Igor Dodon. Archive photoCHISINAU, May 18.The ex-president of Moldova, Igor Dodon, said that he received a protocol for wearing the St. George ribbon and a fine of about $ 470, he plans to challenge this decision. «The authorities instructed the police to draw up a protocol in my name for participating in the celebration of May 9 with the symbols of Victory over fascism. I will challenge this abuse of the country's leadership in all judicial instances. This unconstitutional law will eventually be repealed,» Dodon wrote on Facebook *. According to him, the ban on the tape not only contradicts the Constitution, but is also discriminatory, anti-democratic, and aims to artificially divide society .Dodon attached a photo of the protocol to his post. It states that the perpetrator «was wearing the Saint George ribbon, a well-known symbol in the context of acts of military aggression, war crimes and propaganda or glorification of such acts.» The document notes that Dodon faces a fine of about $ 470. In Moldova, on April 20, the ban on the St. George ribbon and the symbols V and Z came into force. The St. George ribbon consists of three black and two orange stripes, it is an integral part of many military awards of the Russian Empire , the USSR and the Russian Federation. At the beginning of the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine in 2014, this symbol was used by militia fighters and volunteers who fought on the side of the DPR and LPR against the Ukrainian security forces. The Latin letters Z and V are painted on the sides of Russian military equipment participating in the military operation in Ukraine since February 24, 2022. In Russia, the letter Z has already become an unofficial symbol of support for the operation. At the same time, in the Gagauz autonomy, on the contrary, the authorities not only do not prevent its use, but also encourage it in every possible way. At the end of April, the Gagauz parliament adopted a bill that allows the use of the St. George ribbon on the territory of the autonomy. The Chamber of Appeal of Comrat, at the request of the State Chancellery, suspended the operation of this bill in absentia. On the night of May 9, the parliament of Gagauzia adopted a decision that allows residents of the autonomy to wear St. George ribbons on May 9 Victory Day. State Duma deputy from United Russia Sergei Burlakov told RIA Novosti that the ban on the demonstration of the St. George ribbon in Europe brought her «world fame» .* Meta activity (social networks Facebook and Instagram) is banned in Russia as extremist
