The language issue unleashes a new crisis in Moldova, the small state on the Ukrainian border where internal divisions and tensions with Moscow raise fears of involvement in the conflict.
Parliament approved a law in the first reading declaring the language spoken in the country "Romanian" instead of "Moldovan language".
An initiative opposed by the pro-Russian social-communist block which fears it is a first step towards annexation to Romania, a NATO country.
The initiative is supported by the Action and Solidarity party of pro-Western president Maia Sandu, who recently accused Russia of planning a coup in the country to bring this former Soviet republic of 2.6 million inhabitants back into the Russian orbit. for a short time in the 19th century, and then after the Russian Revolution of 1917, it was united with Romania.
Chisinau's allegations have been rejected by Moscow.
The socialist and communist deputies tried to interrupt the parliamentary debate yesterday by blocking the central rostrum and shouting 'shame', 'Moldavia', 'resignation'.
The former pro-Russian president Igor Dodon, defeated by Sandu in the 2020 elections, also made himself heard today, according to which the law must be canceled.
"Calling the Moldovan language Romanian is another attempt by the country's leadership to divert citizens' attention from many problems," Dodon said in a video message on Telegram.
From a legal point of view, the issue is complicated, because the Constitution defines the language of the country as 'Moldovan', while in the declaration of independence it is called 'Romanian'.
Tensions are aggravated by the economic crisis afflicting the country, with inflation exceeding 30%, fueled by the sharp increase in gas prices.
Since September last year, Chisinau has been the scene of protests with the participation of many thousands of people demanding the resignation of the government.
The protests are supported among others by the Shor movement and by the communists, who are asking the government to negotiate more favorable gas prices with Moscow.
In recent days, the Moldovan Parliament approved a motion which for the first time indicates Russia as an aggressor country for the conflict in Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reacted by calling on Moldova to put an end to its "anti-Russian rhetoric" and stating that Russia remains committed to "pragmatic constructive cooperation" to try to resolve the Transnistria problem, the separatist entity on Moldovan territory along the border with Ukraine where 1,500 Russian soldiers are stationed.
Moscow has accused Ukraine of wanting to stage a false Russian invasion attempt from Transnistria to invade this territory in turn.
Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Serebrian returned today to deny this scenario as "absurd", underlining that there is no agreement between Moldova and Ukraine in this sense.