The Republic of Moldova imposes limits on protests
The Commission for Extraordinary Situations of the Republic of Moldova banned protests involving the blocking of public roads on working days and limited them to no more than four hours on non-working days, after almost a month of anti-government demonstrations organized by the opposition in front of the parliament in Chisinau, reports . EFE agency on Friday.
“The holding of meetings with the blocking of traffic lanes, transport arteries or access and evacuation routes to public institutions will be prohibited on working days. On days off, these meetings will be able to be held for a maximum of four hours”, said the commission, quoted by Radio Chisinau.
Through this measure, to seek to stop the opposition protests that take place on September 18 in front of the legislature and which are attended by thousands of citizens dissatisfied with the executive of the pro-European president Maia Sandu.
The Commission for exceptional situations gave reasons for taking this decision “in order to ensure public order, free movement on the country’s roads, as well as the purpose of ensuring a prompt reaction to situations that require emergency interventions”.
Also, demonstrations that “violate public order” will be able to be detained by the police if the organizer of the protest does not act, and in the case of “serious violations” of public order, the police will have the right to demand the immediate termination of the demonstration.
President Maia Sandu on Tuesday asked for increased powers for the police in order to stop the protests, which she says are destabilizing the country and aim to install a government favorable to Russia.
On their part, demonstrations have social demands, accusing the government of not having negotiated a better agreement with Russia for the purchase of gas and demanding the resignation of president Maia Sandu, the government and the dissolution of parliament, institutions led by pro-Western politicians.