The meeting was headed by acting President Mihai Ghimpu, who participated in the adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty in the first parliament as MP. Ghimpu said that the event that took place 20 years ago was the starting point of democratic processes in the country. "Moldova was the sixth republic to adopt such an act and the collapse of the Soviet empire began in this way. For the first time ever, an official act established that all the laws which run counter to sovereignty, i.e those adopted during the communist period, had to be suspended, and this laid the foundations of the state in which we live."

The acting president stressed that this event has a spiritual significance and described the Declaration of Sovereignty as the fulfilment of a dream of the entire nation.

Prime Minister Vlad Filat also delivered a speech in front of the present and former lawmakers. He said that "20 years ago, the parliament legalized a political course aimed at securing an independent and democratic state. The bases of the state Republic of Moldova were put namely at that time." Filat emphasized that the citizenship of Moldova was established at that time as well. The principle of power separation and the notion of state based on the rule of law were legalized in the Declaration of Sovereignty by Article 10 for the first time ever. Vlad Filat emphasized that, back in 1990, the parliament pointed out the need of Moldova's European integration.

"Now, 20 years after the adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty, we can conclude that, beyond less successful stages of our modern history, the goals set by the first parliament are being fulfilled. Moldova is now firmly engaged into a vast process of democratic transformations, the final goal of which is to join the European Union, improve citizen's living standards and turn Moldova into a true European, democratic state based on the rule of law," the prime minister said.

The first Moldovan president, Mircea Snegur, said that the creation of this state based on the rule of law in which we live is the absolute merit of those MPs who adopted the Declaration of Sovereignty on 23 June 1990. "The foundations of independence were laid by the will and courage of that parliament. The Declaration of Sovereignty was Moldova's first victory over the communist regime, and I am proud that I could contribute to this moment." The former president stressed that, although 20 years have passed, not all the expectations of those times were met.

In their speeches, former MPs spoke about the courage they needed during those times to adopt such a declaration, as well as about the hopes that were dispelled by after the Party of Communists came to power.

In his speech, the honorary leader of the Democratic Party (PD), Dumitru Diacov, said that Moldova can be proud of a string of achievements recorded during these 20 years. "But unfortunately, a half of these 20 years passed under the leadership of the successors of the Communist Party and the Romanian people needed additional efforts to bring hope back. The sovereignty about which we are speaking should create, first of all, friendly conditions for al the residents, so that our youths create families here, in Moldova, and not abroad," Diacov said.

The Declaration of Sovereignty was adopted at a meeting of the parliament of the 13th convocation on 23 June 1990.

MOLDPRES