A March 30, 2002 appeal to the UN and the leaders of the US and several European countries accuses the Christian-Democratic People’s Party of Moldova of inciting antisemitism. The appeal, the full text of which was printed by the Moldpress news agency on April 1, 2002, was signed by 15 ethnically-based NGOs in Moldova, including the Association of Jewish Organizations and Communities.

Discussing at length the history of pogroms and the Holocaust in Moldova, the authors of the appeal charge that:

“The Moldovan Christian-Democratic Party actively supports a whole series of Kishinev historians who write school textbooks where there is not even the smallest mention of that monstrous page in the history of the 20th Century—the Holocaust.”

One such book, written by a historian named Petrenku, praises the fascist dictator of Rumanian Antonescu for conducting a holy war against the Soviet Union to liberate Rumanian lands [including Moldova]. In connection with this national-liberation struggle, Mr. Petrenku reportedly mentions the extermination of much of the local Jewish population, but does not condemn it in any way. He also paints a picture of the Antonescu regime as not being repressive towards his political opponents, which the authors of the appeal label a blatant lie, and refers to him as “a martyr and national hero of a united Rumania.”

Ironically, the publication of this book was allegedly underwritten in 1995 by philanthropist George Soros, who is of Jewish origin, but who is presented by the authors of the appeal as being duped by the moderate image of the Christian-Democratic People’s Party, along with other European and US foundations. The Party’s media organs also allegedly print antisemitic material.

In recent weeks, the Christian-Democratic People’s Party has helped organize mass protests in Moldova against the teaching of Russian in the nation’s schools.

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