As the war continues in Ukraine, neighboring Moldova, a former Soviet republic with European ambitions, fears it may be Moscow’s next target. The president, Maia Sandu, said a few days ago that she had documents proving that Moscow was plotting a coup in her country. A pro-Russian rally took place this Sunday, February 19 in the afternoon in the heart of Chișinău. The demonstrators demand the departure of the government.
With our special correspondent Chișinău, Agnieszka Kumor
Initially planned in front of the Parliament and the presidency, the rally finally took place in front of the national opera, in the immediate vicinity of these high places of power. People between 50 and 70 years old, coming from the provinces, at the call of the political party Șor.
The pro-Kremlin oligarch Ilan Șor, on the run in Israel, would continue, according to the Moldovan media, to destabilize the power of Maia Sandu, the president.
A thousand demonstrators who came in mini-buses chartered by the oligarch would be arrested on the outskirts of the capital by the gendarmes, but thousands of others beat the pavement demanding full payment by the government of the citizens’ gas and heating bills .
Slogans “ Sandu resignation », « we are the people ” or ” they have millions, and we are starving resounded throughout this demonstration, which was closely watched by the police, who were much more numerous than during previous demonstrations.
A few dozen pro-Europeans a few steps away shouted their disagreement, but there were no clashes. Some young people were however arrested by the police with prohibited items including a knife in their possession.
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