Moldovan protesters' leaders meet parliament speaker
19:12 | 21.01.2016 Category: Political
Chisinau, 21 January /MOLDPRES/ - The leaders of the Dignity and Truth Platform, leader of the Party of Socialists (PSRM), Igor Dodon and the one of Our Party, Renato Usatii, as well as civil society's representatives met Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu today.
The meeting lasted for more than an hour and was held in the absence of journalists. At the end of the event, the protesters' leaders said they had filed the citizens' claims to the authorities and got the promise that on the MPs of the parliamentary majority on 22 January would hold a meeting to discuss the claims.
Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu showed content with the dialogue held with the protesters and urged them to act within the limit of the law. "Within the dialogue, the lawfulness of the investiture of the government led by Pavel Filip was doubted. We believe that all the procedures were observed, besides, this cabinet is backed by the foreign partners as well. This a government which deserves the chance to prove that it can bring benefits to the country, and there are no grounds for snap polls. We also discussed some good ideas, such as the one to organise parliamentary hearings on up-to-date issues. Communication is the most important thing, and the yesterday incidents are regrettable. Politics is not worth being spotted with blood. And those who organise protests assume all responsibility for carrying out them peacefully," Candu said.
"We demand the cancellation of the 20 January voting; there two ways of settling this situation: cancellation of the vote in parliament or annulment of the vote by the Constitutional Court," PSRM leader Igor Dodon said.
One of the leaders of the Dignity and Truth Platform, Andrei Nastase, said the protests would continue all day long today. "At the meeting, we spoke about all the expectations of the citizens. We will continue the protests, as we can exert pressure and get to snap elections only in this way," Nastase specified. Andrei Nastase added that all incidents occurred during the 20 January protests had been provoked and that he regretted the violence faced by MPs.
The leader of Our Party, Renato Usatii, recognised that he had made people take to streets and voiced opinion that the overwhelming majority of the residents wanted snap elections.
On 20 January, the new cabinet of ministers led by Pavel Filip was sworn in office with the votes of 57 lawmakers; this triggered mass protests, which turned into violent acts.
(Reporter A. Zara, editor M. Jantovan)
