Activists urge Moldova to relocate Soviet-era symbols
Activists, historians, and students marched through Chisinau to demand the transfer of Soviet-era monuments from public spaces into dedicated museums. The demonstration started at the Monument to Komsomol Heroes and concluded at the Ministry of Culture, where organizers submitted a formal position paper.
Demonstrators argued that preserving these symbols in public squares glorifies an oppressive past rather than contextualizing history.
"Over 35 years since declaring independence, Moldova should have shed this Soviet legacy," historian Anatol Petrencu said. He emphasized that ideological monuments contradict the nation's strategic goal of European Union integration.
Tensions and institutional responses
Historian Anatol Taranu added that continuing to honor the occupation era keeps the country economically and socially lagging. The march faced a brief disruption when a counter-protester confronted the crowd, shouting anti-Romanian slogans before being bypassed by participants.
Civil society representatives clarified they do not support destroying the artifacts. Silviu Plopa, president of the Bessarabian Students' League, advocated for an open-air park similar to Poland’s historical preservation models or the existing communist museum space in Ialoveni.
The Ministry of Culture expressed willingness to address the request within legal boundaries. State Secretary Corneliu Cirimpei noted that formal relocation procedures must originate from first- and second-tier local public authorities holding ownership of the land.
Currently, ten public monuments fall directly under the ministry's oversight, five of which are located in the capital.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
