Opinions published by the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission include one on banning, in the Republic of Moldova, the display of symbols used by Russia’s army during its aggression against Ukraine. The legal and constitutional experts determined that a measure adopted by the Moldovan Parliament in April 2022 to ban the display of certain symbols used by Russian armed forces during the invasion of Ukraine “respects the requirements of legality, legitimacy and proportionality.”
On April 7, the parliament voted to ban the ribbon of St George, a black and orange military symbol of Russian patriotism, as an expression of condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Lawmakers of the pro-Western PAS party of President Maia Sandu voted in favour. The pro-Russia opposition parties, mainly the socialists and communists, boycotted the vote.
“This ribbon has begun to symbolise the horrors committed against innocent people. The aggressor’s soldiers wear this ribbon when they kill civilians,” said PAS lawmaker Dumitru Alaiba reported by Reuters.
On April 19, President Sandu promulgated a new law that bans the use of the St. George’s ribbon and the Z and V symbols used by the Russian army.
“I have today promulgated a law banning signs symbolizing war and aggression. This, does not affect our historical memory. On the contrary, we must further honor and respect the memory of those who died in the most dreadful war of the 20th century. At least 100,000 citizens of Moldova perished in that war. For the sake of their memory, we must preserve peace and social harmony,” Sandu told a briefing reported by Interfax.
