President Vladimir Voronin has issued secret instructions to the Government saying that starting from 1 January 2009, people dying in Moldova must be buried not in wooden coffins as usually, but only in plastic ones, or in plastic bags, Moldova Noastra Alliance leader MP Serafim Urechean stated in parliament today, and showed the forum the President's written address to Prime Minister Zinaida Grechanaya.

The document said, "The national economy's transition to market relations has caused the necessity to revise our attitude to natural resource using and to promote the country's economic and social development in accordance with the environment".

"In recent years, the death rate is growing, due to which the consumption of timber for coffin manufacturing is increasing as well. With an account of restricted forestry wealth in this country and for the purpose of preserving forests and improving the ecological situation, I am demanding from the Government to analyze the emerging situation and pass a Resolution on manufacturing, from 1 January 2009, coffins made only of plastic or on making special polyethylene bags for funeral purposes", reads the President's message.

Serafim Urechean demanded from Premier Zinaida Grechanaya information about whether or not she is going to obey to such an instruction issued by the head of state. Urechean also wondered if Voronin had consulted the Orthodox Church or anybody before writing such instructions to the Government.

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...BUT PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE REFUTES ACCUSATIONS

Chisinau, November 20 ( INFOTAG ). The Presidential Press Service was very quick today to respond "to the mendacious, irresponsible and blasphemous statements by MNA leader Serafim Urechean" concerning revising the funeral rite in Moldova by switching over from centuries-traditional wooden coffins to plastic ones.

The Press Service wrote, "Funeral rite questions are not in the competence of the head of state, and have never been a subject of his interest".

"With such statement, Serafim Urechean has demonstrated that for the sake of even a scandalous mentioning of his own personality he is able to make base acts, including manipulation of documents, libel, insult of believers' feelings. The complete collapse of his party's popularity rating and the absolute fall of voters' trust in him have undermined the politician's mental health to an extent at which it is impossible to assess his statements from the common sense viewpoint", the Presidential Press Service wrote.

Its press release said, "Nothing is threatening the ancient and sacred traditions of the Moldovan Orthodoxy, except, perhaps, the primitive provocations by Serafim Urechean and his scarce supporters".