Police and protesters clash over place where to protest

Police officers and leaders of the European Action Movement (MAE) argued about the place where to hold an authorised protest on February 13, Info-Prim Neo reports. MAE announced that on Wednesday it will picket the Parliament’s building in protest against President Vladimir Voronin’s policy of maintaining Moldova’s status of neutrality and of not joining NATO. Shortly after the protesters gathered in front of the Parliament’s building opposite the Presidential Office, the deputy police commissioner of Chisinau Iacob Gumenita approached them and demanded that they move to Maria Cebotari Street, which adjoins Stephan the Great Boulevard. According to Gumenita, the place where the protesters stood was not 50 metres from the Presidential Office as required by law. He also said that they occupied a part of the area that was adjacent to the Parliament building. The picketers refused to comply, saying that they act in compliance with the legislation and do not infringe the order issued by the local public administration. Gumenita warned the protesters that he will have to use force, but they did not conform. The vice police commissioners, alongside other policemen, remained to supervise the picketers at the place that they occupied initially up to the end. According to the MAE leader Anatol Petrencu, Moldova belongs in NATO. Moldova would become part of the EU, only if it joined this organisation, he said Another incident occurred while MAE was holding the picket. Soon after starting the protest, several men raised placards with the inscription “No to NATO” not far from the place were the protesters were chanting slogans in favour of joining this organisation and the EU. The police intervened immediately and when ascertaining that the men did not have authorisation, they ordered the men to get into the car and took them into an unknown direction. When the one-hour picket was over, Anatol Petrencu was invited by a policeman to the Police Department of Buiucani district. But Petrencu demanded a warrant. Approximately 50-70 persons took part in the protest according to the police and about 300 persons according to the organisers. Most of the participants were young people.