don’t know who needs all these language manipulations, we are Moldovans,” added the communist leader Volodymyr Voronin, the former president of the republic.

Socialist deputy Vlad Betrancha stated that language changes in the Constitution, as well as in other documents, take place through a referendum, and not through the approval of an organic law.

“Sovereignty belongs to the people, simply put. A group of deputies, even a majority one, cannot decide for the entire people and cannot change the Constitution at will. If there is a desire to amend the Constitution, the citizens must be asked in a referendum, and this vote must be confirmed in the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova by two-thirds of the deputies. This is the law, and the law must be strictly respected,” said Batryncha.

In response, the President of the Commission on Legal Issues, Appointments and Immunities, Olesia Stamate, stated that the Supreme Court had already presented its position in 2013 regarding the language spoken in the Republic of Moldova. Then the Constitutional Court ruled that the official language is Romanian, not Moldovan.

Also, the spokeswoman of the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) Adriana Vlas said that “the socialists have found another tool for division and destabilization of the situation in the country – the language we speak.” The Romanian language is long-awaited in our society, and the parliamentary majority will firmly vote for this project in the second reading as well.

In all legislative acts of the Republic of Moldova, the phrase “Romanian language” must replace the phrase “Moldovan language”. Yes, the phrases “state language”, “state language” and “mother tongue” will also be replaced. The project, which provides for this, was voted in the first reading on March 2. Parliamentarians also propose to the paragraph “children about the basics of Latin spelling” from Article 13 of the Constitution.

The document also stipulates that the National Holiday “Our Language” should be called “Romanian Language”, reports Radio Moldova.

(article photo: ©Natanael Alfredo Nemanita Ginting|Dreamstime.com)