Mourning Day is declared today.  69 years have passed since the second wave of deportations in Bessarabia. Historians estimate that the largest wave of deportations took place in July 1949 and the operation was called the conspiratorial "IUG", which means "South". Valentina Sturza, the president of the Former Deported People Association from Moldova says that now it is hard to talk about the past.

Valentina Sturza thanked the Government for their support.

"I am lad that this year the Government decided to support us. We have been through hard times, the Soviet Union authorities called us the enemies of the nation, they humiliated us. After three weeks of staying there, we run away. When the KGB members found us, they imprisoned us in Chisinau prison and we stayed there for three months. 

We stayed in prison til '56 and then, they released us. We have built new houses and start everything from zero. 

I want to thank the Government for their support", said Valentina Sturza, the president of the Former deported people from Moldova.