General Prosecutor’s Office and Interior Ministry describe youth protest against April 5 election outcome as illegal

The General Prosecutor’s Office and the Interior Ministry say the April 6 protest staged in the center of Chisinau was illegal. The police have publicly warned the organizers and participants to respect public order. Otherwise, they would be administratively or criminally punished, Info-Prim Neo reports. About 15,000 persons, according to the organizers, protested in the Great National Assembly Square against the results of the April 5 elections. “Even if the people had a civilized behavior on the election day and there were reported no serious violations, a group of students tried to destabilize the situation and break public order in Chisinau on April 6, at 18.00,” Petru Corduneanu, the head of the Interior Ministry’s General Public Order Division, said at a news conference on April 7. Corduneanu expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the protesters blocked the main arteries in Chisinau, infringing the rights of the drivers. He said that they tried to overturn two minibuses, disconnected a trolleybus from the power supply and wanted to enter the Parliament building by force, treating rudely the police officers. “The group of minors was directed by politicians that form part of the Opposition. The Interior Ministry assumes responsibility for ensuring public order and will not allow the destructive forces to destabilize the situation in Moldova.” Cordunenau said. He accused the Chisinau City Hall of not fulfilling its obligation to maintain public order. Corduneanu called on the parents and teachers not to allow the children take part in protests. “The actions taken by the young persons would be punished administratively, while of the organizers – criminally. Under the Criminal Code, the punishment for mass riots is 8 to 15 years in jail,” he said. In a communiqué, the General Prosecutor’s Office says it would take all the legal measures needed to ensure public order and would call the population’s attention to the necessity of observing it.