Large-scale protest staged in Moldovan capital

Chisinau, 24 January /MOLDPRES/ - A large-scale protest today took place on the Great National Assembly Square (PMAN) of Chisinau against the swearing in office of the Filip government. The protesters repeatedly demanded organisation of snap parliamentary elections, monitored by the United Nations and other international institutions. 

Supporters of the Dignity and Truth Platform, Party of Socialists (PSRM) and the party led by Renato Usatii united in this protest on PMAN. The citizens shouted anti-government slogans, demanded change of the political class and asked the development partners not to back the cabinet led by Pavel Filip.

''One year has passed since we started protests in streets. The present governance controls the entire country and tries to establish a dictatorship, but it will not manage, as the people have woken up. We call on those leading the country to come here and render resignation, as we want snap polls and a head of state elected by the people,'' the head of the Great National Assembly Council, Andrei Nastase, said.  

PSRM leader Igor Dodon said that all the citizens had united on PMAN for the first time since the declaration of the independence. ''Our problem is that we divide into nationalities, we are citizens of Moldova, who want to live at home, we want our children to grow up at home, and the fact that we have united speaks about the fact that we can save the country. We must do our utmost to get snap elections, and the latter may take place only if we are united,'' Dodon said. 

''I have come here to save Moldova. The country is in a big danger and we are obliged to return the country back to the people. There are many of us and we must show them that the power is in our hands,'' the leader of Our Party, Renato Usatii, said. 

At the protest, the people present on PMAN voted for the creation of the National Salvation Council, demanding resignation of the leadership of more state institutions. Subsequently, the column of protesters headed to the Constitutional Court, National Anticorruption Centre and Prosecutor General's Office, where people protested against decisions taken by these institutions.

A meeting for the support of the Filip government was scheduled for today too. Subsequently, organisers said they had cancelled the event, ''in order to avoid any risk of infiltration of provokers and of violence during the action,'' according to a press release issued by the GARLEM Public Association.

The protests took proportion in the Moldovan capital on 20 January evening. On that day, citizens showed discontent with the way the government led by a Democratic Party member, Pavel Filip, was sworn in office, and demanded cancellation of the vote and calling snap parliamentary elections.

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor M. Jantovan)