Memorial Cross Adopted by the Parliament

CHISINAU, January 16, 2012 — The Republic of Moldova Parliament adopted in final reading the draft law on the establishment of the medal “Memorial cross. Participant in the War of independence and integrity of the Republic of Moldova (1991-1992)”.

Minister of Defense Vitalie Marinuta made a presentation of the above document Sunday, January 15, at the plenary meeting of the Legislative Body. The medal will be conferred on the 20^th anniversary of the war of independence and integrity of the Republic of Moldova as a sign of appreciation of the war participants’ efforts in defending their homeland.

The Government’s Reserve Fund will allocate around 5,320 million MDL for the distinction, the identification card and the quilted box for the medal. The memorial cross will be awarded to nearly 28 thousand war participants, including active-duty, reserve officers mobilized, volunteers and representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs organizations. The medal will be also awarded to members of the security and penitentiary systems to join the personnel of military units and special forces structures ready for war, as well as those sent to these units to carry out special missions supporting war operations.

The medal “Memorial cross. Participant in the War of independence and integrity of the Republic of Moldova (1991-1992)” is made of gray pinchbeck. The medal is a cross with white arms included in an imaginary circle of 35 mm diameter. In the center, there is a white round medallion surrounded by an oak crown covering the golden composition of the Republic of Moldova Coat of Arms. The color amount of the coat of arms is preserved only in the central shield (cut, red and blue, with an aurochs head with the sun among its horns. It also contains two rhombi (the ears), a five-petal flower and a moon in a crescent phase.)

The 1991 — 1992 war brought together nearly 29 thousand participants. 286 of them died and 284 are 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd level invalids. There are currently 64 independence and integrity war veterans in the National Army.

On March 2, Moldova people will mark the 20^th anniversary of the Dniester War. March 2 was proclaimed Memory Day by the Legislative Power of the country in 2011.