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Moldovan president to call Supreme Security Council meeting to discuss mass protests

Protests involving thousands of people have been going on in Moldova for the second week

CHISINAU, September 18. /TASS/. Amidst ongoing grass-roots protests, Moldova’s President Nicolae Timofti plans to call a meeting of the country’s Supreme Security Council to discuss the situation in the country, press service of the Moldovan head of state said on Friday after his meeting with the protest leaders.

"The president, like the majority of citizens, shares concern over the situation in the spheres of law, finance, agriculture and is ready to take necessary measures within the scope of his constitutional authorities," the press service said, adding that the sides had agreed to continue talks in a bid to find solution to these problems.

"At the meeting with the president, we demanded resignation of the government. The president refused to accept our demands and we asked him to make his choice — whether he was siding with the people or with oligarchs. Regrettably, his answers suggested he was not with the people," Andrei Nastase, the leader of the Dignity and Truth Civil Platform, the organizer of mass protests, said.

Earlier, Timofti said he was not going to step down, saying his resignation "may trigger destabilization of the situation in the country."

Mass protests have been going on in Moldova for the second week. Two big rallies involving thousands of protesters were held on September 6 and 13. Last week, the Dignity and Truth leaders said they planned to set up a party to take part in early parliamentary elections and suggested former Minister of Education Maya Sandu be its leader. However after some of the Dignity and Truth leaders quitted the Platform, its rallies failed to bring together as many people as they used to.