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Transdniestria gets Christmas tree that Moldova can't have
A 17 meter tall Christmas tree has been placed in Tiraspol's central square. Throughout this week, the inhabitants of Transdniestria's capital city will be decorating it together. In neighboring Moldova, strongman president Vladimir Voronin has outlawed the public display of Christmas trees until December 30.
The 17 meter Christmas Tree in Tiraspol is about to be decorated by the city's inhabitants. Moldova is not allowed one yet.TIRASPOL (Tiraspol Times) - In a festive display of holiday cheer, hundreds of inhabitants of Tiraspol will be spending this week decorating an enormous Christmas tree which now occupies the city's main square.
The 17 meter tall fir was brought into the square on Friday, and marks the centerpiece of Tiraspol's Christmas decorations.
It is 2 meter taller than the forbidden fir which measured 15 meters and which inhabitants unsuccessfully tried to erect in Chisinau, Moldova's capital. That smaller tree was removed by order of Moldova's Communist President Vladimir Voronin, who decreed that no public display of Christmas trees would be allowed in Moldova before the date of 30 December.
" - We thought that the Christmas tree shouldn't come after Christmas," says Lucia Culev, one of the hopeful organizers of the Christmas tree display in the main square of the Moldovan capital.
The grinch who stole Christmas: Moldovan strongman Vladimir Voronin.
Just hours after the Moldovan Christmas tree was placed in the main square, the tree was removed by police. That same night, police also blocked off the site so a new tree could not subsequently be placed there.
Not so in Tiraspol, the capital of Transdniestria, where police collaborated with civil society organizers and helped bring a majestic 17 meter tall Christmas tree to its current prominent location in the main square of the city.
- Religious freedom protects "European Christmas"
Unlike Moldova, celebrating Christmas on the same date as the most of the rest of Europe is something that has the full support of the government authorities in Transdniestria. The Tiraspol city administration has donated half a kilometer of Christmas lights to decorate the tree with, with funds set aside from a special budget.
Christmas trees allowed and fully supported in Transdniestria, says its President Igor Smirnov.
Transdniestria's official news agency Olvia Press reported Monday that the government will organize a large Christmas celebration in Tiraspol main square on Monday, 24 December 2007, starting at 4 p.m.
Much of the world - and the majority of the countries in Europe - celebrate Christmas on December 25 as the birthday of Jesus Christ. Transdniestria has religious freedom, which means that some believers stick to December 25 for Christmas while others celebrate Christmas on January 7, according to the old Julian calendar. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by Transdniestria's constitution, which was approved in a referendum on Christmas Eve twelve years ago, 24 December 1995.
" - I am so glad that we are not under Moldova's rule. We want to be independent, and we want to have the right to celebrate with a Christmas Tree whenever we feel like it," says Diana Vitanova, 21, a manicurist from Tiraspol. "This is why this city fought so hard for its freedom in 1992."
" - If we were ruled by Moldova, we would not be allowed to have a Christmas tree," says her neighbor, 24 year old Konstantin Grusevich. "Now, at least, we have the right to decide for ourselves. We want to stay independent and we want our Christmas!"
In Tiraspol and other cities of Transdniestria, Christmas trees and other holiday decorations abound and newly fallen snow provides an idyllic background to the festive holiday scenery.
- Christmas tree ban in Moldova
Moldova, on the other side of the Dniester river, presents a different picture. Officially the poorest country in Europe, the former Soviet republic is still ruled by a Communist president, former Soviet-era general Vladimir Voronin, who made headlines earlier this year when he called Jesus Christ the world's first Communist.
Under his direct orders, the Moldovans are being denied their Christmas celebrations. Commenting on the removal of Chisinau's public Christmas tree, Igor Botzan, a Moldovan political analyst, told Radio Free Europe that nothing can happen in Moldova without President Voronin's personal approval.
" - In this country, no initiative, not even holidays, can be carried out without the president's approval."
The Christmas tree ban remains in effect until December 30, but only in Moldova and not in Transdniestria which declared independence in 1990 and which is not under Moldovan rule of any kind. Officially named Pridnestrovie per its constitution, but also known under names such as Transnistria and Trans-Dniester, the "de facto" independent country has governed itself by its own laws for more than 17 years. Its population of 550,000 people are overwhelmingly in favor of independence and has no desire to join with Moldova despite a long-standing territorial dispute and Moldovan claim to the territory.
See also:
» In Pridnestrovie, five times more religions than Moldova
» Moldova president says Jesus was a Communist
| more about faith | |||||
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Local Jehovah's Witnesses say that registrations for some of their communities have been held up by slowmoving bureaucracy in Transdniestria. Although they are already registered in Tiraspol and Rybnitsa, paperwork for other parts of the country is stalled. A recent ruling by the Supreme Court says no registrations are needed for religious meetings. . . 
