Several thousand protesters rallied in Moldova's capital Sunday to demand that the country's new pro-Western government fully cover citizens' winter heating bills amid a cost-of-living crisis and skyrocketing inflation.
The protest was organized by a recently formed group called Movement for the People and supported by members of Moldova's Russia-friendly Shor Party, which holds six seats in the former Soviet republic's 101-seat legislature.
Some of the demonstrators who converged on Chisinau called for the resignation of the country's president, chanting Down with Maia Sandu! Others held placards with the faces of some Moldova's leaders and politicians placed next to photographs of large homes and fancy cars.
"They have millions. We are dying of hunger, they said.
Sandu on Feb. 13 outlined what she claimed was an alleged plot by Moscow to overthrow the government in order to put the nation at the disposal of Russia, and to derail it from its course to one day join the European Union.
Through violent actions, masked under protests of the so-called opposition, the change of power in Chisinau would be forced, she said. In carrying out the plan, the authors rely on several internal forces, but especially on criminal groups such as the Shor formation and all of its derivatives."
Russia strongly denied her claims.
A series of anti-government protests initiated by the Shor Party rocked Moldova during the fall as a severe energy crisis gripped the country after Russia dramatically reduced natural gas supplies.
Around the same time, Moldova's government asked the country's Constitutional Court to declare the Shor Party illegal. The country's anti-corruption prosecutors' office alleged the protests were partly financed with Russian money.
On Saturday, the office said more than 20 searches were carried out at the homes of party members who were actively and systematically involved in receiving and distributing money ... for the transport and remuneration of citizens to the protests.
Eight people were arrested, authorities said.
The Shor Party accused authorities of mobilizing thousands of police officers to thwart Sunday's demonstration and "stop people from entering the capital.
The party's leader, Ilan Shor, is a Moldovan oligarch currently in exile in Israel. He is implicated in a $1 billion bank theft and was recently named on a U.S. State Department sanctions list as working for Russian interests.
The U.S. says Shor worked with corrupt oligarchs and Moscow-based entities to create political unrest in Moldova and to undermine the country's bid to join the EU.
The Movement for the People's website says the group was formed in early February and consists of several political forces, public associations, local elected officials and civic activists to address the unprecedented crises Moldova and its citizens face.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
You’ve hit your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Quarterly Starter
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online
Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app