Moldova's foreign partners urge citizens to calm

Chisinau, 21 January /MOLDPRES/- The United States, Romania and European Union late on 20 January issued more messages, thereby urging the Moldovan citizens to calm and recommend that the Moldovan authorities start a dialogue with the protesters. 

According to a declaration issued by the U.S. Embassy, the American authorities urge the protesters and police from Chisinau to keep calm and be reserved. ''The United States calls for calm and restraint on the part of protestors and police in Chisinau. We urge all sides to refrain from acts that encourage or provoke violence. We further urge Moldovan authorities to immediately meet with and address protestors' concerns in an open and transparent manner,'' the message says. 

The spokesman for EU High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini came up with a statement on the situation in Moldova. ''Following today's vote for a new government in the Moldovan Parliament and ensuing demonstrations, the European Union calls for calm and restraint from all sides. We encourage all stakeholders in the country to engage in a dialogue and find, together, a way forward for the Republic of Moldova, '' Mogherini said.

In a press release, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania informed that it was keeping a close eye on the developments in Chisinau. ''We urge to calm and appeal to all political actors from Moldova to act with every responsibility for the carrying out the democratic process of swearing in office of the Pavel Filip government, a cabinet which got a vote of confidence of the legitimate parliament from Chisinau. Only in this way, the European integration, stability and pro-European goals of Moldova can be pursued and achieved without failures, for the benefit of all the citizens of the country,'' the communique says. 

On 20 January afternoon, the MPs gave a vote of confidence to the government led by Pavel Filip. The new cabinet of ministers was sworn in at a meeting that lasted half an hour, and was backed by 57 lawmakers out of 68 ones present in the session hall. Also on 20 January, thousands of backers of the Dignity and Truth Platform, Party of Socialists (PSRM) and the party led by Renato Usatii protested outside the parliament building and demanded the MPs do not vote a government led by a Democratic Party member, Pavel Filip, and opt for snap elections. Following the swearing in office of the cabinet, the protesters demanded cancellation of the vote. Subsequently, the protests degenerated, with more policemen pushed and wounded and the lateral doors of the parliament building were deteriorated. 

(Reporter A. Zara, editor M. Jantovan)