Perciun about “Siberia on Bones”: Our Divided Society Has Different Views on History

The Ministry of Education received complaints after the documentary “Siberia on Bones” was shown at schools. They mainly concerned the ideological content of the movie, which some parents perceived as an attempt to denigrate the image of the Red Army, especially amid the approaching 9th of May. This was told by Education Minister Dan Perciun on the Cutia Neagră programme on TV8. “Different views on history persist in our divided society. Opinions were similarly divided after the screening of this film. But I believe that the state should take a clear position, including through the Ministry of Education,” he claimed. Perciun said that the ministry had not received any complaints about possible psychological impact or trauma to children after watching the film. According to Perciun, teachers and school psychologists were consulted before the film was shown and found the film acceptable for teenagers to watch. However, not all educational institutions have complied with the Ministry’s instruction to show the film to students aged 14 and above as part of a separate class. At the same time, as the minister noted, there is currently no mechanism to hold school administrations responsible for non-compliance with such recommendations. Meanwhile, a group of parents have filed a petition in the court seeking to quash the decree for compulsory screening of the film in schools. Earlier, Moldovan President Maia Sandu expressed bewilderment over the criticism of the showing “Siberia on Bones” dedicated to the deportations of the Soviet times in schools. The head of state stressed that this is a part of our history that shouldn’t be concealed. The Ministry of Education ordered schools to show the film “Siberia on Bones” about Stalin’s deportations before 9 May. This drew sharp criticism from the opposition and pro-Russian politicians, who accused the authorities of “rewriting history” and “manipulating children’s minds”.