Moldova unveils new Holocaust memorial plaques in Chișinău and Bălți

On the European Day of Commemoration of Romani Holocaust victims, Moldova inaugurated several memorials. In Chișinău, a multilingual plaque honoring the Romani victims of the Holocaust was unveiled at the Visterniceni railway station. The plaque, presented in Romanian, Romani, Russian, English and German, is a first step toward a larger memorial complex. Officials noted that before the ceremony symbolic elements near the plaque had been vandalised. Historical data presented said that between 12‑16 September 1942 thousands of Romani, mainly women and children, were deported from the station, with about 25,000 deported overall and roughly 11,000 dying from hunger, cold, disease and lack of medical care. A round‑table discussion highlighted education to combat hate.

In Bălți, two new memorial objects were installed at the end of July: a bronze plaque on the sidewalk in front of the police inspectorate and an informational panel beside the existing Monument to Holocaust victims. Both mark locations where Romani were deported in the summer of 1941. The mayor, Oleg Cernei, declined to comment on the events.