Presidency of the Republic of Moldova
Today, the largest deportation operation in our country's history is commemorated. 75 years ago, on the night of July 5-6, children, pregnant women, and the most honorable members of our communities were labeled “enemies of the nation” and deported from Moldova by the Stalinist regime as part of Operation “SOUTH” (IUG). On this occasion, a commemorative rally was organized at the memorial to the victims of deportations by the communist regime.
“Over 35 thousand people were taken from their homes at night and sent thousands of kilometers away. Based on lists. That's what life was worth to a totalitarian regime - a name on a list. We did not choose to be deported. No one asked us. We didn't choose to be starved, killed, or sent to war. Our nation bled while others decided our fate,” President Maia Sandu said in her message.
The head of state emphasized that it is the duty of each of us to know our past: “We must never forget its horrors and ensure that our country never again goes through such terror. Peace and the freedom to live our lives peacefully in our homes - this is our most precious goal, but it is also the duty that must bind us all. We choose peace for all the children of Moldova”.
