On Tuesday, a fresh anti-government rally took place in Moldova’s capital, raising concerns about potential further unrest. Thousands of protestors participated in the rally, demanding that the new pro-Western administration fully cover citizens’ winter energy bills and refrain from engaging the country in any war, AP News reports.
The rally was arranged by a collective known as the Movement for the People, with backing from the Russia-aligned Shor Party, which holds six of the 101 seats in Moldova’s legislature.
Protestors were yelling “Down with Maia Sandu!” and “Down with the dictatorship!”
Hundreds of police officers were dispatched to reinforce security and inspect vehicles entering the capital, causing temporary traffic congestion, as dozens of coaches transported protesters from different parts of the country.
The leader of the Shor Party, an exiled oligarch from Moldova named Ilan Shor, accused the police of attempting to disrupt the peaceful rally.
“Fighting one’s own people is the last refuge of tyrants and the beginning of their downfall,” said Shor, as cited by Euronews.
The US Department of State has imposed sanctions on Shor, an oligarch who allegedly supports Russian interests. According to Moldovan authorities, Shor, who has been evading law enforcement in Moldova while residing in Israel, is working with a group of accomplices to intentionally heighten tensions in Chișinău, TPV World reports.
Earlier this week, Moldova’s intelligence agency announced on Monday that it had expelled and imposed a 10-year ban on two foreign nationals who were caught conducting subversive activities aimed at destabilizing the country. The individuals were engaged in carrying out such actions, as per the agency’s statement.
In its statement, the Intelligence and Security Service (SIS) omitted details such as the duration of the stay of the foreign nationals, their countries of origin, and their alleged employers.
The agency claimed that the duo had been gathering intelligence to execute a plan that aimed to create turmoil in Moldova by inciting a violent change to the country’s constitutional order.
SIS suspects that the foreign individuals, purportedly organized by certain political factions in the capital, had been actively monitoring several sites close to government establishments and vital infrastructure.
They also documented social and political events in the country, including protests, and conducted other acts of subversion.
