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Moldovan demonstrators call for snap elections

Sunday, 17 January 2016 6:39 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 17 January 2016 9:52 AM ]

People hold a demonstration in Chisinau, Moldova, on January 16, 2015 to call for early elections.

Thousands of people have flocked into the streets of Moldova’s capital city of Chisinau, urging the dissolution of parliament and early elections in the Eastern European country.

The protesters took part in three events on Saturday, two organized by pro-Russian parties and the third by anti-corruption civic group, Dignity and Truth.

The demonstrators also expressed their dissatisfaction with President Nicolae Timofti’s recent decision to nominate Technology Minister Pavel Filip as the next prime minister of the former Soviet Union state.

Holding Moldovan flags, the protesters chanted slogans such as “We are the nation” and “We want elections.”

People hold a demonstration in Chisinau, Moldova, on January 16, 2015 to call for early elections.

Filip is reportedly supported by 55 lawmakers in the 101-seat parliament.

Under the Moldovan constitution, the premier-designate has at most 15 days to draw up a governing program and elect his ministers before seeking a confidence vote in the legislature.

If a new government is not approved by January 29, parliament will be dissolved and snap polls will be called.

On October 29 last year, the Moldovan parliament dismissed the country’s previous government, led by Liberal Democrat leader, Valeriu Strelet, amid corruption allegations.

Moldova has been locked in a political turmoil since up to USD 1.5 billion went missing from three banks prior to the 2014 parliamentary elections.

It sparked weeks of anti-government rallies, with Moldovan citizens demanding an investigation and a crackdown on endemic corruption.

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