The Civic Platform “Dignity and Truth” will set up an initiative group for organizing a constitutional referendum on the election of the head of state by the people. Such a decision was adopted in the large-scale protest held in the Great National Assembly Square in Chisinau on October 4. The even involved tens of thousands of people, IPN reports.

Platform member Igor Botan stated that it was exactly half a year since they mounted the first large-scale protest and now the government, which allowed the ‘theft of the century’ to be committed, is now paralyzed, while the country is in an economic, social and moral crisis. “The leaders of the so-called pro-European alliance blackmail each other. The Government does not have an anti-crisis plan and cannot work it out because it fully lost not only the people’s, but also development partners’ confidence. Parliament balances on the edge of a majority and cannot even convene. We can no longer leave the country in the hands of this dizzy class. We must take it back. I suggest holding a referendum on the direct election of the President,” he said before the crowd.

Stefan Uratu, deputy chairman of the Central Election Commission, said it’s a shame for the authorities to show no positive reaction when the people have protested for six months and demanded their lawful rights. “I form part of the government somehow, but I came here because I responded to the invitation to join in if I do not want to be associated with the criminals. I feel sorry for those whom we brought to power in 2009 because they are afraid to come out and talk to you. It’s a pity that no step in advancing further democracy has been taken.  Democracy was defamed and is being perceived by the people as something that brought poverty. I tell you from my own experience that those who want to do something good at their workplaces cannot do it because of the octopus that seized all the state institutions. The parliamentary elections of 2014 and the local elections of 2015 were rigged. It’s not for the first time that I say this. I tried to prove this by court, by the prosecutor’s office, but my requests were ignored,” he stated.

Another Platform member Valentin Dolganiuc read the protesters’ Resolution, saying the current government came to power illegally. The institutions that should be apolitical were distributed according to political criteria and all the state institutions are at the beck and call of only one person. “The Great National Assembly highlights the captivity of the state and the usurpation of the state power. We call on the Constitutional Court to ascertain the usurpation of power in the state institutions and to set the country free from captivity,” said the member of the Platform “Dignity and Truth”. The Resolution envisions the creation of strike committees that would react when need be.

Platform member Inga Grigoriu said the protesters do not want to be cannon fodder or just individuals who bring money into oligarchs’ accounts. “We are peaceful and came to the protest with flowers-weapons, while they mobilized the entire police force. There is no other way than forming a People’s Guard to protect us. They built barricades and surrounded the state institutions with policemen. We must mobilize and create the People’s Guard to be able to protect ourselves,” she stated. Afterward, the participants in the protest approved by vote the institution of the ‘People’s Guard”, which will consist mainly of police officers and servicemen in reserve.

Protesters’ leaders called on the population to refuse to pay the bills for electric power as a recent analysis showed that the people in Moldova pay monthly by US$15 million more than necessary for electricity.

During the protest, a group of people went to the Parliament Building to find out if their demand to immediately call a siting to discuss the situation in the country, which would involve the Cabinet members and the President, was met. The Parliament Building was surrounded by police officers and the protesters weren’t allowed to go in. There were several short altercations there. Only the Socialists MPs met with the protesters. These accompanied them to the Parliament Building to seek an emergency meeting.

Afterward, the protest participants went on a march to the building that houses the offices of the first deputy chairman of the Democratic Party Vlad Plahotniuc. Some of these became involved in altercations with the police when trying to force their way.