Protesters carry Moldova’s national flags during an anti-government rally, organised by the civic
platform ‘Dignity and Truth’ (DA), in central Chisinau. Tens of thousands of Moldovans rallied
yesterday in the heart of the capital Chisinau in the biggest street protests in memory, demanding the resignation of the president and early elections over a $1bn bank fraud that has hit living standards.
AFP
Chisinau
Tens of thousands of Moldavans rallied in the capital Chisinau yesterday to demand the resignation of President Nicolae Timofti and the election of a new head of state, organisers said.
The demonstration was sparked by public anger over a $1bn banking scandal which has shaken the former Soviet country, one of the poorest countries in Europe.
“We will stay here until our demands are fully met,” shouted lawyer Andrei Nastase, one of those who organised the rally.
Organisers said that between 50,000 and 100,000 demonstrators had gathered in Chisinau’s central square to demand Timofti’s resignation and a plebiscite to choose a new head of state, who is currently elected by parliament.
They also called for the resignation of top officials at Moldova’s central bank and the attorney-general’s office, demanding the government pursue integration efforts with Europe.
Leaders of the demonstration presented their demands to Moldova’s new pro-European premier, Valeriu Strelet, who took up the post at the end July pledging to crack down on corruption.
Elsewhere, activists from the so-called “Red bloc” – the radical left-wing “Our Home is Moldova” party – tried to break into the prosecutor-general’s office, provoking clashes with the police, who arrested several people.
Last year, Moldova, which lies between Ukraine and Romania, signed an association agreement taking it closer to European Union membership despite opposition from former Soviet master Russia.
Moscow promptly slapped a ban on Moldova’s fruit imports in apparent retaliation for its shift towards the West.
Disagreement over a similar pact sparked the current crisis in neighbouring Ukraine, where Russia has been accused of fuelling a bloody separatist conflict in the east.
Russia maintains thousands of troops in Moldova’s breakaway region of Transdniestr, and has for years provided money to prop up the impoverished region of 500,000 people, which is home to some 180,000 Russian nationals.
