A mass protest organized by the "Shor" party began in the center of the Moldovan capital, Chisinau. It is accused of ties to Russia.
NewsMaker writes about it.
Demonstrators gathered in the city center for the action and blocked the road. For a long time, the police did not allow them to the place of the action, so clashes broke out between law enforcement officers and protesters. Journalists from the scene report that the first arrests have already taken place.
In addition, the police blocked a number of buses north of Chisinau, which people used to travel to the protest. They said that the buses do not meet technical standards and cannot transport people. In response to this, protesters began to block the highway from Chisinau in the area of the village of Stavcheny. Later, the law enforcement officers still let the protesters into the city.
At rallies of the "Shor" party, they traditionally criticize the Moldovan government and call on it to resign. The leader of the party Ilan Shor is abroad, because he was convicted in Moldova for withdrawing a billion dollars from the countryʼs banking system. On October 26, the United States imposed new sanctions for "corruption and attempts by the Kremlin to influence internal affairs in Moldova." Restrictions were imposed on Moldovan businessmen, politicians, as well as on the son of a member of the Russian Security Council Ihor Chaika. Shor was also sanctioned because the United States believes that his party, as well as the protests, are financed by Russia.
- In an interview with Die Welt, Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia plans to change the government in Moldova. He added that he had already warned the countryʼs president Maya Sandu.
- The Prime Minister of Moldova Dorin Rechan confirmed the words of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky that Russia wants to open a new front in his country, in particular, to seize the airport in Chisinau for the transfer of the Russian military.