In response to a crisis in the cost of living and soaring inflation, thousands of demonstrators marched in the capital of Moldova on Sunday.
Moldovans demanded that the new pro-Western administration completely fund people’s winter heating costs, France 24 reports.
The Shor Party, which controls six seats in the 101-seat legislature of the former Soviet republic of Moldova, and other supporters of the recently founded Movement for the People organized the rally.
“Down with Maia Sandu!” was chanted by some of the protesters who gathered in Chisinau as they demanded the resignation of the president of the nation. Others carried signs with the portraits of some of Moldova’s politicians and leaders next to images of lavish mansions and expensive vehicles.
“They have millions. We are dying of hunger,” protesters said.
Days before the rally, President Sandu and her Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Sandu both made public remarks regarding an alleged Russian plot to stage a coup in Moldova, which was covered up by opposition protests in Chisinau, Radio Free Europe reported.
On February 16, a new pro-Western administration headed by Prime Minister Dorin Recean was inaugurated in after the support of 62 PAS legislators, who made up the majority of the 101-seat legislature.
That vote took place less than a week after Sandu nominated Recean, 48, to succeed Natalia Gavrilita, whose government quit after serving for 18 months.
Demonstrating against the new administration, socialist and communist deputies shouted “Shame” and “Anticipated.” The Shor Party abstained from the meeting.
Because of its critical border positioning with Ukraine and the presence of a pro-Russian breakaway territory, Moldova is reliant on Russian gas.
The Moldovan administration in Chisinau was under pressure as a result of Moscow’s half-cut in supplies last year as it attempted to maintain unity among its Romanian and Russian-speaking people, per the BBC.
Last October, demonstrations over the growing cost of gas and electricity started.
The energy problem, which, according to President Sandu, was anticipated to produce significant discontent among the populace and spark violent protests, had already been used by Russia to try to destabilize the situation in Moldova.
Currently, Moldovans allocate about 70% of their household income to pay electric bills.
“When we elected this government, they promised to raise salaries and pensions, but so far we haven’t seen a penny,” a protester says. “We’re a laughing stock – the government is mocking us.”
Since the war started, the administration of President Sandu has worked to diversify the nation’s energy supplies and wean it off its reliance on Russian gas, but attacks on the infrastructure of Ukraine and the price of importing power from Romania haven’t made that simple.
She has said that “internal forces,” like the opposing Sor party, would be crucial to the suspected Russian conspiracy, and she has urged parliament to enact stricter security regulations, the BBC reports.
