Moldovan lawmakers approve divisive national language bill

By STEPHEN McGRATH and AUREL OBREJA
Associated Press

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — Moldovan lawmakers have voted in favor of a divisive bill that will replace references to the country’s official national language from Moldovan to Romanian in the Constitution and in legislation. The bill was initiated by Moldova’s ruling pro-Western Party of Action and Solidarity, PAS, and will change references of “Moldovan language”, “mother tongue” and “state language” to “Romanian language. All 57 lawmakers present from PAS, which holds 63 seats in the country’s 101-seat legislature, voted in favor Thursday, as did one unaffiliated lawmaker. The opposition Communists and Socialists bloc, which hold 31 seats, and 6 lawmakers from the Russia-friendly Shor Party, mostly boycotted the vote.