Liberals from Balti accused of hooliganism, Orhei's police deputy commissar sanctioned: deputy minister of Interior reports

The police intervened in the altercations in Balti on October 5, arresting 5 youths for hooliganism, and the Orhei police deputy commissar was sanctioned for inadequate behavior with the Pro TV crew, deputy Interior Minister Valentin Zubic reports. The Ministry rejects the allegations that the police would have resorted to special measures to prevent the manifestations of the Liberal Party on October 5 in a number of localities, Info-Prim Neo reports. Valentin Zubic responded to opposition MPs' interpellations as to the late resounding actions of the police, on Thursday on the Parliament's floor. The deputy minister has said probes have been carried concerning the five youths and the files are now in the court. The Balti prosecutor check up whether the young men's actions had any xenophobic traits, Zubic said. He has said the incident emerged between the Liberal protesters and the police in the morning of Oct. 5 in Chisinau's Great National Assembly Square (GNAS) was caused by the organizers. “The motorcade of 57 cars ran on the GNAS breech the traffic regulation, hampering other cars. Asked by the police to stop breeching the public order, the organizers instigated the protesters,” Valentin Zubic said. “We did not use force, did not read duly in order mot to extend this incident. 15 minutes were filed against car drivers. None has been sued, what is to show that the drivers recognize their offenses,” the vice minister said. According to Zubic, in the evening of the same day the police were deployed in front of the Russian Embassy, without being asked to, as they wanted to prevent clashes between two parties with different views (PL and pro-Russian Ravnopravie), as both were authorized to picket the embassy at the same time. The deputy minister says the police had to intervene with additional troops when the PL protesters called to block Stefan cel Mare ave. “ “The police did not intervene until the motorcade tried to block the Russian Embassy, what is a severe violation of of Moldova's commitment to ensure the safety of foreign missions. All the more that the motorcade was headed by a citizen having breeched several times the traffic regulation and committed a road accident,” Valentin Zubic hinted to Chisinau's mayor Dorin Chirtoaca. Valentin Zubic has said the Orhei policeman and deputy commissar were sanctioned by the minister for “inadequate behavior with the Pro TV crew.” The vice minister says the Chisinau Prosecutor's Office decided not to start probing the Pro TV cameraman case. Valentin Zubic says Mihai Sambra was not arrested, neither beaten up by police, but was beaten up in a fight in a bar near his dormitory. He says Mihai Sambra started conflicts in his dormitory what is stated by 15 witnesses -- “simple citizens who could not be influenced.” He says the prosecutors will decide whether to indict Mihai Sambra for fake statements and pressing witnesses, Valentin Zubic said. On October 5 , the Liberal Party staged protests in Chisinau, Balti and district centers against the Russian Army staying in Moldova, as clashes occurred PL accuses that the actions of the police in Chisinau and the inaction of the police in Balti were directed by the Communists Party to hamper the protests. Pro TV maintains its cameraman Mihai Sambra was fiercely beaten up in the evening of Oct. 8 in a police office.