Ash, cigarettes, playing cards, beer bottles – are just some of the items that are ” resting ” on the graves of heroes from the ” Graveyard of Honor “. Sold at auction in 2007, it remains the private property of a company with French capital. The owner gave up the idea of building on this land, but the remains are, for now, his property.

” Graveyard of Honor ” or ” Graveyard of Heroes ” remains an open problem for the authorities, but especially for those who honor the memory of heroes who died in battles. Destroyed, then sold, this historical monument, which, by law, should be protected by the state, is now struggling to return its status. While soldiers souls are hoping to find peace, authorities blame each other for the situation.

“Heroes Cemetery” sold for 70 million

Although only on 3rd of May, dozens of students and soldiers gathered to clean the ” Graveyard of Heroes “, already at the end of the same month, can be easily found empty beer bottles thrown across the cemetery, milk cartons, packages of cigarettes and playing cards. Summer has not yet stepped firmly, but at the ” Graveyard of Honor ” have already been baked barbecues, authors of the parties leaving traces of ashes, garbage and crumpled grass. Although the people living nearby claim that pass by just to get to the road and not to throw garbage, debris found on the territory proves otherwise. How long will this mess go on is a rhetorical question. Even authorities can not provide an answer, at least an evasive one, about the situation.

Over 1000 soldiers originating from six beligirante countries were buried in ” Graveyard of Heroes “. Over several centuries, however, they can not find peace. The cemetery dates back to the turn of the centuries XIX-XX and was arranged and maintained in exemplary order until after the Second World War, when the Soviet authorities destroyed it completely. Between 1961-2007, on this territory worked Phthisiology Institute of Pulmonology and Tuberculosis Hospital, and on 15th of October 2007, after a government decision, part of this land was sold at auction, for the amount of 70 million lei.

An act of vandalism

“Yes, it ‘s property, but this property is with remains”, is indignant historian Ion Negrei, who believes that the cemetery is subjected to “acts of vandalism. Is destroyed a monument of culture, destruction of historical memory”. Negrei believes that things are not coincidental and someone had put his shoulder to the situation. “This cemetery was destroyed intentionally. It is a cemetery with a history of over 100 years, where are buried heroes from several countries and it is very sad that a unique cemetery in Europe is in a deplorable situation”, says the historian. Moreover, over the years, the situation does not change, which seems dubious”. I feel that no one acts in any way. They investigate to the left – to the right, but nothing is done”, says Ion Negrei.

“Graveyard of Honor”, is now, private property of Ltd “Buiucani Real Estate Holding”, company with French capital. The owner, who did not know that is acquiring de facto, a cemetery, wanted to do more constructions on this territory. In 2013, was created a commission, by an order of the Prime Minister Leanca, which was to examine the problem and propose solutions. The Commission has tried, repeatedly, to contact the owner of this land, to talk with him and explained what is, in fact, his property.

Historical monument (un)protected by the state

Owner of Ltd ” Real Estate Holding Buiucani ” did not know what he was purchasing being sure he is buying an uninhabited land. “Before selling it, in one night, the hospital was demolished, everything was leveled. I read the document of sale, which wrote that the land had no constructions”, says Zoia Jalba, consultant in parliamentary documentation Department. After discussions, the owner agreed not to build anything on this land, and is even ready to give up the land under condition to be returned invested money or to be given another land in the center of Chisinau.

Although according to the Regulation on cemeteries, approved by Government Decision no. 1072 of October 22, 1998, section V (closure and liquidation of cemeteries), “cemeteries and burial sites that do not work, as well as the burial places of soldiers participating in various military actions are historical and cultural monuments”, and within these cemeteries ” is prohibited construction of various buildings or structures not related to their operation”, the act of sale seems to be legal. That’s because “are recognized as monuments only those objects that are entered in the register of monuments from Republic of Moldova protected by the State”. In this Register, however, “on address Chidinau, bd. Decebal, No.17, is not mentioned any monument protected by the state” according to the Public Property Agency under the Ministry of Economy.

The remains of heroes from six warring states

With an explanation comes Ministry of Culture. “In the register is included a part of the cemetery situated on the address Muncesti. This land, however, appear on the bd. Decebal. It is a legal matter and I do not know how it will be resolved. Two weeks ago, I proposed, to the Council of Historical Monuments, this sector as well, which is part of the cemetery, to be merged into a single object”, says George Postica, Deputy Minister of Culture. “Even though appearing on address Muncesti,  the cemetery also pass Decebal, which does not mean that this portion should not be protected, and that the monument loses its importance”, he adds. Also, the Ministry of Culture proposes a new draft law “law of graves and war memorials”, which provides protection of war graves, regardless of whether or not they are included in the register. “I think, in July, the draft law will be passed by Parliament”, said George Postica.

With an initiative to resolve the situation ” Graveyard of Honor ” comes the Ministry of Defence, providing the ” Company ” Buiucani Real Estate Holding “Ltd a land of the National Army, located in the same sector of Chisinau. In this respect, it is necessary to apply the procedure of transfer of nominated land from the public domain to the private domain of the state”, says Vitalie Ciobanu, head of the Centre for Culture and Military History. In the same regard, “was proposed all the remains to be exhumed and buried on another territory. Of course we did not accept it. It is uncommon”, says Zoia Jalba, main consultant in Department parliamentary documentation.

Representatives of the six countries were buried in ” Heroes Cemetery ” in plots. Romanian plot contained 66 graves with Romanian heroes, Russian plot – 27 graves with the same number of heroes fallen in battle,  Austrian plot – five graves with five identified Austrian heroes and a grave with 24 Austrian unidentified heroes, Czechoslovak plot – with two common graves with 39 heroes, French plot – 34 graves with 35 heroes and Polish plot  – five graves with six heroes. After some incomplete data, at the ” Graveyard of Heroes ” were buried about 1645 soldiers originating from six warring states, of which 572 are unidentified heroes.

P. S. At the Romanian Orthodox Church, the feast of the Ascension, recorded today, is the day of remembrance of the Romanian heroes, all heroes are remembered, Romanian soldiers and fighters of all times and all places, who died on the battlefield, camps and prisons for defending the homeland and ancestral faith, to wholness of nation, freedom and dignity of the Romanian people.

Olga BULAT