66
Paul Tereshkovich
front positions in some branches. At the All-Union level the republic was best of all pro-
vided with the modern agricultural equipment and machinery. The network of motor-
ways which had not been completely destroyed was constructed.”
The whole world saw the films
Poslednij mesyats oseni (the script of Ion Druta di-
rector Vadim Derbenyov),
Lautari, Tabor uhodit v nebo by Emil Loteanu; in many coun-
tries there were exhibitions of paintings of Eleonora Romanesku, Michael Greku, Michael
Petrik, Valentina Rusu-Chobanu, of graphics of Ilya Bogdesko, Evgeny Meregi, George Vra-
bie, Aurel David, etc. It is difficult to meet a similar eruption of creative abilities, similar
achievements in literature and art in such a short time in neighboring countries.”
Contrary to the ideological pressure, in the absence of a true democratic atmosphere,
the years of 1960-1990 were a liberation period of the creative potential of the Moldavian
people, a real “gold epoch”, full demonstration and strengthening of some scientific and
art
achievements, similar to masterpieces of the XV-XVI centuries in their value.”
“Miserable present”
is simply awful. “All – from small to big - state, governmen-
tal, judicial, executive structures are filled with elements, which are politically (and, ac-
cordingly, economically) corrupted, disguised, and deeply rooted; they are hostile to the
Moldavian statehood and sabotage all actions and decisions of the head of the state and
of Parliament; structures are filled with corruption elements which openly neglect the his-
torical basis, cultural and language values, the national dignity of the Moldavian people.”
“All this is because “the Republic of Moldova is the only country on the planet whose
citizens study the history of a different country.”
“Enemies”.
“The Lord has foreordained that Moldavians from their very emergence
constantly defended their hearths … “. Certainly, there are a lot of enemies. They include
Turks, Romans, double-faced Polish, as well as Hungarian kings, and even from time to
time Russians named for some reason “moskali” when they came to Moldova in 1739.
However, the main and unconditional enemies of Moldavians are certainly, Romanians in
all historical hypostases (Muntyans, Ardelyans, Walaches, etc.). “Moldova, as it has already
been quoted above, with its distinctive sincere character is the country in which wisdom
dominates over will. It is the country of the circumspect that has produced great ingenious
people. While being critical and creative, Moldavians gave the world Eminesku, whereas
Muntyans (Walaches)
gave Tudor Vladimiresku, the dissenter, and Mikhaj, the aggressor.
Even the ancient ballad “Miorita” (12-13 centuries) opposed a rich Moldavian to
greedy envious strangers: an Unguryanin and a Vrancean. “Walaches are more cruel and
dangerous than Turks. The anti-Moldavian front of Turkey, Walachia and Tatars during the
epoch of Stephen the Great becomes a key factor leading to the devastation and division
of Moldova. It was the same in the 15
th
, the 20
th
and in the 21
st
centuries. Even Eminesku,
who fell under the influence of Romanians becomes “a xenophobe, not accepting others.
In the fog of political dope, chauvinism, (he) is often led into the sin of historical defor-
mation”.
Against this background the characteristics of Russians and Russia look more than fa-
vorable. “Besides the insults, rendered to the country of Moldova by taking away “Bessara-
67
European Identity as the Horizon of Belarusian Imagination
bia” from its blood body, from Moldova, we are obliged to thank … Russians for victories
over Turkey.” Though Russian administration has infringed Moldavian rights and customs
… “But it has given this stability, absence of wars, construction of roads, etc. Eastern Mol-
dova
differed dramatically, was at a higher level than … Western Moldova.”
“Instructions”
of Vasile Stati are as boring and banal as the leading article of the
newspaper “Pravda” (“The Truth”). “The political force that is in power now faces a dif-
ficult problem of creating a wide democratic multinational coalition which could funda-
mentally and consistently, using a strictly scientific basis, support the historical, political-
legal base, national-cultural values of the Moldavian State. We shall closely listen to the
wise advice of the national writer Ion Druta: “In order to manage the country, to place it
on the same line with civilized countries it will be necessary to mobilize the whole moral
and mental potential. This is the most important problem, a vital problem if you’d like. We
have a unique historical chance, namely, constitutional majority in Parliament. We never
had and will never have again constitutional majority in Parliament. Fortune has smiled us
once; we shall not pass up the chance.”
“Bright future”,
will possibly come with the victory of Moldovenism. “Moldovenism”
expresses the national feeling of Moldavians, the Moldavian spirit.
That which is
Americanism for Americans, Franceism for the Frenchmen, Romism for Romes, Rouman-
ism for Roumanians. Under all international
acts on human rights Moldavians like any
other people, have a full right to publicly freely express – especially in their
own country - the national feeling, i.e., Moldovenism.”
However, this requires a
hero whose specimen has been described very thoroughly.
* * *
Here is the conclusion. After 13 years of independence recognized by hundreds of
world states what has led to the generation of such messages, much more characteristic
of the initial stages of national mobilization. I shall dare to explain this using the words of
E. Gellner which,
in my opinion, do not require any essential comments.
“The new states were smaller and hence weaker than the empires which they had re-
placed. But this diminution in size and strength was not compensated by a greater homo-
geneity and hence greater cohesion: not at all. They were as haunted by irredentist minori-
ties as the dismantled empires, nose much-abused ‘prison houses of nations’; perhaps they
in turn should have been called the provincial or county goals of minorities, the nouvelle
minorities, so to speak, those who suddenly had minority status and hence irredentist
sentiment thrust upon them, were often members of the previous culturally dominant
ethnic or linguistic group, not habituated to such a lowly position, and hence more liable
to resent it, and better equipped to resist it. They could find help and encouragement in
their home state, which was dedicated to their own culture. They at any rate did not need