Moldova marks 108 years since historic 1918 union with Romania
Moldova marks the 108th anniversary of the Union of Bessarabia with Romania today, an event historians describe as a "historical miracle" that ended a century of Russian imperial rule.
During a discussion on national broadcaster Moldova 1, historian Octavian Ticu argued that the 1918 decision remains a defining moment for the country’s modern identity. Ticu noted that the political consensus achieved then serves as a vital lesson for today’s elites.
The Bolshevik threat as a catalyst
Despite the lack of an absolute majority for the union in early 1918, the rising Bolshevik threat forced a strategic shift. Political factions, ranging from those seeking total independence to those favouring autonomy, eventually found common ground.
"The consensus was reached between those who wanted union under certain conditions and those who supported it on ethnic grounds," Ticu said. He noted that the threat of being drawn into the Russian Civil War and subsequent Stalinist atrocities made the union a necessity for survival.
Ending a century of isolation
The union followed 100 years of Russian administration, a period Ticu described as void of Romanian-language institutions or schools. The turmoil of World War I provided the opening for what he termed the "first step towards a reunited Romania."
In January 1918, the Council of the Country (Sfatul Tarii) requested the intervention of the Romanian Army to secure Chișinău. Ticu stated this military operation prevented Bessarabia from becoming a Soviet republic, shielding the population from the Great Terror of the 1930s.
Legacy and European integration
The 1918 vote was ratified by 86 deputies, representing a comfortable majority. Following the union, Bessarabia sent 90 deputies and 35 senators to the Romanian Parliament. A subsequent land reform redistributed property to over 300,000 families, regardless of their ethnic background.
Ticu emphasized that the decisions made 108 years ago predestined Moldova’s current European trajectory. "The union defined our identity, our flag, and our path toward European integration," Ticu concluded, noting that the ideal of reunification remains a viable topic for future diplomatic preparation.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
