Tomac, in tears, speaks of Basarabian childhood: 'I looked with hatred at the barbed wire that separated us'
Translated from Romanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Prime Minister-designate Eugen Tomac addressed criticism regarding his origins, stating he was born in Basarabia to Romanian parents.
- Tomac asserted that attempts to politicize his birthplace are unjustified and part of pro-Russian propaganda.
- He explained his renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship to obtain Moldovan citizenship, aligning with his focus on Moldova's development.
Designated Prime Minister Eugen Tomac emotionally recounted his childhood near the Romanian border, describing the barbed wire that separated him from his homeland. He addressed criticisms about his origins, asserting that discussions questioning his Romanian identity are unwarranted attempts to undermine his belonging to Romania.
I am not born far from Romania. The commune of Babele in southern Basarabia is located 12 kilometers from the border with Romania; I come from a family of Romanians.
Speaking on Antena 3 CNN, Tomac clarified that he was born in Babele, southern Basarabia, just 12 kilometers from the Romanian border, to Romanian parents. He believes that attempts to frame this fact negatively are "absolutely worthless" and suggested that pro-Russian propaganda seeks to distort such issues and create artificial tensions.
Tomac highlighted that his grandparents were born when Basarabia was part of Romania and referenced the consequences of the Soviet occupation in 1940. He noted that his grandparents' birth certificates stated "Kingdom of Romania," a situation shared by nearly 3 million Romanians following Stalin's actions.
The attempt to present things in a negative light just for the simple fact that you were not born in one of the current counties of Romania seems absolutely worthless to me.
He also explained his citizenship changes, stating he renounced his Ukrainian citizenship to obtain Moldovan citizenship because Ukraine does not permit dual nationality. Tomac emphasized his commitment to the Republic of Moldova, stating his entire career has been dedicated to promoting it, both as a journalist and a public official.
To not have complications, I submitted a request to the Ukrainian Embassy in Bucharest to renounce it, because I wanted to become a citizen of the Republic of Moldova.
Recalling his childhood, Tomac described the profound impact of seeing the border fence. "It's very difficult to explain... When you approach the barbed wire and know that your country is on the other side, you cannot translate that feeling. It's something that marks you. For me, this moment was defining," he said, visibly emotional. He characterized the border imposed after the Soviet annexation of Basarabia as an injustice that continues to affect millions of Romanians.
It's very difficult to explain... When you approach the barbed wire and know that your country is on the other side, you cannot translate that feeling. It's something that marks you. For me, this moment was defining.
Originally published by Adevฤrul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.