Thousands in Moldova protest over high energy prices
Thousands of people took to the streets of Moldova’s capital, Chisinau, on Sunday to protest the high cost of living and the policies of the government, as well as those of President Maia Sandu.
The protest, organized by the opposition Shor Party, decried the government's austerity policies, demanded the resignation of Sandu and the cabinet and called for early presidential and parliamentary elections.
Anti-government protests continued in Chisinau❗️About 60,000 people dissatisfied with the rise in prices and the work of the pro-European government of Moldova are participating in the opposition protest in the center of Chisinau. pic.twitter.com/paZyILSWMr
— Sprinter (@Sprinter99880) October 9, 2022
The opposition demands that the government provide financial assistance to citizens to ease the burden of rising energy and gas prices, which have increased by almost seven times since last year, according to media.
📍🇲🇩🚨 —Approximately 60 thousand people gathered in Chisinau today to protest the Moldovan administration —Shor party pic.twitter.com/cKgeWpo2vn
— Intel Mule (@Intel_Mule) October 9, 2022
Up to 60,000 people took part in the protest, according to Dinu Turcanu, Shor Party member and head of Moldova’s Orhei region. She claimed that between 6,000 and 9,000 people from various regions could not attend because police blocked roads leading to Chisinau.
Moldova: Protests against the government in Moldova."Down with Maia Sandu" - columns of protesters gathered in the center of Chisinau. People are outraged that the government is not trying to improve people's lives, but to save money....09-10-2022 pic.twitter.com/owFriO0AEK
— Rowan Van Dijk (@Lastkombo) October 9, 2022
Police put the total number of demonstrators at 5,000 to 6,000 while Moldovan authorities accused the opposition of “financing” the protests by paying people to take part.
Under 60,000 people took to the anti-government protest near the presidential palace in the center of Chisinau. People continue to demand the resignation of the PAS government and Maia Sandu, as well as early presidential and parliamentary elections. #UkraineRussiaWar#moldovapic.twitter.com/GYCzwjjomi
— Jayden X (@nojaydenx) October 9, 2022
Opposition leader Ilan Shor, who fled to Israel after being found guilty of embezzling over $1 billion from the state budget in 2017, addressed the protest by video-link from Israel, demanding Sandu's resignation and lower energy prices.
Protests have been intensifying in Moldova. Sunday’s rally was the fourth since September 18. The demonstrators set up a tent camp near the parliament building and declared an “indefinite protest.”
The developments come as Europe struggles to cope with the ongoing energy crunch, partly caused by the EU’s campaign to phase out Russian energy exports. In June, Moldova received EU candidate status.
Gas prices in Europe surged earlier this year after Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine in late February. After the EU and other Western countries imposed sweeping sanctions on Moscow and began cutting off Russian energy supplies, gas prices hit record levels, leading to a rise in overall inflation on the continent.
