In Chisinau, the Moldovan capital, thousands of protesters flocked to the streets to call for both an early election and the resignation of President Maia Sandu's pro-Nato and pro-EU cabinet. After being halted by police, several marchers attempted to enter the government building and moved in the direction of city hall. One of Chisinau's entryways was blocked by protesters and opposition supporters.
Another large-scale demonstration against price hikes and levies has been going on in Moldova's capital city since yesterday. The protesters are calling for the government to pay the winter heating and electricity bills as well as the resignation of President Maia Sandu and the whole cabinet. The protest was originally scheduled to occur at the plaza in front of the mayor's office, but on Tuesday morning, the Chisinau administration declared that access to the city center would be restricted to vehicles and people until March 2nd. The organizers have chosen to march along the capital's main thoroughfare rather than call off the protest.
A police barricade stopped the demonstrators' column as it approached the main square.
In the Chisinau access highways, where the police halted buses carrying demonstrators who were trying to approach the city center, there were also clashes with the public.
Due to escalating energy costs, Moldova is going through a serious energy crisis; in 2022, gas prices jumped by about seven times and electricity prices by almost four times.
Experts claim that since last November, consumer spending in Chisinau has surged seven times.
Along with the Communists, who in parliament form a single bloc with the Socialist party, the Shor party staged large-scale anti-government protests last year.
The enormous increase in gas, other energy, and food costs, as well as the high inflation rate and declining living conditions, have enraged protesters.
Protesters cited the highest rate of inflation in the past 20 years, 33.97 percent year over year in September, as evidence that the government were failing to address the situation. The government of the nation is also attacked for its unwillingness to bargain with Russia for lower gas costs and for its attacks on opposition groups.
The Shor party is said to have received illicit funding, and the Moldovan government has frequently demanded its dissolution.
According to a survey conducted in February by IMAS for public media, the majority of inhabitants of Moldova feel that Chisinau should maintain neutrality towards events in Ukraine.
The poll's findings, which were released in Chisinau on Monday, indicated that 73% of participants believed that Moldova would be best served by remaining neutral, while 20% believed that the nation should join a military alliance. According to the survey, 60% of respondents are worried that the situation in Ukraine may expand to the republic's borders, while 29% stated they don't think military action would reach Moldova. 48% of respondents said that military action in Ukraine should end as quickly as feasible, even if it required Kiev to make territorial concessions.
Ukraine should win, according to 24% of respondents, while the same number disagreed with both positions (24%).
The Moldovan army is unable to defend the nation, according to 91% of respondents.
In addition, 34% of respondents stated they supported this move, while 62% of respondents disagreed with the Ministry of Defense budget increase.
According to respondents, 41% think Moldova's armed forces should have more personnel, 37% think it should stay the same, and 12% think it should have less.
55% of those surveyed opposed Moldova's withdrawal from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (32% were in favor), 69% opposed cutting off economic connections with Russia (24% were in favor), and 70% opposed cutting off diplomatic ties with Russia (22% were in favor).
The survey was run from February 6 to February 23.
Three percent is the margin of error when using 1,100 respondents.