Moldovan PM says Soviet deportations brought suffering, but did not take away people's dignity

Prime Minister Dorin Recean delivered an emotional message on the commemoration of 84 years since the first wave of Stalinist deportations from Bessarabia. He evoked the deep suffering of the people under the Soviet regime and the personal impact of these tragedies on his own family.

‘’On the night of June 12 to 13, 1941, thousands of families were torn from their homes, separated and loaded into cattle cars bound for Siberia – towards death, famine and terror. Teachers, mayors, hardworking farmers, intellectuals – all became victims of a ruthless repressive machinery,’’ Recean said.

The PM recounted that his own family had been directly affected: six out of his paternal grandfather's 12 children were deported and three others were forced to flee to Romania.

‘’This tragedy is not a mere statistic. It is the tragedy of our nation. A deep wound, forbidden, hidden and censored for decades.’’

Recean emphasized that the Soviet regime had sowed fear, death and forced forgetfulness, but failed to destroy people's dignity. He highlighted the importance of passing on historical truth to new generations and called for collective memory and civic responsibility.

A significant step towards recognizing and restoring historical truth has been recently made, when the last batch of almost 20,000 files of individuals subjected to political repression was transferred from the Interior Ministry to the National Archives Agency. Thus, all 48,883 deportee files are now in one place, accessible to the public, victims' relatives and researchers.

‘’We should educate our children in the spirit of freedom and dignity. Let's not forget how fragile life can be under a regime that despises people and life,’’ the prime minister added. 

The commemoration of Soviet deportations remains a moment of painful reflection, as well as a reaffirmation of the commitment to truth, freedom and the memory of those who perished in silence.

 





IFrame

Today marks 84 years since the first wave of Stalinist deportations that took place on the night of June 12 to 13, 1941, a tragedy of proportions for the population in Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina. The operation was organized by Soviet authorities, in the context of the purging policy of 'anti-Soviet elements' and led to the forced deportation of more than 30,000 people to Siberia and Kazakhstan.