Moldovan Protest Leaders Set Up Tent City, Vow To Stay Until Demands Met

The organizers of a mass protest in Moldova’s capital have set up a tent city, vowing early on September 7 that they will remain there until their demands are met.

Tens of thousands of people joined the protest in central Chisinau on September 6 to call for the resignation of President Nicolae Timofti and for early elections following a $1 billion bank fraud in the impoverished country.

They also demanded the resignation of senior officials at Moldova’s central bank and the attorney general’s office.

Police estimate that more than 60,000 people attended the six-hour protest on the central square outside of the main government building.

Protesters shouted slogans such as: “We want our country back!” and “Down with the oligarchs.”

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Police clashed with supporters of the far-left party Red Bloc after they marched to the prosecutor-general’s headquarters and attempted to break through a police cordon.

According to Interfax, police detained several protesters, several others were injured, and one woman was hospitalized.

Tens of thousands of people protested in Moldova’s capital on September 6, calling on the president to resign and early elections to take place over a $1 billion bank fraud that has lowered living standards. The protesters arrived in Chisinau from all regions after a new mass organization called DA (Demnitate și Adevăr, or Dignity and Truth) called on people to demonstrate in the central square outside the main government building. Protesters demanded the resignation of President Nicolae Timofti, the election of a new head of state, and the resignation of top officials at Moldova’s central bank and the Attorney General’s Office. Police estimate that there were 60,000 people present, which would make the protest bigger than the mass anticommunist demonstrations of April 2009. Protesters shouted slogans such as “We want our country back!” and “Down with the oligarchs.” Police clashed with supporters of the far left Red Bloc party after they marched to the prosecutor-general’s headquarters and attempted to break through a police cordon. According to Interfax, police detained several protesters, several others were injured, and one woman was hospitalized. Some 30 tents were set up in the evening on the main square of Chisinau and protesters vowed to remain there until their demands are met. Nearly $1 billion -- around one-eighth of the country’s gross domestic product -- disappeared from three banks shortly before the November 2014 parliamentary elections. The bank fraud prompted a rapid depreciation in the national currency, fueling inflation, and lowering living standards. Moldova’s pro-European prime minister, Valeriu Strelets, who took up the post in July, has promised to crack down on corruption.

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After the rally ended on September 6, organizers from a group calling itself Dignity and Truth (DA) set up about 30 tents on the square.

Rally organizer and former parliamentary deputy Valentin Dolganiuc said the tent city would serve as a base for more protests “as it becomes necessary in order to make sure all our demands are met.”

Nearly $1 billion -- around one eighth of the country’s gross domestic product -- disappeared from three banks shortly before Moldova's November 2014 parliamentary elections.

The bank fraud prompted a rapid depreciation in the national currency, fueling inflation, and lowering living standards.

Moldova’s pro-European Prime Minister Valeriu Strelets, who took up the post in July, has promised to crack down on corruption.

He made an appearance in front of the government building and said that he would consider the demands made by protest leaders.

Strelets told Reuters in August that Moldova would speed up efforts to find the missing $1 billion and bring the money back to Moldova.

With additional reporting by Reuters, AFP, and Interfax