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
UKMTO says vessel reported a small craft colliding with it, attempting to collide with other vessels in the area
UKMTO says it received a report of an incident 80NM northwest of jebel Ali, UAE
Israeli Foreign Minister says 'Israel' fully endorses Trump plan for Gaza aid: Reuters
Iranian state media: The fourth round of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington has kicked off in Oman
Senior Israeli intelligence official: Contacts are underway between Syria and "Israel" to retrieve the body of the spy Eli Cohen
Reuters: US and Chinese officials met again in Geneva to resume trade talks
Al Mayadeen's envoy: The process of uranium enrichment is the main obstacle in the talks
Al Mayadeen's envoy to Muscat, quoting a source in the delegation engaging in the nuclear talks: If we see that the other party deviates from the agreed-upon frameworks, we will not continue the talks
Al Mayadeen's envoy to Muscat, quoting a source in the delegation engaging in the nuclear talks: Iran is ready to reassure all parties that its nuclear program will remain peaceful
Araghchi: Iran's position on its right to a nuclear program is firm, but we are ready for greater transparency and hope that the other side's approach will be clear

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

Nationalist Simion leads 1st round of Romania's presidential election

Romania reruns presidential election after annulment

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

Trump cut off contact with Netanyahu, senior Israeli official says

Trump cut off contact with Netanyahu: Israeli media

  • US & Canada
  • 9 May 2025
Pakistan downs an Indian jet and hits a military base in Kashmir escalation.

Pakistan downs 3 Indian jets, hits military base in Kashmir escalation

  • Politics
  • 7 May 2025
A Yemeni gunman walks past paintings depicting rockets and scenes in solidarity with Gaza, displayed on a roadside fence in Sanaa, Yemen, Monday, May 5, 2025 (AP)

Oman brokers US-Yemen ceasefire, Israelis in dark regarding deal

  • Politics
  • 6 May 2025
Saree

Yemeni Armed Forces target key Israeli sites, USS Truman

  • MENA
  • 7 May 2025

Coverage

All
Gaza prevails against genocide

Read Next

All
Lindsay Hoyle kept nearly 300 gifts as Commons Speaker
Politics

300 gifts later, Speaker Hoyle sparks questions on MPs gifts rules

Echoes of nuclear safety in the age of artificial super intelligence
Technology

AI firms urged to calculate catastrophe odds like Oppenheimer

UK Lawyers for Israel under fire over Gaza obesity remarks
Europe

Advocacy group slammed for calling Gaza starvation a fix for obesity

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., speaks with an officer demanding she be let into the ICE Detention office after the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Friday, May 9, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP)
Politics

Tensions escalate: DHS may arrest Congress members over ICE incident

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