Two protests take place in centre of Chisinau

Chisinau, 26 August /MOLDPRES/ – There are taking place two protests today in the Great National Assembly Square (PMAN) in the centre of Chisinau.  

Before events start this morning, the law enforcement officials surrounded the government building with a protective wall.

The first came the sympathisers of Sor Party in PMAN, even if, at the Mayor's Office of Chisinau, the request for organising the protest was submitted by activist Maia Laguta, which announced that she would hold an assembly with citizens.

There were placed more tents in front of the Government building. Within first speeches, the demonstrators spoke about dissatisfaction with fuel prices, but later representatives of Sor Party ascended on the scene, which filed more accusations against the extra – parliamentary opposition and voiced their support for the projects initiated by Sor Party.

"Thank you for coming and supporting the party. Together we will fight. Do not let yourself be led by instigation. No one will stop us. We will put an end to transgressions. We are against PAS and Platform DA, the ones which do not stick to their word. We will not tolerate lies. We came to protect the honour of our leader, Ilan Sor. We will not let you overlook his name. We want to end with the politicians which do nothing for our country," said vice – president of Sor Party, Marina Tauber.

At his turn, party leader Ilan Sor specified that the purpose of the action today is to defend the party – initiated projects. "In our country somebody wants to close our projects, but they will not succeed. These projects are for the people, the society needs them," said Ilan Sor.

Initially, the two demonstrations were divided by several rows of policemen, but later the supporters of the National Resistance Movement (MNR), represented by PAS, Platform DA and PLDM, went around the Stefan cel Mare and Holy monument in the centre of Chisinau municipality.

In his speech, leader of PAS, Maia Sandu, urged citizens to protest peacefully. "These people are trying to stop the attempts to unmask the crimes of Ilan Sor. We support democracy and have not come for violence. We will not become violent and we will not aggrandize each other," said Maia Sandu.

"Someone wants the society to be divided. I have announced a civil, peaceful and civilized protest. We do not want bloodshed. These people want the protest of today to degenerate into violent actions. This is not our goal, our goal is to take our country back. I urge you to improvise a scene in front of the monument of Stefan cel Mare and continue the protest peacefully," said leader of Platform DA, Andrei Nastase.

During the action, the supporters of MRN chanted: "We are the people", "Down with dictatorship", "We do not give up", "The Diaspora with us, we want the country back" and "Down with Mafia".

The two protest manifestations take place concurrently in PMAN, as two requests for organisation of two protest actions in the centre of Chisinau were filed to Chisinau City Hall for today. After three joint sessions, it was not established which one would organise the protest in the centre of Chisinau, so the representatives of the City Hall decided that both protests would take place.

(Reporter A. Ciobanu, editor A. Raileanu)