The messages of all the protest movements are authentic and focus on the problems faced by society, the project’s expert Sergiu Ostaf, who is the executive director of the Resource Center for Human Rights (CReDO), said in the public debate “Protest movements in Moldova: motives, manifestations, typical features, developments, benefits, dangers” that was staged by IPN News Agency in partnership with Radio Moldova. The expert noted it is very good that the people protest peacefully and these protests should not degenerate into confrontations.
“Different groups are mobilized and particular forces can capitalize on these energizing-mobilizing forms to cause confrontation and to speculate, including outside the country. Attempts are made to speculate on certain movements by saying that a unionist movement can pose a considerable threat to Moldova’s existence. A balance should be thus created as these elements can be speculated on and these false reasons can be used for particular purposes,” said Sergiu Ostaf.
He also said the risks of confrontation do not come from inside the protest movements, but can be generated by the speculations of groups of interests that do not want this country to prosper. These try to speculate on the authentic motives of the movements. “It is important for all the exiting platforms to cooperate in achieving their mission in a peaceful way and I think the necessary understanding exists,” stated the experts.
Sergiu Ostaf noted that the protest movements shape and give voice to particular problems faced in society and, when the authorities do not manage to swiftly respond to the demands, these get a more pronounced shape. These movements are an absolutely normal and democratic phenomenon that highlights particular problems and through which they aim to change the views on particular subjects. Everything depends on how the public institutions react to protesters’ demands because the system difficulties intensify protests.
According to the expert, there are a number of platforms that mount protests now. For example the National Unity Bloc is represented by less known young people who disseminate one message – Moldova’s union with Romania. The unionists create foundations for the unionist political forces that can make use of this message. Also, the unionist movement can deepen contradictions with persons with anti-unionist views, which can lead to division in society and particular forces can again make use of this.
As to farmers’ protests, Sergiu Ostaf considers these are rather narrow ones, with demands that are more technical in character and that need concrete solutions. The protesting farmers include mainly large and, maybe, medium-sized farmers and these are represented by former ministers and even party members. They form part of political forces and their demands will most probably be satisfied. This movement could be reviewed depending on the new demands that will appear.
As to the Civic Platform “Dignity and Truth”, the expert said this is a movement that expresses the people’s dissatisfaction with social problems by peaceful ways. It is a centrist one, but it lacks the commitment element. This movement includes people older than 40, while the members of the initiative group are public figures, including journalists, analysts, civil society members and persons who formed part of political projects, mainly opposition ones.
The debate “Protest movements in Moldova: motives, manifestations, typical features, developments, benefits, dangers” is the 39th of the series of debates “Developing political culture by public debates” that are organized with the support of the German foundation “Hanns Seidel”.
