The Moldovan parliament has registered a bill on recognizing the Armenian Genocide, Moldovan media Point reported.

"On this day 110 years ago, in 1915, a series of tragic events began on the territory of the Ottoman Empire, as a result of which more than one and a half million Armenians were killed, which was characterized by historians, experts and recognized by many countries as the Armenian Genocide.

Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova Hayk Vartanyan, former head of the Armenian community, has registered a bill to recognize and condemn the events of 1915 as “genocide”.

Similar drafts have already been adopted for several decades in a number of countries, including six of the seven G7 countries, as well as most EU countries, the US, Canada and Russia.

During a press conference in Parliament, MP Hay Vartanyan said that “this project is not political, but contributes to Moldova becoming one of the countries that value human dignity, inter-ethnic tolerance and harmony, human rights and historical justice”. He also noted that “the current parliament, whose mandate expires in a couple of months, could end on a major note by voting such a noble and important project, especially for a country that is a candidate for the European Union.”

Head of the Armenian community Karen Hovhannisyan noted that "I am glad to live in a country where I can freely talk about the tragic pages of the past, about the crimes against my people. I am glad that there are no obstacles to talk about it, preserving my culture, faith and language. Many people ask the question, what was it (Armenian Genocide)? These people did not hold weapons in their hands and did not fight for any territorial interests. They lived in their homes, not thinking that the day would come when they would be pulled from their homes. One and a half million people suffered, among them many women and children. Today we see what is happening in the world and we condemn it so that it never happens again."

Karen Gasparyan, leader of the Youth Organization of Armenians of Moldova, stated that "in the context of Moldova's European course, such recognition would demonstrate not only the commitment to European values - truth, human rights and historical memory - but also the democratic maturity of our state. It is a symbolic step, but an essential one on the road to a Moldova that respects diversity, condemns crimes against humanity and takes an active role in promoting peace and justice. Recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova would be an act of dignity and solidarity - with the past, with history, with the suffering of others. This step does not accuse, condemn, or rewrite history. It only speaks the truth and restores justice to the memory of those who were killed just because they were Armenians."

Lawyer Mariana Barashyants listed the legal side and international aspects and examples of recognition of the Armenian genocide by different countries, also providing statistics: "Over the last century, a significant number of states and international organizations have recognized these events as genocide in the sense defined by the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Among them:  European Union as an organization, USA, UK, France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Netherlands, Denmark, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Greece, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Venezuela, Uruguay, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Lebanon, Portugal, Luxembourg, Vatican City. It is also worth noting that “Article II” of the said Convention defines genocide as any act committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group,” Point writes.