CHISINAU, June 25. /ITAR-TASS/. The Moldovan opposition Party of Socialists picketed on Wednesday the US Embassy in Chisinau, accusing Washington of putting pressure on Chisinau pushing it towards an association agreement with the European Union and towards breaking traditional ties in the east.

“We have come to the puppeteers of our government, who are financing the leadership dictating the tactics and strategy of our country’s development. Washington is blindly pushing Moldova into the EU, which endangers traditional ties of the republic in the east,” one of the party leaders, Vlad Batrincea, said.

He said more than 70% of Moldovans didn’t support the signing of an association agreement with the European Union, scheduled for June 27. “We demand to put off the signing of the agreement until a consultative referendum is held,” the politician said.

The Party of Communists, controlling one third of the votes in the legislative authority, also spoke against the signing of the association deal. The opposition fears that the lack of consensus on the issue in the society may trigger and ethnic conflict and a final split of the country.

Referendums were held in the breakaway Transdniestria and Gagauzia, where 90% spoke in favor of closer ties with Russia and entry into the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

The authorities of the second biggest Moldovan city of Beltsy are also getting ready for a consultative plebiscite on the foreign policy course of the country.