In the Republic of Moldova, where half the population wants to join the European Union and the other half the Eurasian Union, where the number of supporters of the union with Romania is increasing, but that of the USSR nostalgics does not seem to decrease, where unionist marches would still end in confrontations a few years ago, May 9th could not but be a new bone of contention for politicians, and also a reason for debate in society, especially since much of that society was educated in the Soviet spirit of the significance of this date.
Chișinău, Russian city, or Bessarabia, Romanian land?
The name of the state language in the Republic of Moldova has been a controversial issue for almost three decades, after the 1994 Constitution established the name "Moldovan language". In fact, most citizens prefer to call it that, as they learned in the Soviet period, and some of them, Russian speakers, do not even speak it at all.
However, the name of the language is by no means the only issue that keeps triggering disputes in the Republic of Moldova. Identity, history, different values are regular topics to argue about. June 28th, 1940 is marked by some as the beginning of the Soviet occupation, by others as the "Liberation Day." In Chișinău, no one would be surprised to see next to a graffiti reading "Bessarabia, Romanian land" or "Bessarabia is Romania" the Russian inscription „Кишинев русский город” (Chișinău - Russian city). A few years ago, unionist marches would trigger confrontations in Chișinău and Bălți.
According to a poll, in 2018, 49% of the respondents regretted the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and 40% would have voted for its restoration. At the same time, according to recent sociological research , about 35% would vote for the union with Romania. The number of unionists has been increasing in recent years, but at the same time the number of USSR nostalgics does not seem to be declining, even though the number of people who actually lived in the USSR has been going down considerably.
It would be no surprise if there were citizens who would select both options, considering that either of them would be better than the poverty and uncertainty they face in their country now.
The “holy” Soviet holidays
February 23 was Army Day in the USSR, basically a men’s celebration, given that most of them were obliged to do military service and it was a disgrace to avoid that "duty to the fatherland", even if they would do so for health reasons. This day continues to be celebrated even today, including by young people who were born after the dissolution of the USSR and have never been in the army.
The Bolshevik Revolution of October 1917, marked on November 7, was celebrated in Chișinău until the early 2010s, which also marked the loss of power by the Communist Party that had dominated the previous decade. The communists would also mark April 22nd and January 21st (Vladimir Lenin's birthday and death day respectively) in a festive setting. It was also on April 22nd, amid applauses by pioneers wearing red scarves, that the former President of the Republic of Moldova, Igor Dodon, officially received the membership card of the Communist Party, a party he would later leave, however, to take over the leadership of the Party of Socialists, with a similar doctrine, promoter of the Soviet legacy, Moldovanism and close ties with Moscow.
March 8th, May 1st and May 9th are still “red letter” holidays in the Republic of Moldova. This means that a newsstand saleswoman has every moral right to reprimand a male customer if he buys the paper on March 8th without congratulating her first. And May 9th has a very special significance.
May 9th and the mythology of the Great War for the Defense of the Fatherland
May 9th was celebrated in the former USSR as Victory Day, marking the end of World War II, even though officially the war ended with the capitulation of Japan on September 2, 1945. In Europe, the war ended on May 8th, when Nazi Germany capitulated, except that it was already May 9th in Moscow. The USSR had both its own end of the war and start: few Soviet citizens knew that the Second World War broke out in 1939, when the USSR took part in the partition of Poland, and later occupied the Baltic states, the Romanian territories of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina and part of Finland. In the USSR, however, people knew that World War II started with the Nazi invasion of June 22nd, 1941, and many Russians, as well as citizens of other former Soviet republics, including Moldova, still believe this.
The USSR suffered the greatest human losses in World War II, estimated at 25 million dead, so initially, May 9th was more of a day of mourning. Later, against the background of the Cold War, the holiday became a reason to show off the strength of the Soviet Union, with millions of people mobilized in Moscow’s Red Square and in every town across the USSR to attend parades of troops and military equipment, just like those that can still be seen in Moscow and Minsk or, outside the former Soviet Union, in Pyongyang.
In the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, May 9th enjoyed the same importance as in the rest of the USSR. There was no town, no matter how small, without a monument to Soviet heroes and where all children, irrespective of age, all state employees and kolkhozers would participate in an organized parade on May 9th, led by marching bands, wearing balloons, lilac or tulips and red flags. Those who were unjustifiably absent from such events risked being penalized.
Soviet cinematography, literature and education would glorify the Red Army bravery, the professionalism of military leaders, the resistance of the civilian population (partisans), presenting the USSR as practically the only country that faced Nazi Germany.
Today, for many who lived those times, in addition to childhood or youth nostalgia, May 9th is also associated with the feeling of victory, as they see themselves as descendants of the brave Soviet soldiers. And politicians have very well known how to use these feelings for their own benefit.
Post-Soviet May 9th in the Republic of Moldova. Red Army and Romanian Army veterans
After the proclamation of Independence in 1991, May 9th continued to be celebrated in the Republic of Moldova, and, during the communist governing (2001-2009), events returned to the pomp of the Soviet era. The day, however, has started to be marked by controversy.Even during the communist governing, the former liberal mayor of Chișinău, Dorin Chirtoacă, tried to put on an equal footing the veterans who fought in the Soviet army and those who fought in the Romanian army. In the year of occupation between June 28th, 1940 and June 22nd, 1941, the Soviets had mobilized men fit for battle, and Romania did the same once Bessarabia returned under its control; the press even wrote about cases of Bessarabians who fought in both armies. During the Soviet period, nothing was said about the veterans of the Romanian army and, for reasons that are easy to understand, they’d rather hide their past.Chirțoacă's decision was criticized by left-wing politicians, and in 2015, during debates in Parliament on a legislative initiative, Igor Dodon called the Romanian army veterans "SS criminals”. Since 2010, May 9th has often been a reason for political disputes. The tone was set by the first pro-European alliance, which came to power a few months after the so-called "Twitter Revolution" of April 2009. Moscow was preparing to mark the 65th anniversary of the "Great Victory". The interim Liberal president Mihai Ghimpu initially refused to detach a military contingent to participate in the Red Square parade. After heated discussions within the Alliance for European Integration, the Moldovan soldiers went to Moscow, but Ghimpu refused to accompany them.Five years later, the then president, Nicolae Timofti, did not send soldiers to Moscow and he did not go either. Instead, in 2020, despite the Coronavirus pandemic, Timofti's successor, Igor Dodon, attended the parade that took place on June 24, and Moldovan soldiers also paraded in the Red Square.
Victory Day vs. Europe Day
The May 9th demonstrations in Chișinău triggered political disputes as well. The main reason for the quarrel between the political parties was the Great National Assembly Square - the largest open space in the center of Chișinău, which also has a symbolic value, because in the '90s large demonstrations were staged there that led to the proclamation of Independence on August 27th, 1991.At one point, the Liberal Party announced that it had reserved the GNAS, as well as several other locations in central Chișinău, for 100 years, around May 9th, so that Europe Day would be marked on that day. On the other hand, the Socialists announced that they had booked the GNAS on May 9 until 2025. However, in 2018 they allowed the Democratic Party to organize a concert there, to celebrate both Europe Day and Victory Day.In fact, also during the Democratic government, on May 9th, 2016, an exhibition of US military equipment was held in the GNAS, which triggered the pro-Russia parties’ dissatisfaction. And in 2017, a provision was officially introduced in the law, stipulating that May 9th marks both Victory Day and Europe Day.Mutual disputes, controversies and accusations over May 9th continue. The connotation of this day was a debate issue in last autumns’ presidential election campaign. Igor Dodon accused Maia Sandu that she was going to ban the marking of Victory Day on May 9th and replace it with Europe Day. Maia Sandu emerged victorious from the political confrontation and, at least in the first half of her term, has not "attacked" the significance of May 9th. Instead, the Socialists have drafted a legislative initiative that seeks to eliminate the celebration of Europe Day on May 9th, saying that it diminishes the significance of Victory Day.For this year too, the Socialists have announced a series of events dedicated to Victory Day, and the EU Delegation to Chișinău, as well as Member States' embassies will organize various Europe Day events, mostly cultural, throughout the month of May.
Politicians’ squabble, citizens’ joy
More than 75 years after the end of the Second World War in Europe, in the Republic of Moldova May 9th is still a reason for political quarrel, being viewed differently by different representatives of society. There is no official stand on this, and it all depends on the political context and who has the power. But whether they mark Europe Day or celebrate Victory Day, the citizens of the Republic of Moldova enjoy a day off on May 9th, just as they enjoy free days at Christmas, be it regular or old rite, on December 25th and January 7th respectively, regardless the Church they belong to.
