Hungarian Prisoners Commemorated in Balti

CHISINAU, June 6, 2012 — Deputy Minister of Defense Igor Panfile attended Wednesday, June 6, the inauguration ceremony of a commemorative cross dedicated to the Hungarian military men and civilians dead in the Second World War, held in the Old Cemetery of Balti Town.

At the event, Deputy Minister Panfile, along with His Excellency Dr.György Varga, Ambassador of Hungary to Republic of Moldova and local public authorities from Balti, laid flowers at the headstone of the monument built to remember the Hungarian prisoners.

Ambassador György Varga revealed the tragic character of the events held 70 years ago in Balti. “About 200 Hungarian military and civilian people were taken prisoner and brought to a concentration camp in Balti. Half of them never came back home. There are already 10 years since a Hungarian delegation comes to the Old Cemetery of Balti to remember the dead ones”, the official stated.

Deputy Minister of Defense Igor Panfile pointed out the event marks a painful moment both, for the history of Hungary and for the history of our country. “Today’s generation bows to the memory of heroes dead in war, no matter whom they fought for during World War II”, Igor Panfile specified.

The monument inaugurated in Balti represents a cross — the symbol of Jesus Christ resurrection — that contains the following message: “To the memory of the Hungarian military and civil prisoners dead in the Second World War in Balti”.