- Title: MOLDOVA-RALLY/ROMANIA Thousands of Moldovans rally for reuniting with Romania
- Date: 6th July 2015
- Summary: CHISINAU, MOLDOVA (JULY 5, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WITH ROMANIAN FLAGS ON SQUARE
- Embargoed: 21st July 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVABO8NIUDKNSZ6TMJ69QHAJ72FP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of Moldovans rallied on Sunday (July 5) in the capital Chisinau demanding unification of their country with neighbouring Romania, whose language and culture it broadly shares.
People chanted for 'unity' and waved Romanian tricolours of blue, yellow and red on the capital's main square as they demanded the authorities do everything for the European future of their country.
"I want us to have confidence in the future, which can be given to us with EU and NATO membership, not with dependance from (Russian President) Vladimir Putin," representative of National Unity Block Constantin Coderanu told the crowd.
Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries with population of 3 million, has been divided since the fall of the Soviet Union between factions that are broadly pro-European and pro-Russian, with both sides accusing each other of corruption during their periods in power.
The country has witnessed several major protest rallies during the last months as people are protesting against corruption and policies of the current government.
The rally on Sunday brought together people of all ages. Many of them see unification with Romania as a way to prosperity.
"We came to demand unification for us to live better, to kick bandits out of our country. We have tiny pensions. I get 416 leys (about 20 USD). It is very difficult to survive with it. They should be ashamed," protester Maria Buga said.
Moldova - which also called Bessarabia after a historic region which also includes some territories of Ukraine - was a part of Russian Empire but proclaimed independence in 1917 and became a part of Romania in 1918. In 1924, the territories of Bessarabia became part of Ukrainian and Moldovan Soviet republics.
"The only message we try to convey is that Chisinau is ready to demand unification. We demand unification with this march and it should happen as soon as possible," Chairman of Youth of Moldova movement, Anatol Ursu, said.
"We want to bring to the attention of the whole Romanian nation that Bessarabians want unification, they want reuniting with their motherland. We want Romania to be united and all our people to live in the same country," another protester, Sergiu Lascu, said.
After rallying on Chisinau central square some of the protesters marched to Russian embassy. They were heard chanting 'Russia, do not forget, Bessarabia is not yours' and 'Russian army go away!'
One of the obstacles for Moldova to move faster towards West is a so-called frozen conflict with its breakaway republic of Transdniestria - a ragged strip of land in central Europe running almost the length of Moldova's eastern border with Ukraine'.
The Russian-speakers of Transdniestria seceded from Moldova in 1990, one year before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, amid fears that Moldova would shortly merge with neighbouring Romania. The separatist region fought a brief war with Moldova in 1992 and it declared itself an independent state, but it remains unrecognized by any country, including Russia. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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