First Moldovan President Snegur dies aged 83, Sept 16 declared day of mourning

CHISINAU - Moldovan President Maia Sandu declared Sept 16 a day of mourning on Thursday to commemorate the country's first president, Mircea Snegur, who died last night at the age of 83, reported Sputnik.

Snegur died on Wednesday evening from an incurable disease.

"With deep sadness I have discovered that Mircea Snegur, Moldova's first president, died last night. September 16 will be declared a day of national mourning as a funeral with state honours will take place," Sandu wrote on social media, also expressing condolences to the former president's friends and family.

She also said that Snegur had lived in historical times and had contributed greatly to Moldova's independence and sovereignty.

Snegur became Moldova's first president in 1990 and remained in office until December 1996. Before that, he had held various high-ranking positions in Moldova's Soviet administration. As president, Snegur did not support the idea of immediate unification with Romania, preferring a political union, and favoured the elimination of Transnistria's autonomy, which contributed to the conflict in the region. - BERNAMA-SPUTNIK