Thousands of people have taken to the streets in three separate protests in the Moldovan capital as the country's political crisis continues.
Two of the Chisinau protests on January 16 were organized by pro-Russian parties, while the third was held by the Dignity and Truth (DA) anticorruption civic group.
The protests came after President Nicolae Timofti on January 15 nominated Technology Minister Pavel Filip as the country's next prime minister. Early indications are that Filip will be able to secure a majority of votes in parliament.
Filip is a member of Democratic Party, which is closely tied to controversial oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc. Earlier, Timofti rejected parliament's nomination of Plahotniuc as premier, saying he was tainted by corruption allegations.
Businessman Renato Usatii, head of the pro-Russia Our Party and mayor of the city of Balti, on January 16 denied reports broadcast by media controlled by Plahotniuc that opposition leaders and Russian security forces are planning a coup in Moldova. The reports are "nonsense," Usatii said.
If parliament does not approve a government by January 29, Timofti will have to dissolve it and call early legislative elections.
