The protest was stopped. The participants said they will return tomorrow at 12 noon.

/12.59/ President Igor Dodon on his Facebook page wrote that he welcomes the vote to change the electoral system held in Parliament. He said the law kept the whole concept that he proposed in April. “The proposal was drafted taking into account the wish of a large part of the country’s population, which wants a real and balanced political reform, in the interests of the people,” wrote President Dodon.

/12:48pm/ Access to the Presidential Building is restricted by a cordon consisting of five rows of carabineers. The protesters blocked 31 August St and traffic was diverted onto adjoining streets. PPPN deputy chairman Dmitry Chubashenko requested President Igor Dodon not to promulgate the law by which the electoral system is changed and to thus show that he is not controlled by the Democratic leader Vlad Plahotniuc. The protesters demand that the Head of State should come out before the crowd.

/12:28pm/The column of protesters is heading for the Presidential Building. MPs of the Party of Communists, who left the assembly hall after the amendments to the Election Code were passed in the final reading, joined the protest. MP Inna Supac told the crowd that the Communist MPs could not take part in the usurpation of power in the state and asked that the bill should be withdrawn from the agenda, but they didn’t enjoy support.

/11:50am/ The supporters of the mixed-member electoral system ended the demonstration staged in front of the Parliament Building. Those who are against the replacement of the electoral system continue to protest. Accruing to PAS leader Maia Sandu, the 74 MPs who voted for the amendment of the Election Code will remain in history as those who voted for the establishment of dictatorship in the Republic of Moldova.

/11:36am/The Ministry of the Interior in a press release said sufficient police officers were involved in maintaining public order. The Ministry calls on the people to obey public order and to refrain from illegal acts and not to wear weapons, explosives, banned substances and other objects that can endanger the life and health of people.

/11:22am/ Altercations occurred between protesters. Members of the two camps splashed each other with water. The police intervened to prevent the worsening of the situation. Two placards with the words “No to the mixed electoral system” were thrown out of a window of the Parliament Building. The number of police cordons was increased to five.

PAS leader Maia Sandu said the protest will continue throughout the day as a warning signal. “What has happened in Parliament today is an illegality. We will stay here as long as it is necessary to defend democracy. We will make use of all the legal ways,” stated Maia Sandu.

/11:00am/ The persons who protest against the introduction of the mixed-member electoral system have surrounded the Parliament Building. The call to surround the building was made by the leader of the PPDA. Andrei Nastase tried to enter the building, but was prevented by the police.

/10:46m/ The electoral system change was passed by the votes of 74 MPs. A number of MPs left the assembly hall.

/10:38am/ The PPDA leader Andrei Nastase said large-scale protests will be organized if Parliament passes the amendments to the Election Code in the final reading. First deputy head of the National Unity Party Ana Gutu said she is taking part in the protest against the replacement of the electoral system because such a change will not enable the party she represents to enter Parliament in the future parliamentary elections.

/10:24am/ Liberal MP Ion Apostol in a press briefing said the last blow to democracy in Moldova will be given in Parliament in several hours. “Thus, despite the messages of the foreign partners, the electoral system will be changed today for the purpose of ensuring the perpetuation of the government by the PDM-PSRM duo in Moldova. The Liberal Party was the first that opposed this initiative, being convinced that the risks it implies to the democratic election process are incommensurable,” stated Ion Apostol. According to him, the current electoral system is probably not the best, but the political class hasn’t always excelled and disappointed often the people, but this imperfect formula ensures at least honest representativeness of the cast votes. “The bill that is to be passed today in the final reading implies risks of MPs being influenced by business interests, as the Venice Commission warned too. Now the legislative body is like a marketplace where everything is sold and bought. After the next elections, the transactions with MPs will become as captivating as the signing of footballers.”

/10:19am/ Leader of the Party “Action and Solidarity” (PAS) Maia Sandu and leader of the Party
“Platform Dignity and Truth” (PPDA) Andrei Nastase expressed their dissatisfaction with the fact that those who are against the attempts to change the electoral system are allowed to protest only near the street, while the supporters are allowed to protest near the entrance of the Parliament Building.

/10:12am/ In the protest staged by the Association “Faith to the Homeland”, Democratic MP Sergiu Sarbu said the bill to replace the electoral system will be adopted by Parliament in the final reading on July 20.

“It is an important day for us all. The current government, at your suggestion, votes to introduce the mixed electoral system. I’m sure that today’s vote is your vote,” said Democratic MP Valentina Buliga.

/10:04am/ Several minutes before the sitting of Parliament, the tensions between the two campus increased. Members of the Association “Faith to the Homeland” demonstrated in favor of the introduction of the mixed-member electoral system, while the representatives of the extraparliamentary parties chant “Traitors”.

/09:45am/ Two camps demonstrate in front of the Parliament Buildings while the MPs are gathering for the plenary sitting. Members of the Association “Faith to the Homeland” argue in favor of the electoral system change, while representatives of the extraparliamentary parties plead for keeping the current party-list proportional representation system. The two camps are separated by two police cordons, IPN reports.

The camp of the extraparliamentary parties accuse the opponent camp of betrayal and the MPs of the parliamentary alliance of promoting the interests of the Democratic leader Vlad Plahotniuc, who pursues personal goals by the electoral system change.

“The mixed electoral system enables the Democratic Party to keep power. This party allied itself with the Party of Socialists in order to subjugate us. Plahotniuc and Dodon want us to continue to live in misery and poverty and to restore the Soviet, mafiotic and oligarchic regime,” said the leader of the Party “Platform Dignity and Truth” Andrei Nastase.

The Democratic Party announced that the amendments to the Election Code, whereby the mixed electoral system is introduced, will be adopted in the final reading by the end of the current parliamentary session.