Moldovan opposition gathers thousands of supporters to protest in central Chisinau
Several thousands of supporters of the Moldovan political group For People led by parliamentarians Marina Tauber and Reghina Apostolova from the opposition Shor Party gathered for a protest rally in central Chisinau on Thursday, blocking roads to traffic.
The demonstrators approached the buildings of the presidential office and the parliament, chanting anti-governmental and anti-presidential mottos and calling for early presidential and parliamentary elections, an Interfax correspondent reported.
Protesters also demanded that the authorities compensate households for all utility bills for the three winter months.
Shor Party advisor Serghei Burgudji claimed at the rally that dozens of buses carrying protesters from southern regions of the country could not reach Chisinau, as police unreasonably stopped them.
"I'd like to remind the police that politicians come and go, but the people stay. You should be together with the people who don't demand anything extraordinary but normal, peaceful, and safe life," he said.
Tauber said the ruling majority ignored a bill on the compensation for utility bills and did not put it on the parliamentary session agenda.
"They don't care how their fellow-citizens live. But at the same time, they left the bill on the name of the language. They need to decide right now whether we speak in the Moldovan or in the Romanian language. What is important is that such things aren't resolved legislatively. There's a need for a nationwide referendum," Tauber said, thanking the protesters for support.
During the rally, police confiscated sound amplifiers from the rally organizers. Police demanded documents for the equipment, which demonstrators did not have. Following this, demonstrators started to disperse, promising to continue protests in the near future.
As reported earlier, 24 people had been detained at the start of the rally, when its participants clashed with police. The General Police Inspectorate reported the detention of "aggressive demonstrators," from whom prohibited objects were seized.
