Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's EU delegate: Belgium categorically refused to touch Russian assets in its banks for fear of a Russian judicial backlash
Al Mayadeen's EU delegate: The European Union has failed to reach an agreement on the use of Russian assets frozen in Belgium
Trump: Will be seeing land action in Venezuela soon
Trump: first question to Xi will be fentanyl
Trump on reports of B1 bombers near Venezuela: Reports are not accurate
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The death toll from the airstrike that targeted the town of Arabsalim in South Lebanon has risen to two, in addition to four injuries
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: An Israeli airstrike targeted the town of Arabsalim
Putin on new sanctions against Russia: Russia's energy sector remains confident, though some losses are expected
Putin calls talk of supplying Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv an attempt at escalation
Putin says he discussed with Trump the impact of the situation with Russian oil supplies on global prices, including in the United States

Moldova officially recognizes Romanian as state language

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 22 Mar 2023 22:09
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

The change will come into force in all official documents, including the constitution.

  • x
  • Moldovan President Maia Sandu annnounces the signing of a law changing reference to the national language to Romanian at the Moldovan parliament, photographed on March 22, 2023. (Inquam Photos)
    Moldovan President Maia Sandu annnounces the signing of a law changing the reference to the national language from Moldavian to Romanian at the Moldovan parliament, photographed on March 22, 2023. (Inquam Photos)

Moldova's pro-Western President Maia Sandu said on Wednesday that she had signed a law replacing the reference of the country's official language from Moldovian to Romanian.

The change will come into force in all official documents, including the constitution.

This comes after the Moldovan Parliament voted by a majority on Thursday to pass the bill on changing the reference to the national language. 

⚡️The Parliament of Moldova renamed the state language to "Romanian".

The relevant bill was voted for without discussion. Voting lasted less than 2 minutes.

Channel 24 pic.twitter.com/hvR5kvlFXZ

— Malinda 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇵🇱🇨🇦🇮🇹🇦🇺🇬🇧🇬🇪🇩🇪🇸🇪 (@TreasChest) March 17, 2023

"Today I signed a law that confirms a historic and undeniable truth: the Romanian language is Moldova's state language," Sandu wrote on social media, noting that the decision to agree on this amendment could contribute to better consolidating the nation. 

"Those who have been telling us for decades that we, the citizens of Moldova, speak the 'Moldovan' language rather than Romanian have pursued only one goal, which is to divide us. It is because once you have divided the nation, it is easier to subdue and control it," the president stated.  

Related News

Simion seeks annulment of Romania’s election over fraud allegations

Telegram’s Durov says France sought to censor Romanian conservatives

Read more: Moldovans divided in half on country's possible accession to EU: Poll

The matter comes down to a political rivalry opposing pro-EU and pro-Russian groups. During the Soviet era, the designation "Moldovan" was the sole officially recognized reference for the language. Therefore, "Moldovan" has political connotations insofar as those who oppose the change are aligned with Russia, whereas the use of the referent "Romanian," on the other hand, is favored by those who support the country's integration into the EU and NATO. 

In 2003, the parliament passed a law ruling that Moldovan and Romanian are glottonyms for the same language.  

In 2013, the Constitutional Court of Moldova adopted a law defining Romanian as the country's state language, in accordance with the 1991 Moldovan Declaration of Independence. On the same note, the country's constitution employs the word "Moldovan" to refer to the country's official language.

Since late February, Moldovans have been protesting by the thousands against high inflation and fuel costs while demanding that Sandu resigns due to her monopolizing power in the country.

A TASS correspondent reported on March 13 that violent clashes between the police and protestors erupted in central Chisinau during which demonstrators were seen chanting against the increased authoritarian measures of the Moldovan government: "Away with dictatorship," "Away with Maaia Sandu".

Fifty-four protestors, including 21 minors, were detained for demonstrating “suspicious behavior” and holding “prohibited objects” [a penknife and a pepper-spray pellet were confiscated], according to Police reports.

Read more: Moldova not planning to discuss possible NATO accession

  • romania
  • Maia Sandu
  • Moldova

Most Read

From previous scenes of the Qassam Brigades targeting an Israeli D9 bulldozer with a Yassin 105 shell, east of Deir al-Balah. (Military Media of the Qassam Brigades)

US knew fatal Rafah blast cause was not Hamas op., says journalist

  • Politics
  • 20 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
A woman with her purchased groceries walks out from an underground market, in Beijing, Wednesday, August 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Global brands in China face pressure from rising local rivals

  • Economy
  • 17 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Palestinians walk through the destruction caused by the Israeli air and ground offensive in Gaza City, Thursday, October 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Politics

Unexploded ordnances in Gaza may take 30 yrs to clear, aid group says

Police stand guard before a press conference on the extradition of “Tren de Aragua” gang members from the United States, at the a high-security prison where they are being held in Santiago, Chile, Wednesday, October 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Esteban Félix)
Politics

US immigration policies shaped by false 'Venezuela gang' threats

Demonstrators march at a protest opposing "Operation Midway Blitz" and the presence of ICE, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, in Chicago (AP)
Politics

HRW slams federal agents use of excessive force in Illinois protests

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets with the Lebanese Prime Minister Nawwaf Salam ahead of a Cabinet meeting in the Presidential Palace, Baabda, Lebanon, October 23, 2025 (X/ @LBPresidency)
Politics

Lebanon OKs sea demarcation with Cyprus, restarts Block 8 exploration

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS