Moldova's acting president Mikhai Ghimpu refused on Monday to revoke his decree establishing June 28 as Soviet Occupation Day in the country.
The decree, promulgated on Thursday, also promotes nationwide commemorative events and orders "a monument to victims of Soviet occupation and the totalitarian communist regime to be erected in front of the government building."
"If we have come to power and want to be truly sovereign and independent, we must tell the truth," he said.
"We did not come to power to play up to those who regard June 28 as liberation day."
On June 28, 1940, at a USSR request, royal Romania withdrew its troops from Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina, which it had been occupying since 1918, and the region joined the Soviet Union. The Moldavian SSR, including six Bessarabia districts as well as six areas from the left bank of the Dnester, was established in August 1940.
Moldovan Democratic Party leader Marian Lupu said earlier on Monday the decree had been "virtually scrapped" at the request of the ruling coalition.
An emergency plenary session of the country's parliament, set to vote on Ghimpu's decree Monday, was canceled.
"The decision to cancel the session was made by the majority of votes...because the proposed approach is erroneous and ill-timed," Lupu said.
He said it was now up to the Constitutional Court to make the final decision, since Ghimpu has refused to retract his decree.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday Moscow regarded Moldova's decision as an element of "a preplanned political campaign spearheaded against Russian-Moldovan partnership."
Ghimpu was made acting Moldovan leader in September 2009 when the country's liberal-democratic coalition was forced to find a compromise after failing to appoint another candidate. Ghimpu is known for his sweeping pro-Romanian policies.
CHISINAU, June 28 (RIA Novosti)
