MOLDOVAN GOVERNMENT DECIDES TO NOMINATE SWIMMER ION LAZARENCO FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

The Government has decided to nominate Moldovan swimmer Ion Lazarenco for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, Prime Minister Pavel Filip announced on Tuesday during his meeting with the swimmer, who has become the first man in the world to have crossed 7 main famous straits - all from first attempts.

The Prime Minister, standing for the Moldovan Parliament from the ruling Democratic Party, congratulated the athlete upon his outstanding achievements and upon his birthday, and handed in the Moldovan tricolor and a Diploma of Honor to him. Filip also said that he had put forward Mr. Lazarenco's candidacy for the nation's superior state award - the Ordinul Republicii [Order of the Republic].

Lazarenco thanked the Premier for the high award and high honor, and expressed pride to be a citizen of Moldova, though last 23 years he has been residing permanently in Ireland, but takes part in all sportive and other events invariably under the Moldovan National Flag.

In 2018, the World Open Water Swimming Association recognized Ion Lazarenco as "Man of the Year".

In his meeting with Premier Filip, Ion Lazarenco stated that for the first time ever, he can see real, visible changes and fruits of reforms in the republic, and "I would rather prefer to swim across one more ocean than to work in a regime as hard as the incumbent Government has", as governmental press service cited him. Infotag's dossier: The World Open Water Swimming Association pointed out the following main achievements of the Moldovan swimmer: the crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar (4 hours and 41 minutes), the English Channel (13.34), the North Channel (16.23), the Catalina Channel (12.01), the Molokai Channel (18.11), the Tsugaru Channel (11.20), and the Cook Strait (11.05).