The meeting of the Chisinau City Council (CMC) started on Friday, December 7, with a manifestation of protest. Representatives of the Union of Veterans “Sf. Gheorghe Biruitorul” declared that they will go on strike and block the meetings of the Council unless it solves their land-related problems. After a few failed attempts to persuade the protesters to leave the sitting hall, the Council’s Chairman, with the consent of the councillors, gave floor to the representatives of the Union. Alexandru Gusan said the Union was deeply concerned that one of the Council’s specialised commissions rejected the request to extend permission to use a plot of land granted more than 10 year ago to the veterans of the war in Afghanistan and of the armed conflict on the Nistru for gardening and recreational purposes. In his words, several building sites have appeared in the area lately, and one of the councillors, Alexandru Corduneanu, seems to be the owner of one of the future buildings. CMC Chairman Mihai Ghimpu explained that the negative response of a specialised commission is just a formal recommendation to the Council; still the Council is the one to make the final decision. The protesters left the sitting hall only after they were promised that the Council will get back to their problem at a future meeting when it will be listed on the agenda.