Protests continue in Chisinau downtown

Chisinau, 21 January /MOLDPRES/-People continue to protest in Chisinau today. Sympathizers and supporters of the DA Platform (Dignity and Truth), Socialist Party (PSRM), and “Partidul Nostru” party (Our Party) headed by Renato Usatii marched in front of some administrative buildings, voicing their disagreement over the investiture of the new government headed by Prime Minister Pavel Filip. Protesters demanded for snap elections.

Though until recently the leader of DA Platform, PSRM leader, Igor Dodon and Renato Usatii have protested separately, all of them united in a joint rally today. They urged citizens to stick out peacefully but firmly for their rights, reiterating their demand for snap elections, which according to them could restore “peace in the society”.

“The country is with us. We have the same goal and we join our forces to get results,” one of DA Platform’s leaders, Andrei Nastase said. The head of PSRM’s faction in Chisinau Municipal Council, Ion Ceban noted that regardless of their political color, protesters all want snap elections.

The leader of Our Party, Renato Usatii urged supporters to protest in a civilized manner and reject provocations.

Protesters have rallied outside the parliament’s headquarters for several hours, asking for snap elections. They have also protested outside Moldtelecom Company, demanding for explanations on the interruption of a private TV channel’s broadcasting.

After demonstrations at Moldtelecom, protesters followed Igod Dodon’s urge, heading towards the headquarters of the Constitutional Court (CC), where Socialist MPs were planning on filing a notification appealing the government’s investiture and president’s decree on appointing Pavel Filip as prime minister.

Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu invited protesters to hold talks today. However, the discussion had been cancelled.

On 20 January, in the afternoon, Moldovan MPs gave a vote of confidence to the government headed by Prime Minister Pavel Filip. The new cabinet of ministers was invested during a half-hour meeting and was backed by 57 MPs, out of the 68 MPs attending the meeting. Thousands of sympathizers of DA Platform, PSRM and Renato Usatii’s party protested outside the Moldovan parliament on 20 January, asking MPs to vote against the investiture of the government headed by Pavel Filip and opt for snap elections. After the cabinet’s investiture, protesters required that the vote be cancelled.

(Reporter A. Zara, Editor F. Galaico)