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Transcript/ScriptUSAGM SHARE
((PLAYBOOK SLUG: CX MOLDOVA UKRAINE LANGUAGE
HEADLINE: Moldova Watches Ukraine with Special Concern
TEASER: Country is rich in culture and languages, but some find lack of national identity worrisome
PUBLISHED AT: 3/31/2022 at 10:13 pm
BYLINE: Ricardo Marquina
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Cisinau
VIDEOGRAPHER: Ricardo Marquina
VIDEO EDITOR: Ricardo Marquina
SCRIPT EDITORS: LR, MAS
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA ORIGINAL
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:31
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES: corrected intro and last narration – highlighted in yellow ))
((INTRO))
[[Moldova is watching the war in neighboring Ukraine with special concern, as Russia threatens to take control of a significant portion of the former Soviet republic. Like Ukraine, Moldova is not a member of NATO or the European Union, and like Ukraine, it has a very large Russian-speaking population. Jon Spier narrates this report from Ricardo Marquina in southern Moldova.]]
((NARRATOR))
The children of this school in southern Moldova rush to eat during their lunch hour like in any school in the world.
But at these tables we can hear many languages, Romanian, Russian, Gagauz ((PRON: gau-GAHS’)), Bulgarian. A reflection of the cultural richness of this small country.
Although in this part of Moldova, Russian is the language most widely spoken, the language at this school is Romanian -- the official language of Moldova -- which has gained ground in this country more than 30 years after independence.
((RADIO VERSION: Svetlana Stoinova is the principal of the M. Eminescu Theoretical Lyceum in Moldova’s Gagauzia region.))
((Svetlana Stoinova, School Principal FEMALE IN RUSSIAN))
“In the the Gagauzia autonomous region, we have a law by which three languages are official: the state language (Romanian), Gagauzian and Russian. They exist in symbiosis. No one bothers anyone for using one of these languages in shops, events or jobs.”
((NARRATOR))
But the linguistic and cultural richness has another side. Some academics say the lack of a unique Moldovan identity has put the country at risk of falling under the influence of Moscow.
((RADIO VERSION: Natalia Putina is a professor of political science at the State University of Moldova.))
((Natalia Putina, State University of Moldova FEMALE IN RUSSIAN))
“In 30 years, Moldova has not managed to build a unified national identity. There is a political identity. We are citizens of Moldova. But ethnic identification comes first. You are Romanian or Moldovan, Gagauz or Bulgarian, Russian or Ukrainian."
((NARRATOR))
The war in Ukraine further highlights a battle that is going on over media in the linguistically divided Moldovan society over propaganda. Moldovan TV channels broadcast in several languages: usually Russian, Romanian and Gagauz.
For Tatiana, a Moldovan television journalist, it is very important that the current Moldovan multilingual system continues to include Russian, so that information reaches this community not only from the Kremlin's propaganda channels.
((Tatania Goncharova, Journalist - FEMALE IN RUSSIAN))
“Bilingual programming is necessary so that there is no division in society. 30 percent of our population does not speak the language of the state (the Romanian language). They are Gagauzians, Ukrainians, Bulgarians, Russians. It is a matter of respect for this community, and they must not remain uninformed.”
((NARRATOR))
Moldova, a former Soviet republic, last year celebrated 30 years of independence. It is paying close attention as the Russian military threatens to take control of a significant portion of Ukraine, which also was once part of the Soviet Union.
((For Ricardo Marquina in Chisinau, Moldova, Jon Spier, VOA News.))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateApril 1, 2022 09:39 EDT
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
