Moldavia faces a scandal connected with the distortion of national flag
demonstrated during president Igor Dodon's visit to Iran.
The Moldavian leader, who is also a president of the chess federation,
participated in the ceremony of opening the world chess championship
among women in Iran.
The national flag of Moldavia was set up behind the
president's back. The coat of arms depicted at the flag lacked the
cross in the eagle's beak and scepter.
Dodon posted the photos in Facebook right after the ceremony.
Certain mass media paid attention to the distortion of the flag.
Journalists blamed the head of the state in profanation of state symbols
and reminded that Dodon had recently won the elections under slogans
for protecting Orthodoxy and Christian values.
Pro-presidential media reported that the president had nothing to do with it and the host side was responsible for it.
"For reasons of political correctness leaders of Muslim countries take
off crosses and other Christian symbols from flags of other states. It
is practiced in many Islamic states and the president had nothing to do
with this practice," pro-presidential portal Blocknote-Moldova writes.
Dodon also participated in the discussion and promised to clear it out in the commentaries to the post.
"The host is responsible for the flag during the visit, not the
president. The ambassy is usually responsible for the question, but
Moldova does not have its embassy in Teheran. We will clear it out. We
will have a meeting with the Iranian president. If they don't have real
national flag of the Republic of Moldova, I will insist that they should
take off the flag," Dodon wrote.