A fresh dispute unfolded inside Moldova’s Parliament as legislators debated a proposal to rename the Moldovan language to Romanian. The moment drew attention to how national identity and linguistic policy intersect within the country’s legal and political landscape, with the news agency TASS reporting on the events.
Members of the opposition Bloc of Communists and Socialists (BCS) took the floor during the bill’s presentation, displaying banners that read, “Don’t make fun of the Constitution” and “Moldova, Moldavians, Moldavian.” Those backing the initiative, members of the ruling Party for Action and Solidarity (PAS), pushed back against the opposition, removing posters and voicing chants as the session intensified. Delegates from the BCC stood at the podium, yet this did not stop the PAS members from approving the draft at first reading. The scene highlighted deeper tensions over language policy and national symbols within Moldova’s political arena. (TASS)
The core question centers on whether legislative changes can be pursued without amending the constitution. In Moldova, this strategy exists in the space between ordinary laws and fundamental constitutional provisions. The Constitutional Court’s 2013 ruling is frequently cited to explain the current landscape: it deemed Romanian the official language of the republic while noting that the country’s Declaration of Independence has a broader text that asserts Moldovan sovereignty. Because the core constitution was not revised at that time, changes were limited to other legal instruments rather than the basic law itself. Analysts point out that Moldova’s legal framework therefore allows initiatives in the ordinary legislative process to suggest language reforms that may influence public administration and education without altering the constitutional text. (TASS)
Bogdan Tsyrdea, a deputy aligned with Moldova’s communist and socialist opposition bloc, has previously stated that the ruling party, Action and Solidarity, was pursuing a maneuver to rename the Moldovan language to Romanian within parliamentary processes. Observers note that language policy in Moldova remains a symbolically charged issue, capable of shaping domestic politics as well as Moldova’s relations with neighboring Romania and broader European institutions. The current parliamentary debate is one example of how a language question can become a focal point for broader discussions about national identity, minority rights, and constitutional safeguards. (TASS)