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Moldovan opposition threatens authorities with Ukrainian-style Maidan

Large-scale protests erupted in Moldova in spring of 2015 after the media had reported a theft of about one billion US dollars from three Moldovan banks, which nearly went bankrupt

CHISINAU, October 9. /TASS/. Moldova’s opposing Party of Socialists together with Our Party has been organising protests in demand of president’s resignation plans to block parliament and roads in the capital city if the authorities continue to ignore the protesters, leader of the Socialists Igor Dodon said on Friday.

"On October 15 we shall organise a mass protest and will circle the parliament," he said. "We shall not allow anyone out until our demands are met."

On that day, the parliament has scheduled its first plenary session of the autumn-winter session. The parliament’s Chairman Andrian Kandu refused to include in the agenda the opposition’s demand regarding resignation of top officials at supervising authorities. The Socialists, the biggest faction of 25 deputies in the 101-seat parliament, say the chairman had exceeded his authority.

"Tomorrow we shall block several streets in Chisinau," he said.

"The protest will last for about 30 minutes, so we ask the locals to take it with understanding," leader of the Socialists Igor Dodon said. He refused to name the exact locations of the blocking, "so that the police could not fail the plans."

Large-scale protests erupted in Moldova in spring of 2015 after the media had reported a theft of about one billion US dollars from three Moldovan banks, which nearly went bankrupt. Back then, Moldova’s ruling Alliance for European Integration coalition came under severe criticism from foreign donors, including the European Union and the World Bank, which subsequently suspended their financing of the republic.

The opposition declared Moldova "a country captured by oligarchs" and seeks the resignation of the country’s leaders. It also insists on holding early parliamentary elections and on electing the country’s president by a direct vote. The capital city’s centre has turned into a tent camp shared by two opposition forces.