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Moldova protests

Protesters in Moldova prevent reelection of head of Supreme Court of Justice

The session of the Supreme Magistrate Council where the new SCJ head was to be endorsed for the next four years were disrupted earlier on Tuesday

© EPA/ROBERT GHEMENT

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Anti-government protests in Moldova

CHISINAU, February 9. /TASS/. Moldova’s opposition has prevented reelection of Chairman of the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) Mihai Poalelungi whom it accuses of corruption. The session of the Supreme Magistrate Council where the new SCJ head was to be endorsed for the next four years were disrupted earlier on Tuesday by the leaders of the opposition Our Party, the Dignity and Truth (DA) Civic Platform and representatives of civil society supported outside by about a hundred of demonstrators.

They chanted "Down With the Mafia" and other anti-government slogans, there were reinforced police units near the Supreme Court of Justice, a TASS correspondent reported from the scene.

As a result, chairman of the Supreme Magistrate Council Victor Micu offered to reschedule the meeting for 14:00 (15:00 Moscow Time), and opposition members urged their supporters to organize more massive protests. "We believe that Poalelungi is a tool of influence of oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc who brought the country’s justice under his control," said leader of the DA platform Andrei Nastase. He recalled that the resignation of the Supreme Court of Justice head was on the list of the opposition’s demands that had earlier been handed over to the authorities.

For his part, the chairman of the Supreme Magistrate Council noted that Poalelungi was the only candidate on the list. "We just have no candidates to choose from," Micu said, adding that the opposition’s accusations required evidence.

Moldova has been rocked by mass protests demanding government resignation since the autumn of 2015. Opposition members believe that the power in the country has been seized by oligarchs and seek early parliamentary elections.

Protests invigorated after January 20, 2016, when the opposition organized thousands-strong protests not to let the parliamentary majority formed around the Democratic Party of Moldova approve Pavel Filip as Moldova’s prime minister.

Taking advantage of the current pause in protests, the authorities have decided to seize the initiative and advanced a number of social initiatives to mitigate the price policy, to fight against corruption and establish law and order in the country. Thus, the authorities promised to reduce gas and fuel prices and impose a moratorium on checks of businesses.

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Moldova protests

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