A protest was staged before the Government Building. About 50 persons supporting Moldova’s union with Romania protested against the visit paid by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Rogozin to Moldova. According to the protesters, the Russian official has bad intentions and the final goal is to hamper Moldova from following its course to European integration, IPN reports.

“Rogozin does not want to encourage our European road. He wants Moldova to remain within Russia’s sphere of influence, where we cannot develop and cannot have a future and a democratic society,” said the head of the National Liberal Party Vitalia Pavlicenco.

Borin Gaina from Orhei said the Moldovan people do not need such a visit. “He should go and bring things in order in Russia. There are people who die of starvation there. They should take care of Russia’s economy and leave our country alone,” he stated.

Protester Leonid Bicu believes that such officials should be declared enemies, not friends of Moldova. “We want guests to come from Russia, but they should be representatives of the Russian people and culture,” stated the man.

According to the chairman of the 1992 War Veterans Association “Tiras–Tighina” Anatolie Caraman, Dmitri Rogozin fought against the Moldovan people during the Nistru war. “We want the authorities to declare this official persona non grata,” he stated.

Dmitri Rogozin is paying an official visit to Chisinau today, September 3. In the afternoon, he will have meetings with government officials and statesmen. Tomorrow, Rogozin will travel to Tiraspol to lay the foundation stone of a hospital that will be built with Russian funds.