In
Chisinau, tens of thousands of people demonstrated against corruption and
demanded a comprehensive investigation of the latest bank scandal, in which
approximately a billion euros have "disappeared."
Deutsche Welle, 4 May 2015
Moldovans
call it the "robbery of the century." According to statements by the
Central Bank, three Moldovan financial institutes allegedly granted loans for a
total of some 900 million euros ($950 million) just before the parliamentary
elections in November 2014.
According
to media sources, most of the money supposedly disappeared in Russian banks.
The national anti-corruption authorities are now investigating. They have the
help of a US consultancy firm whose report, known as the "Kroll
Report", is being kept under wraps by the Moldovan government. In the
meantime, the three Moldovan banks have been placed under state supervision.
Over 40,000
people from all over Moldova came to the capital Chisinau on Sunday to
demonstrate for the return of the money and a comprehensive investigation of
the theft of the century. They demanded the immediate publication of the Kroll
Report and the resignation of the Attorney General as well as the head of the
national anti-corruption authorities.
Lack of
trust in politics
 |
| Moldovans came out in force to protest corruption |
The protest
activities were mobilized by the newly founded citizen platform called
"Dignity and Truth", to which leading personalities in Moldovan civil
society belong. Demonstrators gathered in the Square of the Grand National
Assembly under the Moldovan and the EU flag to blame the new government of
Prime Minister Chiril Gaburici for widespread corruption and the deadlock in
the European rapprochement process of their country. # links # The minority
government, consisting of the Liberal Democratic and Democratic Party, is
supported by the Communist Party. Critics see this as a departure from the
prescribed pro-European course of the Republic of Moldova and a nod to Moscow.
According
to Igor Botan, co-founder of the new platform and the director of the
Association for Participative Democracy, the people's support for the country's
chosen path to Europe has shrunk drastically from 73 % to 37 %. The reasons are
probably mismanagement and corruption on the part of the government, which
describes itself as pro-European. "It's almost a catastrophe. We want our
messages and our behavior to restore the citizens' faith in Europe," said
Botan.
A general
strike is planned
The protest
march on Sunday was a sign for the state to strengthen monitoring mechanisms
against corruption. Should the government ignore the demands of the
demonstrators, they have announced a general strike in two weeks. The entrances
to the government building, parliament and the public prosecutor's office will
then be closed off.
In an
emergency session of the government, Prime Minister Gaburici asked the
responsible state institution to maintain public order and avoid any activities
– even if their origin is external– that may lead to social and political
unrest.
Gaburici
invited representatives of the demonstrators to talk about their demands on
Monday. It is in the interest of his government to resolve the crisis in the
financial sector and to stabilize the economic situation in his country, said
the prime minister.
The
demonstrators' demands are backed by their compatriots in several European
capitals. Their neighbor Romania also spoke clearly on their behalf. In her
message to the protesters on Sunday, European Member of Parliament and former
Romanian justice minister, Monica Macovei, stated that the only solution for
the situation in the Republic of Moldova is strengthening the judicial system
and anti-corruption authorities. In the process it is necessary that an
independent person be appointed to a top government office to implement
judicial reform without consideration for the aims of party politics.
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