Four persons with sight deficiencies declared hunger strike on Thursday morning, accusing the Society for the Blind of Moldova of giving the apartments designed for the blind to persons that do not form part of the organization, Info-Prim Neo reports. “We protest against the illegal actions of the Society for the Blind, which infringes invalids’ rights to normal living conditions,” said Ion Toma, who is blind and army invalid. According to the protesters, the situation of Protiuc family is extremely difficult as it includes partly blind parents and two mentally disabled children. They were to receive an apartment in 2005, but the given apartment was offered to another blind person, V. Bucicov, who, as they said, already had an apartment of his own. “The apartment intended for us was given to Bucicov. Then it was sold,” said Natalia Protiuc. The sightless persons in Balti that do not have their own apartments live in a hostel of the Society, but they do not have documents for staying there. “The conditions in the hostel are appalling, especially the heat supply. In winter, we have to find shelter at our acquaintances. We live by three families in one apartment,” said Stanislav Protiuc. The protesters gathered in front of the Presidential Office and were determined to stay thee until the head of state came to them. Ion Toma said that when they started the protest he was called to the Chisinau Prosecutor’s Office and told to stop protesting because they will not obtain anything. As the traffic signs in front of the Presidential Office ban stops, the protesters were refused a car where they could warm up. Also, they were told that they were not allowed to place a mobile toilet there. According to Vasile Pascari, of the Social-Humanitarian and Interethnic Relations Division of the Chisinau City Hall, the protesters filed an application to the City Hall and have been authorized to hold the protest. But the municipal police appealed the City Hall’s decision to court. The Society for the Blind could not be contacted for comments.