Liberation Day (Moldova)

In the post war period, Liberation Day was a public holiday celebrated in the Moldovan SSR. On 23 August 1969, during the 25th anniversary of the offensive, a Liberation Monument at the Academy of Sciences of Moldova was opened (having been renovated three times: in 1975, 2014 and 2019.[4]). In the neighboring Socialist Republic of Romania, Liberation Day was the main holiday of the state, growing in importance in the 70s.[5]

Since Independence, the holidays was for the most part neglected by pro-European Union governments and presidents. Major celebrations of the holiday took place under Presidents Vladimir Voronin and Igor Dodon, both of whom are considered to be russophiles. In 2006, the newly renovated Eternity Memorial Complex in Chisinau was opened on Liberation Day by Voronin.[6] Generally, wreaths are annually laid at the Eternity Memorial Complex[7] in Chisinau, during which the President of Moldova delivers a keynote address (sometimes delivered in both the Moldovan and Russian languages) and presides over a march past by the Honor Guard Company of the Moldovan National Army.[8]

The flag ceremony

In early 2019, Dodon declared the year to be dedicated to the operation's diamond jubilee (75th anniversary). As a result, he ordered the creation of a National Coordination Committee to plan national events and celebrations, including a potential state visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin[9] and the release of a movie entitled "Jassy-Kishinev Operation. Moldova’s History".[10] The actual day of the anniversary was attended by Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu[11] at the request of Moldovan Defence Minister Pavel Voicu.[12][13][14] During the national ceremony at the Capul de pod Șerpeni Memorial Complex, Shoigu ceremonially handed to Voicu the military flags of two all-Moldovan regiments who participated in the offensive (including the 14th Assault Engineering and Combat Brigade), which until that point, were kept at the Central Armed Forces Museum.[15] The visit was criticized by Prime minister Maia Sandu, who allowed the visit on the condition that no agreements are signed.[16][17] Shoigu also attended separate ceremony in Transnistria hosted by the Operational Group of Russian Forces.[18]

On 15 April 2020, Dodon ordered the postponement of the diamond jubilee Victory Day celebrations on 9 May, which included the Immortal Regiment march, to Liberation Day due to the coronavirus pandemic in Moldova.[19][20] A military parade on Great National Assembly Square was also planned for 24 August.[21]