Protestors pack Chisnau, calling for resignation of Moldovan Government

[NewYorkExpress]

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/moldovas-capital-thousands-call-governments-resignation-2022-09-25/

Several thousand people protested in Moldova's capital on Sunday for the second straight weekend to demand the resignation of the country's pro-Western government amid mounting anger over spiralling natural gas prices and inflation.

The small east European nation, sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania, has seen political tensions rise in recent months as gas prices soar following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.


A Reuters reporter estimated the crowd at about 5,000 outside the official residence of President Maia Sandu -- slightly smaller than last Sunday's gathering.

....

Sandu has repeatedly condemned Moscow's actions in Ukraine and is pushing for membership of the European Union, which has provided the ex-Soviet state with considerable assistance.

Her critics charge she should have negotiated a better gas deal with Russia, Moldova's main supplier.

On Friday, Moldova's gas regulator raised prices by 27% for households.

The protests have been organised by the opposition party of Ilan Shor, an exiled businessman convicted of fraud in connection with a $1 billion bank scandal. The chief suspect in that fraud, business magnate Vlad Plahotniuc, is also outside Moldova, his whereabouts unknown.

[CumbrianLefty]

This is bad, isn't it?

[afleitch]

This is bad, isn't it?

5000 isn't really that much.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

This is bad, isn't it?

The next presidential election is in 2024; the next parliamentary one is in 2025. Sandu has a single-party majority government and has always had substantial opposition, so I’m not sure the protests indicate a lasting sea change in public opinion.

In terms of damage to (relative) European unity, the storm clouds are worse in Bulgaria, Italy and Slovakia.

If Russia faces the eventual risk of ammunition shortages, perhaps they will seek to draw stocks from occupied Transnistria. Moldova has long desired the dismantling of the Cobasna ammunition depot and other sites, which have repeatedly been cited by Russia as reason to maintain their deployment on Transnistria. The trouble with this strategy is that Ukraine could attack the depot if they feared it was to be used against them.