CHISINAU, February 28. /TASS/. A thousands-strong anti-government rally organized by the opposition Movement for the People in central Chisinau was held peacefully, despite the authorities’ and police’s efforts to stop it, a TASS correspondent reported on Tuesday.
Participants adopted a resolution demanding the resignation of President Maia Sandu and the government, and organizing early elections.
"We demand early elections. The government must pay people’s utility bills which have been raised by several times through the fault of the authorities. We also demand neutrality be observed as is written in the constitution so that our country is not dragged into combat operations," Vadim Fotescu, a lawmaker with the opposition party Sor, said addressing the rally.
According to earlier reports, the Chisinau mayor’s office imposed a ban on rallies in the center of the city until March 2 due to a visit of a foreign delegation.
Grass-roots protests have been held in Moldova since last summer. The demonstrators accuse the authorities for their inability to curb skyrocketing and the record-breaking inflation of 30% Last year, such rallies in Chisinau ended in clashes with the police who did not let protesters into downtown Chisinau. In October, riot police dispersed a tent camp organized by the protesters between the parliament building and the presidential administration. Amid the protests, Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita resigned in February.