The Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM) and the Political Party “Our Party (PPPN) on September 27 mounted several protest marches and a common protest in front of the Parliament Building, where the two parties put up several hundred tents several days ago. The demands submitted to the authorities were classified into three categories and provide that the resignation of President Nicolae Timofti is the only legal possibility of holding early parliamentary elections. The protesters also sought the resignation of a number of high-ranking officials and the giving of a vote of no confidence to the Government headed by Valeriu Strelet, IPN reports.
The resolution adopted in the September 27 protest stipulates three ‘national salvation’ stages covering the next three months. Thus, the protesters seek the resignation of the prosecutor general, director of the Security and Information Service, president of the Supreme Court of Justice, director of the National Anticorruption Center, president of the Audit Office, chairman of the National Integrity Commission, chairman of the Central Election Commission and of the director of the public TV channel Moldova 1. According to the resolution, the new persons who will be named to these posts must be selected at open contests held by a special commission that would involve representatives of the political opposition and civil society. It is also asked annulling the parliamentary immunity and holding accountable all those involved in the bank frauds, freeing all the persons who were arrested during the peaceful September 6 protest, giving a vote of no confidence to the Strelet Government, amending the Constitution so that it allows for the election of the President directly by the people and holding early parliamentary elections not later than next spring. President Nicolae Timofti is requested to immediately tender his resignation.
During the protest, the leader of the PPPN Renato Usatyi said the large number of protesting people proves the people’s force. “There are tens of thousands here. The rulers do what they want and there is no justice in the county. The parents who went abroad to work do not see their children. We came to tell the rulers that we can no longer tolerate something like this. We must not depend on political tourists. We have now hundreds of tents here, but their number will rise to thousands in several days,” warned Usatyi.
The leader of the PSRM Igor Dodon said the people who came together in the center of Chisinau are proud that they are citizens of this country. “Today it is a historical day. It is the beginning of the end of the oligarchic regime in Moldova. Down with the oligarchs! We are a force and came here to show that we are against the current government. Over the last six years, they have shown only disrespect to the population. We must obtain early parliamentary elections and the elections must be free and fair. Timofti should leave so that the people could be elected the head of state themselves,” he stated.
Renato Usatyi noted he wants to become the head of state, while Igor Dodon should be named Premier, while Igor Dodon said the people will decide who and what post should hold.
According to the organizers, the protest, which brought together over 50,000 people, will last until all protesters’ demands are satisfied. More tents were pitched before the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, where the parliamentary commissions hold sittings, during the protest.
After the protest mounted in the center of Chisinau, Renato Usatyi and Igor Dodon, accompanied by several hundred supporters, went to the presidential residence in Condrita to demand that Nicolae Timofti should resign. Afterward, the two politicians stated that nobody came out to talk to them and, if the head of state does not resign, they will resort to radical actions and will mobilize thousands of protesters at the President’s door.
