From: msirbu@next5.cs.umr.edu (Mihai Sirbu)
Subject: Moldova/Romania  from RFE/RL, 9/10/92
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 01:06:07 GMT
Organization: University of Missouri-Rolla, Missouri's Technological University

 RFE/RL DAILY REPORT          No. 174, September 10, 1992

"DNIESTER REPUBLIC" ESTABLISHES OWN AIR FORCE.  The "Dniester
republic Supreme Soviet" on 8 September formally approved the
establishment of its own air force and a "department of military
aviation," consisting of "airplanes and helicopters based on its
territory," DR-Press reported from Tiraspol on 9 September. The
report clearly refers to the aircraft of Russia's 14th Army. Some
aircraft have already been turned over to the "Dniester" forces by
that Army, and they took part in the "Dniester" military parade on
the anniversary of the "republic" on 2 September in the presence of
the Army's commander, Major General Aleksandr Lebed, DR-Press
reported that day. An RFE/RL correspondent and the St.  Petersburg
TV program "600 Seconds" reported on 7 and 8 September,
respectively, that the "Dniester republic" had warned that any
Moldovan overflight of the area without "Dniester" permission would
be treated as a military attack. (Vladimir Socor, RFE/RL Inc.)

"DNIESTER REPUBLIC" OFFICIALLY REIMPOSES RUSSIAN SCRIPT ON
"MOLDOVAN" LANGUAGE.  The "Dniester republic Supreme Soviet" on 8
September voted in a language law reimposing the Russian alphabet
on the "Moldovan" (i.e. Romanian) language in the territory under
its control. As cited by Radio Rossii, the "law" requires the use
of the Russian alphabet for "all situations in which the Moldovan
language is used." The measure is likely to force part of the local
Moldovan intelligentsia out of their jobs and out of the area.
Although the law formally stipulates the equality of the Russian,
Ukrainian, and "Moldovan" languages, the "Dniester authorities"
promote the old policy of linguistic russification.  Moldovans, who
comprise 40.1% of the population, are the largest ethnic group in
the territory at issue, but ethnic Russians, who form only the
third-largest ethnic group (behind Ukrainians), rule the area.
(Vladimir Socor, RFE/RL Inc.)

STOLOJAN APPEALS TO RAILWAY UNION LEADERS TO END HUNGER STRIKE.
Romanian Prime Minister Theodor Stolojan sent a letter to four
railway union leaders who have been on a hunger strike for more
than 20 days. The full text was read on Radio Bucharest on 4
September. Stolojan pleaded with the union leaders to abandon their
protest until a solution can be found to their claims. The
four--Stefan Siromascenco, Cristian Peride, Victor Condurache, and
Nicolae Fieraru--are protesting the signing of a labor contract as
well as their dismissals. Stolojan met the protesters on 3
September and promised to set up an inquiry commission to examine
the demands. He insisted, however, that he has no right to overturn
decisions made by Romanian Railways board of directors. (Dan
Ionescu, RFE/RL Inc.)

ROMANIA'S ETHNIC HUNGARIANS URGE TOKES TO END HUNGER STRIKE.
Magyar Bishop Laszlo Tokes has been urged by his supporters to
abandon his week-old protest fast. In a statement read on Radio
Bucharest, the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania, which
represents the country's Hungarian minority, urged Tokes to
"preserve his strength to fight for the victory of truth and moral
values." Tokes began his hunger strike in an attempt to force the
authorities to identify the murderers of the 1,033 victims of the
1989 Romanian uprising. President Ion Iliescu offered last week to
meet Tokes but has effectively rejected the latter's demands from
the outset. (Dan Ionescu, RFE/RL Inc.)

ROMANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH AND THE ELECTIONS.  Patriarch Teoctist of
Romania said in a pastoral address that the Romanian Orthodox
Church "would not express a preference for any candidate or party
in the presidential and parliamentary elections" scheduled for 27
September, Radio Bucharest reported on 4 September. However, the
patriarch added that this "political neutrality" did not mean
"indifference from the moral and social point of view;" he urged
the faithful to vote for "belief in God" and the "safeguarding of
freedom," in what Reuters reported to be an appeal "for the
preservation of Christianity against atheism and Communism."
(Michael Shafir, RFE/RL Inc.)

REMAINS FOUND IN MASS GRAVE IN ROMANIA. Western agencies report
from Bucharest that a mass grave containing about 140 skeletons
dating from the 1950's has been found on premises run by the
Securitate, the former secret police, an Interior Ministry
statement said. The remains, which appear to be from members of
peasant families who opposed collectivization, were found at
Caciulati, near Bucharest, according to the Association of Former
Political Detainees. (Michael Shafir, RFE/RL Inc.)

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