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Commentary

History Binds Moldova And Romania

December 01, 2008

By Iurie Colesnic

The Republic of Moldova has appeared with this name on maps of Europe two times. The first time was December 2, 1917, when the National Council, the parliament of the time, declared the country's independence.

That republic's short life came to an end on March 27, 1918, when the same legislature voted to unite with Romania, in an act of historical justice. After all, on May 16, 1812, under the Treaty of Bucharest, Turkey gave Russia those parts of the territory of the Moldavian principality that were between the Prut and Nistru (Dniester) rivers, a region that came to be called Bessarabia. For the next 106 years, this territory, inhabited by Moldovans, remained part of the Russian Empire.

The collapse of that empire in February 1917 enabled the Moldovans of Bessarabia to renew their struggle for national independence. This occurred against the backdrop of a larger, complex process of making the transition from imperial thinking to nationalist consciousness. On April 3, 1917, the Moldavian National Party was formed and adopted a political program based on stages and actions necessary to secure national independence. These measures included education in the national language (Romanian), church services in the national language, the formation of a national army, the creation of a university, and -- of course -- setting up a parliament and executive government.

The party arranged national congresses around the points of this program. Clergy met in April 1917, educators in May, and peasants and small-business people later. But the main congress, which determined the fate of the region was held on October 20-28, 1917. This was the Congress of Moldavian Military Personnel, which adopted statements on all key points and ordered the new commission on the creation of the National Council to prepare all necessary documents and gather delegates by November 20, 1917. At the first official session, on November 21, 1917, the council selected Ion Inculet as chairman and secretary. As an example of the region's progressive democracy, the new legislature included two women -- Elena Alistar and Nadejda Grinfeld.

The Bessarabian Regional Court upheld the legitimacy of the National Council, meaning that its decisions had the power of law. Despite the efforts of the Soviet authorities beginning in 1917 (and continuing with those of contemporary communists in Moldova), unification with Romania became a fact on March 27, 1918.

Two States, One Nation?

The unification was based on 11 conditions that deputies felt were necessary to underscore the autonomous characteristics that had to be acknowledged in the process of joining Romania. However, on November 27, 1918, it became clear that Bucovina, and later Transylvania (Ardeal), would unite with Romania as well, and politicians in Bessarabia came to see that the 11 conditions could prevent the region from establishing a normal existence within Romania and so all 11 were annulled.

From the legal point of view, however, the short-lived republic passed through all the stages of forming an independent state: the democratic republic of December 2, 1917, the independent republic of January 28, 1918, and the March 27 unification decision. As a result, the Paris Peace Conference acknowledged the legitimacy of the unification itself.

Soviet Russia, however, continued to try by all means to deny its legitimacy, despite numerous rounds of negotiations. But all that ended on June 28, 1940, with the infamous Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. The Soviet Union occupied all Romanian territory between the Nistru and the Prut, and it wasn't until the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union that a Republic of Moldova once again appeared on maps of Europe.

And what are the relations between Moldova and Romania today? Incomprehensible. The Communists controlling the government in Moldova do not recognize the historical community of the peoples in these two states. They reject the two-states-one-nation formula of Romanian President Traian Basescu and try to prove that Romanians on the right bank of the Prut have noting in common with the Moldovan-Romanians on the left bank -- ignoring the linguistic, cultural, historical, and even territorial ties linking them.

They are attempting to artificially construct a unique nation in order to base a political platform upon it. But relations between Romania and Moldova must be fraternal -- this is the way it was in the past and it is the way it will be in the future. Efforts to struggle against this tide are doomed to fail.

Iurie Colesnic is a writer, filmmaker, publisher, and historian based in Chisinau. The views expressed in this commentary are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL

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Comments 1-3 (of 3)

by: Draghici Ionut from: Romania

March 30, 2009 17:01

Martin Bright , another ''moldavian communist'' with a cool British name.
For a ''British'' you know a lot of things about Romania plans :) strange ...
A history lesson for you:
The people from the principality of Moldova (1359 until 1812) were not moldovans but they were Valachians.
The great prince of Moldova Stephan the Great was Vlad the Impaler,Dracula or Dracul(in Romanian)cousin , Vlad was the prince of walachia(Valahia)
BTW Vlach or Vlah is a person that speaks a latin language in some slavic languages it means Italian, you see our country was councered by the Romans in 107 and we are Dacians mixt with Romans.
And another thing,Voronin the president of the republic is Romanian but he changed his name,his father fight against the Russians and some of his family lives in Romania.
I can write more but is usles to teach history to people like Martin.
Sorry for my english.

by: Martin Bright

February 10, 2009 00:40

Well, as I put in another comment, it will be like the german and austrian or german speaking swiss question: up until 1945 the german nationalists fight for Anshchluss, and now we know what the consecuences were of that great Germany dream. So, the rumanian politicians (and the western ones) thinking about Romania eating Moldova, must think twice.
After all, its up to the moldovan people to choice if they think of themselves as a different nation-related to but separate from romanians (as austrian or swiss germans do); or if they think of themselves as romanians and seek a reunification with Romania. As far as RFE/RL put things, most of the moldovans think of themselves as moldovans and not as romanians-but an urban elite that wants Anshchluss.
We, europeans, must left the question up to the moldovans, and offer them our help and support whatever choice they do. And reject the neocon`s great Romania plans

by: MaGioZal from: São Paulo - Brazil

December 10, 2008 14:15

The Communists controlling the government in Moldova, including the current president, are in great part ethnic Slavs that formed the political elite of Moldavia since the consolidation of Stalin’s plan. That’s why they don’t see proximity with Romania as a good thing.

Comments 1-3 (of 3)