Today, August 23, marks the European Day of Remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes, such as Nazism, Stalinism, fascist and communist regimes. In this regard, President Maia Sandu came up with a message.

“Today is the Day of Commemoration of the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes, established in August 2019 by the Government I led then. Our country thus joined the decision of the European Parliament in 2008, which declared August 23 – when, in 1939, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact – as the European Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Fascism and Communism,” said President Maia Sandu.

In the message, the head of state points out that, “on this day, we remember the victims of Stalinist deportations and those of Nazi concentration camps, those who suffered from political repression, died during the organized famine or were exterminated on religious and racial motives. It is about tens of millions of people deprived of their liberty, tortured and killed because they were hostages of ideologies for which human life had no value.”

“In order for such tragedies not to happen again, we need democracy and the rule of law, which are at the service of the citizens and prevent politicians from turning into tyrants. And this day of remembrance I want to unite and motivate us to build a society in which human life is the supreme value,” said Maia Sandu.

The European Parliament declared August 23, when the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact was signed, the European Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Fascism and Communism in September 2008. “August 23, 1939, when Hitler and Stalin decided to divide Europe into spheres of influence, is elected by MEPs to remember the crimes committed by the two tyrants.”