(MENAFN) Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, has commented on the recent decision by Moldovan lawmakers to rename the country's official language to Romanian. She stated that the move raises questions about Moldova's territorial integrity. Zakharova was responding to a statement by the Romanian Foreign Ministry, which called the renaming a "restoration of scientific truth." The Romanian government had argued that renaming Romanian into Moldovan would "restore historical justice."
Zakharova noted that the Moldovan language had been the ancient language of Moldovans and a symbol of their self-identification within modern borders since 1940. She added that it had long been established in historical linguistics that Moldovan and Romanian were similar but different languages. Rejecting the Moldovan language also raises questions about the ownership of Bessarabia and the lands along the Dniester, she said.
Zakharova questioned the current regime in Chisinau and its decision to reject the Moldovan language. She asked, "Whose is now Bessarabia (which was occupied by Romania until 1940) and who owns the lands along the Dniester (which were part of Ukraine until 1940)?" She noted that, paradoxically, the Moldovan language is now only preserved in Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria.
Zakharova stressed that if the Moldovan language is to be renamed, it should adhere to historical logic and be called Romanian Moldovan, not the other way around. The renaming of the Moldovan language has sparked controversy and highlights the ongoing tensions between Moldova and Romania over cultural and linguistic issues. It also raises concerns about Moldova's relationship with Russia, which has been a key player in the region's politics and security.
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