2015–2016 Protests In Moldova
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Starting in the spring of 2015,
Moldova Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe, with an area of and population of 2.42 million. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. ...
experienced large-scale protests amid a worsening economic situation and corruption scandals. The protests gained momentum in September, when up to 100,000 people demonstrated in the largest protest since Moldova's independence from the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
in August 1991. The protests have been organised by a grass-roots citizens' movement, '' Dignity and Truth'' (), that was established in February 2015 as a response to the disappearance of $1 billion from the Moldovan banks in 2014. Dignity and Truth is led by lawyers, journalists and other well-known figures in Moldova.


Background

In Moldova, one of
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
's poorest countries, nearly 17% of the population live below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
. Moreover, with an average wage of about $129 per month, Moldova reportedly has the lowest standard of living in Europe. In 2014, $1 billion vanished from three of Moldova's leading banks.The great Moldovan bank robbery
BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
(18 June 2015)
In two days loans worth $1 billion were transferred in to
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
and
Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
-registered companies whose ultimate owners are unknown. Banks are administered by the
National Bank of Moldova The National Bank of Moldova () is the central bank of the Republic of Moldova. The National Bank of Moldova is an autonomous public legal entity and is responsible to the Parliament of Moldova, Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. The primary ...
, so this loss was covered from state reserves. This protected depositors but created a hole in Moldovan public finances equivalent to an eighth of the country's
GDP Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the total market value of all the final goods and services produced and rendered in a specific time period by a country or countries. GDP is often used to measure the economic performance o ...
. Protesters claim this damaged their living standards. The issue highlighted the problem of corruption in Moldova and although the government has promised an investigation, protest leaders have called for a campaign of
civil disobedience Civil disobedience is the active and professed refusal of a citizenship, citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders, or commands of a government (or any other authority). By some definitions, civil disobedience has to be nonviolent to be cal ...
, a
general strike A general strike is a strike action in which participants cease all economic activity, such as working, to strengthen the bargaining position of a trade union or achieve a common social or political goal. They are organised by large coalitions ...
and a refusal to pay utility bills in order to force the resignation of the government. Likewise, as a response to the $1 billion disappearance the grass-roots citizens' movement ''Dignity and Truth'' () was established in February 2015. This organization is led by lawyers, journalists and other well-known figures in Moldova. Advocates of unification with Romania see this step as a solution to Moldova's economic, political and social crisis, but also in the context of the tensions in neighbouring
Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
. Polls up to May 2015 showed 10 to 20 percent of Moldovans supported unification.


Name

The protests are dubbed in the international press as the Moldovan
Maidan Maidan is an originally Persian word for a town square or public gathering place (Persian: ), adopted by various other languages: Urdu (''maidān''); Arabic (''maydān''); Turkish ; Georgian (''moedani''); Bangla ময়দান, meaning f ...
(due to similar circumstances with Ukrainian Euromaidan) and Anti-oligarchic movement. In Moldova, media outlets cataloged the events as a Red Revolution, due to involvement of communist and socialist parties in the protests.


Protesters' profile

The protesters have formed two distinct camps: pro-European sympathizers and those who support pro-Russian parties. But while they may be separated by aspirations and ideologies, both sides have similar aims: the resignation of the government, the conviction of corrupt oligarchs and early elections. For those in the pro-Russian camp, the corruption cases have provoked a crisis of confidence in the European project. Moldova signed an association agreement with the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
in 2013, committing to core reforms, economic recovery, sector cooperation and justice, but anti-European sentiment is growing. An April 2015 poll found that 32% of Moldovans favoured joining the EU, a decrease of 46 percent compared to 78% in 2007.


Timeline


Farmers' protests

The National Farmers Federation of Moldova, the Republican Association ''UniAgroProtect'', the National Farmers Federation ''AGROinform'' and the Association ''Moldova-Fruct'' organized on 27 March and 15 April protest action by farmers throughout the country. According to organizers, the protests mobilized more than 5,000 farmers. They blocked national roads with agricultural machinery. Farmers oppose a VAT increase from 8% to 20% and demand swift access to a credit line of nearly €100 million offered by
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
with a subsidized interest rate. Farmers say that, because of the devaluation of the leu, resulting from ''de facto'' nationalization of the banks at the heart of the economic crisis, they can't service outstanding loans. They had several meetings with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Finance, but were not satisfied with the result. The farmers' demands include replenishment of subsidy funds in 2015 to 1.2 billion lei, the release of the lending process in agriculture and the decrease of the lending interest rate.


5 April demonstration

Tens of thousands of people across the country gathered in downtown Chișinău, at the call of the ''Dignity and Truth'' Platform, in an action of protest against the collapse of the financial and banking system, but also against judicial corruption. Demonstrators chanted slogans against the government led by
Chiril Gaburici Chiril Gaburici (; born 23 November 1976) is a Moldovan businessman and former Prime Minister of Moldova. Biography Chiril Gaburici was born on 23 November 1976, in Logănești, Kotovsk raion of the then Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Sovi ...
and demanded the unification of Moldova and Romania. Gaburici resigned on 22 June after an investigation into alleged fraud in his educational qualifications and was replaced permanently by
Valeriu Streleț Valeriu Streleț (; born 8 March 1970) is a Moldovan politician who was Prime Minister of Moldova in 2015. He subsequently received a vote of no-confidence on 29 October 2015. Biography He has been a member of the Parliament of Moldova since ...
on 30 July.


3 May demonstration

On 3 May, up to 50,000 people protested against the
Government of Moldova The government of Moldova () is the government of the Republic of Moldova. It is housed in the Government House at the Great National Assembly Square in Chișinău Chișinău ( , , ; formerly known as Kishinev) is the Capital city, cap ...
, saying it had failed to implement reforms to bring the country closer to the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
. Protesters also called on the government to investigate the disappearance of $1 billion (nearly 1/8 of the country's GDP) from the state-owned Savings Bank and the private banks ''Unibank'', ''Banca de Economii'' and ''Banca Socială'', in November 2014 before
parliamentary elections A general election is an electoral process to choose most or all members of a governing body at the same time. They are distinct from by-elections, which fill individual seats that have become vacant between general elections. General elections ...
. The central bank commissioned risk consultancy
Kroll Kroll or Kröll is a German, Anglo-Saxon, and Scottish surname. Notable people with the surname include: Academia * Josef Kroll (1889–1980), German classical philologist and university rector * Judith F. Kroll, American college professor in ...
to conduct a preliminary investigation into the activities of the three stricken banks. Their findings were confidential but on 4 May parliament speaker
Andrian Candu Andrian Candu (born 27 November 1975) is a former Moldovan politician, who served as President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova between 2015 and 2019. He left political life and went back to consultancy business, being focused on ad ...
published what he said was Kroll's report on his website. "There appears to have been a deliberate plan to gain control of each of the banks and subsequently manipulate transactions to gain access to credit, whilst giving the appearance to the contrary", the report said. The protest activities were mobilized by the newly founded citizen platform called "Dignity and Truth" – allegedly financed by Viorel and Victor Topa, two exiled businessmen – to which leading personalities in Moldovan civil society belong.


Expulsion of George Simion

A protest took place on 14 May, in
Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
, in front of the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova, calling for an "urgent revocation of abusive measures" taken by the Chișinău authorities against Romanian citizen
George Simion George Nicolae Simion (; born 21 September 1986) is a Romanian politician and civic activist. He is the founder and chairman of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), the second largest party in both houses of parliament since 2024 Rom ...
. The measure was seen as an attempt to intimidate the protest announced for 16 May. Simion had come to Moldova to help organize and take part in the march. He was expelled for five years on 14 May on grounds that his activities could endanger national security.Thousands Rally In Moldova For Unification With Romania
Radio Free Europe Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is a media organization broadcasting news and analyses in 27 languages to 23 countries across Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Middle East. Headquartered in Prague since 1995, RFE/RL ...
(15 May 2015)
Despite this, more than 25,000 people gathered in Grand National Assembly Square in the largest pro-Romanian manifestation in Chișinău in recent years. Most of the protesters were young people and intellectuals. They demanded the unification of Moldova and Romania and displayed placards with unionist and anti-Russian messages. Demonstrators were joined, among others, by Mayor of Chișinău
Dorin Chirtoacă Dorin Chirtoacă (born 9 August 1978) is a Moldovan politician who served as Mayor of Chișinău from 2007 to 2018. He has been leader of Liberal Party (Moldova), Liberal Party (PL) since 2018. Biography His mother is Valentina, sister of Ghe ...
. Column of protesters made several stops in front of the embassies of
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, the
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and
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
. Participants at the unionist march voted for the formation of the ''National Unity Bloc'' (), adjoining 22 non-governmental entities, including Youth of Moldova, Action 2012, Association ''Light'' of Transnistrian Teachers, Queen Helen Foundation, Children Charity Foundation ''Sidereal Moment'', Association of Former Deportees in USSR, Association ''Tiras-Bender'', etc. The march ended with the signing of a Pact of Union, Pact for Europe. A bus with 50 members of the Moldovan Youth organization and others who wanted to attend the rally were blocked and legitimated by police in
Cahul Cahul (; also known by alternative names) is a city and municipality in southern Moldova. The city is the administrative center of Cahul District; it also administers one village, Cotihana. As of 2014 census, the city has a population of 30,0 ...
. Meanwhile, about 40 high school students from
Florești Florești may refer to several places: Moldova *Florești, Moldova, a city in Moldova *Florești District, in Moldova *Florești, a village in Cobusca Veche Commune, Anenii Noi District *Florești, a village in Buciumeni, Ungheni, Buciumeni Commu ...
were warned by telephone, through parents, by the police that if they participate in demonstrations on 16 May, they would suffer as during the protests of 7 April 2009. Romanian Prime Minister
Victor Ponta Victor Viorel Ponta (; born 20 September 1972) is a Romanian politician and jurist who served as Prime Minister of Romania from 2012 to 2015. He was president of the Social Democratic Party (Romania), Social Democratic Party (PSD) from 2010 to ...
conducted a visit to Chișinău on the occasion of Moldovan Independence Day, being greeted by about 200 young men with masks featuring George Simion. "We want to see justice done in the case of George Simion, we want functional justice and we believe that true sovereignty, independence and freedom can only be achieved through union", stated Anatol Ursu, one of the organizers of the
flash mob A flash mob (or flashmob) is a group of people that assembles suddenly in a public place, performs for a brief time, then quickly disperses, often for the purposes of entertainment, satire, and/or artistic expression. Flash mobs may be organize ...
. After pressure from civil society and Romanian Foreign Minister
Bogdan Aurescu Bogdan Lucian Aurescu (born 9 September 1973) is a Romanian judge of the International Court of Justice. Prior to his swearing-in on 6 February 2024, Aurescu was a diplomat, law professor and politician, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs ...
, Chișinău Court of Appeal decided, on 18 September, to lift the ban imposed on George Simion. On 22 September, Romanian and Moldovan governments met in joint session, in Neptun. At the same time, over 300 people gathered outside the building where the meeting was held, demanding unification of Moldova with Romania. Before the meeting began, protesters tried to force the cordon of gendarmes to get closer to the building, and some of them jostled with law enforcers. The heads of the two governments agreed to talk to the unionists.


March of Stephen the Great

On 5 July 2015, up to 30,000 people, according to organizers, gathered in Grand National Assembly Square,
Chișinău Chișinău ( , , ; formerly known as Kishinev) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Moldova, largest city of Moldova. The city is Moldova's main industrial and commercial centre, and is located in the middle of the coun ...
, facing Government House and the Monument to the Victims of the Soviet Occupation, to demand the unification of Moldova and Romania. Participants chanted unionist slogans and voted symbolically for a union. Organized by Action 2012 and Youth of Moldova, the manifestation was claimed to be one of the largest in the recent history of Moldova and the fourth great national gathering after those of 27 August 1989 (calling for a restoration of the
Latin script The Latin script, also known as the Roman script, is a writing system based on the letters of the classical Latin alphabet, derived from a form of the Greek alphabet which was in use in the ancient Greek city of Cumae in Magna Graecia. The Gree ...
), 16 December 1990 (in support of changing the name of the state to
Republic of Moldova Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, with an area of and population of 2.42 million. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised ...
) and 27 August 1991 (celebrating the proclamation of independence from the
USSR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
). Among participants were present Members of the
Romanian Parliament The Parliament of Romania () is the national bicameral legislature of Romania, consisting of the Chamber of Deputies () and the Senate (). It meets at the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, the capital. Prior to the modification of the Cons ...
and Moldovans from the Diaspora. Thousands of young people among the participants in the Great National Gathering headed to
Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
in the March of Stephen the Great () calling for the unification of Moldova with Romania. The march lasted a week, from 5 to 11 July. In the Republic of Moldova, the march followed the route
Strășeni Strășeni () is a city and municipality of about 20,000 inhabitants in central Moldova, the administrative center of Strășeni District. The city administers one village, Făgureni. There are several legends about its name. One tells that t ...
Lozova Lozova (, ) or Lozovaya () is a city in Kharkiv Oblast, eastern Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Lozova Raion. Lozova hosts the administration of Lozova urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. Population: Lozova is th ...
Călărași Călărași (), the capital of Călărași County in the Muntenia region, is situated in south-east Romania, on the banks of the Danube's Borcea branch, at about from the Bulgarian border and from Bucharest. It is one of six Romanian county se ...
Cornești
Ungheni Ungheni () is a municipality in Moldova. With a population of 35,157, it is the seventh largest town in Moldova and the seat of Ungheni District. There is a bridge across the Prut and a List of Moldova–Romania border crossings, border chec ...
. Participants crossed the
Prut River The Prut (also spelled in English as Pruth; , ) is a river in Eastern Europe. It is a left tributary of the Danube, and is long. Part of its course forms Romania's border with Moldova and Ukraine. Characteristics The Prut originates on the eas ...
, on 11 July, at 10 a.m., in a large-scale reenactment of the Bridges of Flowers in 1990. Their march ended in
Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
, where were greeted by several hundred Romanian citizens in University Square, before making their way to the
Cotroceni Palace Cotroceni Palace (Romanian language, Romanian: ''Palatul Cotroceni'') is the official residence of the President of Romania. It is located at ''Bulevardul Geniului, nr. 1'', in Bucharest, Romania. The palace also houses the National Cotroceni Mu ...
to call on Romanian President
Klaus Iohannis Klaus Werner Iohannis (; ; born 13 June 1959) is a Romanian politician, physicist, and former teacher who served as the fifth president of Romania from 2014 until his resignation in 2025. Prior to entering Politics of Romania, national politics, ...
to support the unification project. Former Moldovan President
Vladimir Voronin Vladimir Voronin (; born Vladimir Bujeniță, 25 May 1941) is a Moldovan politician. He was the third President of Moldova#Republic of Moldova (1991–present), President of Moldova from 2001 until 2009 and has been the leader of the Party of ...
has sharply condemned the march to Romania. In a letter to
European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it ...
President
Martin Schulz Martin Schulz (born 20 December 1955) is a German politician who was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Germany from 1994 to 2017 and a Member of the Bundestag (MdB) from 2017 to 2021. During his tenure he was Leader of the Progress ...
, released on 7 July, Voronin accused Bucharest of fomenting "the destruction and annexation of Moldova".


Autumn protests

Tens of thousands of people manifested in Chișinău at the call of the Justice and Truth Platform. According to police, between 35,000 and 40,000 people attended the demonstration, while organizers estimated around 100,000 participants. The protest was the biggest since Moldova's independence movement in the early 1990s, bigger even than the mass anti-communist protests of April 2009. Participants adopted a resolution demanding early elections, the resignation of President
Nicolae Timofti Nicolae Timofti (; born 22 December 1948) is a Moldovan jurist and politician who was President of Moldova from 23 March 2012 until 23 December 2016. He served as head of Moldova's Superior Magistrate Council and was 2011–2012 Moldovan preside ...
and all leading institutions of law, including the
Prosecutor General Public Prosecutor General or Prosecutor General may refer to: * Prosecutor General of Lithuania * Prosecutors General of Azerbaijan * Prosecutor General (Albania) * Prosecutor General of Armenia * Prosecutor General of the Republic (Brazil) * Pros ...
's office and the National Anticorruption Center. Clashes broke out with police at the prosecutor general's headquarters, where activists attempted to set up an occupy-style tent encampment. Opposition leaders have accused the prosecutor general of being an instrument of political persecution. Supporters of the radical left Red Bloc Party tried to break the police cordon and forcibly enter the prosecutor's office. Police detained seven activists, including Antifa movement leader, Grigory Petrenko. A team from a local television station in Moldova was accosted by demonstrators. Likewise, six policemen were injured and one woman was hospitalised. According to Interior Minister Oleg Balan, "their scope was to devastate the prosecutor's office". Police removed tents in front of the prosecutor's office. However, more than 90 tents were set up by protesters in Grand National Assembly Square, vowing to continue their protest until demands are met. Three Russian journalists from the pro-
Kremlin The Moscow Kremlin (also the Kremlin) is a fortified complex in Moscow, Russia. Located in the centre of the country's capital city, the Moscow Kremlin (fortification), Kremlin comprises five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Mosco ...
television ''LifeNews'' were detained at
Chișinău International Airport Chișinău International Airport (; ) is Moldova's main international airport, located southeast of the centre of Chișinău, the capital city. It served as headquarters for Air Moldova, the country's national airline. On 18 January 2024, the I ...
. They were forbidden to enter the Republic of Moldova. The film crew intended to publicize the protests. Russian officials reacted to the arrest of three journalists. "Actions of the new leadership in Chișinău demonstrate their unwillingness to have constructive relations with Russia", stated
Maria Zakharova Maria Vladimirovna Zakharova (, ; born 24 December 1975) is a Russian politician who serves as the director of the information and press department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federa ...
, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry. In the same context, Zakharova mentions that authorities' actions against Russian journalists "violate freedom of speech and access to information". Prime Minister
Valeriu Streleț Valeriu Streleț (; born 8 March 1970) is a Moldovan politician who was Prime Minister of Moldova in 2015. He subsequently received a vote of no-confidence on 29 October 2015. Biography He has been a member of the Parliament of Moldova since ...
invited protest organisers to "talks", at the Ministry of Agriculture headquarters, but they announced they will not attend the meeting. A group of representatives of the Platform previously participated in a meeting with Streleț, at the Government headquarters, where they asked him to sign the list of claims, which was presented in the square. Amid the protests against the oligarchic regime,
Vladimir Plahotniuc Vladimir Plahotniuc (born 1 January 1966), commonly referred to as Vlad Plahotniuc, is a Moldovan politician and oligarch and the vice president of the parliament of Moldova in 2010-2013. He was the chairman of the Democratic Party of Moldova ( ...
fled Moldova the same day for
Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...
. Concomitantly with the meeting, the Unité phone company, belonging state-owned telco
Moldtelecom Moldtelecom is a Moldovan state-owned telecommunications company headquartered in Chişinău. In September 2023, Moldtelecom held a dominant position in the fixed-line telephony market (89%). However, its market share was lower in other sector ...
, announced intentions to organise a free, open air concert, immediately criticised as an attempt to undermine the protest. Under the pressure of comments on social networks, many artists, starting with
Ștefan Bănică, Jr. Ștefan is the Romanian form of Stephen, used as both a given name and a surname. For the English version, see Stefan. Some better known people with the name Ștefan are listed below. For a comprehensive list see . Notable persons with that name ...
, have declined participation, which could be interpreted as a political gesture. A week later, another major protest took place in
Chișinău Chișinău ( , , ; formerly known as Kishinev) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Moldova, largest city of Moldova. The city is Moldova's main industrial and commercial centre, and is located in the middle of the coun ...
, attracting 20,000 people from all over Moldova. Clashes between supporters of the ''Dignity and Justice'' civic platform and a group advocating Moldova's unification with Romania broke out soon after the rally began. The city centre has been cordoned off and many law enforcers were deployed on the streets. A resolution was adopted at the end of the demonstration, in which protesters call for a
general strike A general strike is a strike action in which participants cease all economic activity, such as working, to strengthen the bargaining position of a trade union or achieve a common social or political goal. They are organised by large coalitions ...
and formation of a political movement and a so-called government of popular trust. On 29 November, another protest organized by DA Platform took place in the Grand National Assembly Square. Demonstrators and supporters of the platform have expressed dissatisfaction with the political and economic situation in the country and called for early elections. To ensure security, hundreds of police formed two cordons in front of the Government. During the protest, DA Platform representatives said they will create a political party. Protests also took place in
Bălți Bălți () is a city in Moldova. It is the second-largest city in terms of population, area and economic importance, after Chișinău. The city holds the status of municipiu. Sometimes called "the northern capital", it is a major industrial, cu ...
,
Orhei Orhei (), also formerly known as Orgeev (), is a city, municipality and the administrative centre of Orhei District in the Moldova, Republic of Moldova, with a population of 21,065. Orhei is approximately north of the capital, Chișinău. Hist ...
,
Cahul Cahul (; also known by alternative names) is a city and municipality in southern Moldova. The city is the administrative center of Cahul District; it also administers one village, Cotihana. As of 2014 census, the city has a population of 30,0 ...
,
Hîncești Hîncești () is a city and municipality in Moldova. Hîncești is situated on the Cogâlnic River, southwest of the Moldovan capital, Chișinău. Since 2003 it has been the seat of Hîncești District. History Hîncești was established i ...
,
Ungheni Ungheni () is a municipality in Moldova. With a population of 35,157, it is the seventh largest town in Moldova and the seat of Ungheni District. There is a bridge across the Prut and a List of Moldova–Romania border crossings, border chec ...
and
Soroca Soroca is a city and municipality in northern Moldova, situated on the Dniester River about north of Chișinău. It is the administrative center of the Soroca District. History It is known for its well-preserved stronghold, established by t ...
.


Political crisis

On 13 January 2016, 56 deputies of the parliamentary coalition formed around PD proposed controversial businessman
Vlad Plahotniuc Vladimir Plahotniuc (born 1 January 1966), commonly referred to as Vlad Plahotniuc, is a Moldovan politician and oligarch and the vice president of the parliament of Moldova in 2010-2013. He was the chairman of the Democratic Party of Moldova ( ...
for the position of prime minister. The proposal was immediately rejected by President
Nicolae Timofti Nicolae Timofti (; born 22 December 1948) is a Moldovan jurist and politician who was President of Moldova from 23 March 2012 until 23 December 2016. He served as head of Moldova's Superior Magistrate Council and was 2011–2012 Moldovan preside ...
, invoking integrity reasons. Timofti asked coalition representatives to propose another name until 14 January at 12 a.m. In the evening of 13 January, the coalition announced that will propose again Plahotniuc, thus escalating the constitutional conflict. The same day, two rallies took place in Chișinău, one that supports Vlad Plahotniuc for the position of prime minister and another that opposes the nomination. Next day, protests continued, with tens of thousands of people demonstrating in central Chișinău against Plahotniuc. By night, Timofti nominated the Secretary General of the Presidency, Ion Păduraru, candidate for this position, defying PD's proposal. However, Ion Păduraru announced his withdrawal from the race in less than 24 hours after the announcement of his nomination. He justified his gesture by the fact that the parliamentary majority has already nominated another proposal of premier, and President Timofti will consider it as a compromise solution. On 16 January, the parliamentary coalition grouped around the Democratic Party of Vlad Plahotniuc announced that disagrees with the proposal of President Timofti and came up with a new proposal for premier, instead of Plahotniuc –
Pavel Filip Pavel Filip (born 10 April 1966) is a Moldova, Moldovan politician. In 2001–2008 he was the director of the Joint-stock company "Bucuria" and in 2008–2011, general manager of Tutun-CTC joint stock company. He was then Ministry of Informatio ...
. Later that day, up to 20,000 people joined three different rallies that were organized by both the left
Socialist Party of Moldova The Socialist Party of Moldova () is a socialist political party in Moldova. It came second in the 1994 parliamentary election in alliance with the Unity Movement for Equality in Rights, the successor of the Pan-Soviet anti-independence movem ...
and the centre-right Civic Platform DA. The protesters called on the Moldovan president and chief prosecutor to resign, demanding early elections and prompt measures against corruption. They also opposed the nomination of Pavel Filip to the post of Prime Minister. On 20 January, a majority of 57 MPs voted in favor of PD-backed Pavel Filip Government. During the parliamentary meeting, the Parliament building was surrounded by about 1,000 protesters that demanded the interruption of the vote. They broke a side door of the Parliament and entered the building, forcing the cordon of gendarmes. Many gendarmes offered no resistance, being dragged out of the device and giving up shields and batons. After several hours, police intervened in force, removing the protesters from the Parliament and cordoning the building off. 15 people, six protesters and nine gendarmes, suffered contusions after confrontations at Parliament. One of them was President of the
Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...
,
Mihai Ghimpu Mihai Ghimpu (born 19 November 1951) is a Moldovan politician who served as Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament, President of the Moldovan Parliament and President of Moldova#Republic of Moldova (1991–present), Acting President of Moldova from 2 ...
, who had his head broken, being hit by protesters while leaving the Parliament.


Renewed protests

Thousands of people calling for Moldova's reunification with Romania took to the streets of Chișinău on 27 March in a so-called "march of reunion". The rally organizers say some 50,000 people took part in the protests while police put the number at 5,000–6,000 people. The rally was meant to mark the 98th anniversary since
Bessarabia Bessarabia () is a historical region in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Dniester river on the east and the Prut river on the west. About two thirds of Bessarabia lies within modern-day Moldova, with the Budjak region covering the southern coa ...
was unified with the
Kingdom of Romania The Kingdom of Romania () was a constitutional monarchy that existed from with the crowning of prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen as King of Romania, King Carol I of Romania, Carol I (thus beginning the Romanian royal family), until 1947 wit ...
on 27 March 1918. A bomb alert was triggered at Nicolae Sulac National Palace, during the formation of platform ''Sfatul Țării 2'', that brings together the unionist organizations in Moldova fighting for the unification with Romania. Sappers and firefighters were deployed on the spot, but found that the alarm was false. Representatives of Voievod Movement held a counter manifestation. They were surrounded by law enforcers in order to avoid the degeneration of the situation.


2017

On 11 June 2017 a new protest took place at Chișinău: around 4.000 citizens took part at a protest against adopting a law of mixed voting system, promoted by the
Democratic Party of Moldova The European Social Democratic Party (, PSDE) is a centre-left, populist Social democracy, social democratic political party in Moldova. Established in 1997, the party holds pro-European views, and is an associate member of the Party of European ...
, seen by the
Venice Commission The Venice Commission, officially European Commission for Democracy through Law, is an advisory body of the Council of Europe, composed of independent experts in the field of constitutional law. It was created in 1990 after the fall of the Berlin ...
and European rights experts as inappropriate for Moldova. On 17 September 2017 a new protest took place: the protesters have manifested again against the mixed voting system. In 2018, a popular movement rocked the country. Police clashed with demonstrators staging sit-ins and Rallies from June-August demanded the resignation of
Igor Dodon Igor Dodon (; born 18 February 1975) is a Moldovan politician who served as the 5th president of Moldova from 2016 to 2020. He currently serves as the leader of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova since 2024. He served as Ministry ...
and an end to corruption.


Aftermath

Former prime minister
Vlad Filat Vladimir Filat (born 6 May 1969), commonly referred to as Vlad Filat (), is a Moldovan businessman and politician, founder of Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova. He was Prime Minister of Moldova from 25 September 2009 to 25 April 2013. He also ...
, leader of the
Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova The Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (, PLDM) is a conservative political party in Moldova. The party is led by Tudor Deliu. Until 2016, PLDM was led by Vlad Filat, who was Prime Minister of Moldova from 2009 to 2013, in two cabinets. Immedi ...
, was detained in parliament on 15 October over the theft of $1 billion from the banking system. Masked officers entered the Moldovan parliament to handcuff and arrest Filat, while anti-government protesters had blocked the exits to the building for most of the day to prevent him leaving. Moments earlier, the lawmakers voted to strip Filat of his
parliamentary immunity Parliamentary immunity, also known as legislative immunity, is a system in which politicians or other political leaders are granted full immunity from legal prosecution, both civil prosecution and criminal prosecution, in the course of the exe ...
. Vlad Filat is accused of passive
corruption Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense that is undertaken by a person or an organization that is entrusted in a position of authority to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's gain. Corruption may involve activities ...
and
influence peddling Influence peddling, also called traffic of influence or trading in influence, is the practice of using one's influence in government or connections with authorities to obtain favours or preferential treatment for another, usually in return for ...
. He would preted
bribe Bribery is the corrupt solicitation, payment, or acceptance of a private favor (a bribe) in exchange for official action. The purpose of a bribe is to influence the actions of the recipient, a person in charge of an official duty, to act contrar ...
€250 million from Ilan Shor to determine legislative decisions to diminish the position of the Moldovan state in the Savings Bank.
Ilan Shor Ilan may refer to: Organization *ILAN, Israeli umbrella organization for the treatment of disabled children Given name *Ilan (name), a Hebrew/Israeli name * Ilan Bakhar, a retired Israeli footballer * Ilan Araújo Dall'Igna, a Brazilian footballe ...
, Mayor of
Orhei Orhei (), also formerly known as Orgeev (), is a city, municipality and the administrative centre of Orhei District in the Moldova, Republic of Moldova, with a population of 21,065. Orhei is approximately north of the capital, Chișinău. Hist ...
, is also accused in the "Robbery of the century" corruption case, that is, the 2014 Moldovan bank fraud scandal. On 16 October, the
National Bank of Moldova The National Bank of Moldova () is the central bank of the Republic of Moldova. The National Bank of Moldova is an autonomous public legal entity and is responsible to the Parliament of Moldova, Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. The primary ...
has withdrawn the licenses of financial activity for Savings Bank, Social Bank and Unibank. Thus has begun the process of liquidation thereof. On 29 October, three months after formation, the Streleț government was dismissed through a
motion of censure A motion or vote of no confidence (or the inverse, a motion or vote of confidence) is a motion and corresponding vote thereon in a deliberative assembly (usually a legislative body) as to whether an officer (typically an executive) is deemed fit ...
, voted in favour by 65 MPs. The government's dismissal was enacted through the votes of the Socialist, Communist, and Democratic Party deputies. The stated reason underlying the motion was "suspicion of the corruption of Prime Minister Valeriu Streleț". Soon after the vote, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted, saying that stability of government should be allowed to prevail and the pro-European mandate given in the results of the November 2014 elections should be executed.


Reactions


Domestic

Igor Dodon Igor Dodon (; born 18 February 1975) is a Moldovan politician who served as the 5th president of Moldova from 2016 to 2020. He currently serves as the leader of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova since 2024. He served as Ministry ...
, leader of the country's largest opposition party, the influential
Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
-friendly
Socialist Party Socialist Party is the name of many different political parties around the world. All of these parties claim to uphold some form of socialism, though they may have very different interpretations of what "socialism" means. Statistically, most of th ...
, has denounced the government's silence toward what he described as "officials and representatives of right-wing extremist, nationalist and "neo-Nazi" groups from Romania who attended the 5 July gathering. After a first meeting with the leaders of the protesters, Moldovan PM
Valeriu Streleț Valeriu Streleț (; born 8 March 1970) is a Moldovan politician who was Prime Minister of Moldova in 2015. He subsequently received a vote of no-confidence on 29 October 2015. Biography He has been a member of the Parliament of Moldova since ...
stated that his government would resign only in case of a
no-confidence vote A motion or vote of no confidence (or the inverse, a motion or vote of confidence) is a motion and corresponding vote thereon in a deliberative assembly (usually a legislative body) as to whether an officer (typically an executive) is deemed fit ...
in Parliament. In a message published on the Presidency page,
Nicolae Timofti Nicolae Timofti (; born 22 December 1948) is a Moldovan jurist and politician who was President of Moldova from 23 March 2012 until 23 December 2016. He served as head of Moldova's Superior Magistrate Council and was 2011–2012 Moldovan preside ...
cataloged the 6 September demonstration as a democratic exercise. As for his resignation, Timofti said he won't resign because "such a decision would bring instability to the Republic of Moldova". According to
Dorin Chirtoacă Dorin Chirtoacă (born 9 August 1978) is a Moldovan politician who served as Mayor of Chișinău from 2007 to 2018. He has been leader of Liberal Party (Moldova), Liberal Party (PL) since 2018. Biography His mother is Valentina, sister of Ghe ...
, Mayor of Chișinău, pressure from society must exist, but organizers of protests should correctly calculate their forces and actions. He also stated that eventual early elections would further destabilize the situation in Moldova. A similar position was adopted by Moldova's parliament speaker,
Andrian Candu Andrian Candu (born 27 November 1975) is a former Moldovan politician, who served as President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova between 2015 and 2019. He left political life and went back to consultancy business, being focused on ad ...
, saying such a move would leave the country stuck in economic crisis. During the September protests, Dorin Chirtoacă has called for the tents to be removed from the central boulevard and claimed that not only is the protest illegal, but that it is being fomented by
Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
. He has claimed that Renato Usatîi and
Igor Dodon Igor Dodon (; born 18 February 1975) is a Moldovan politician who served as the 5th president of Moldova from 2016 to 2020. He currently serves as the leader of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova since 2024. He served as Ministry ...
are puppets of
Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...
.


International


Official reactions


=Supranational organisations

= * In response to the
2014 Moldovan bank fraud scandal In 2014, $1 billion disappeared from three Moldovan banks: ''Banca de Economii'', ''Unibank'' and ''Banca Socială''.EU,
International Monetary Fund The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution funded by 191 member countries, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It is regarded as the global lender of las ...
and
World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and Grant (money), grants to the governments of Least developed countries, low- and Developing country, middle-income countries for the purposes of economic development ...
have frozen their financial assistance to Moldova.Moldova anger grows over banking scandal
BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
(14 September 2015)
*
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is a department of the United Nations Secretariat that works to promote and protect human rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Univer ...
, Zeid Ra'ad Al-Hussein, has called on authorities in Moldova to address the demands of protesters, warning that a failure to do so "could lead to greater polarization of society".


=States

= * Romanian Prime Minister
Victor Ponta Victor Viorel Ponta (; born 20 September 1972) is a Romanian politician and jurist who served as Prime Minister of Romania from 2012 to 2015. He was president of the Social Democratic Party (Romania), Social Democratic Party (PSD) from 2010 to ...
expressed his concern about the situation in Moldova, that, in his opinion, is "worse than last year", but says that he supports his counterpart in Chișinău and Moldova's European course. Ponta is a vocal supporter of Romania's reunification. In September 2014, he gave a speech at
Alba Iulia Alba Iulia (; or ''Carlsburg'', formerly ''Weißenburg''; ; ) is a city that serves as the seat of Alba County in the west-central part of Romania. Located on the river Mureș (river), Mureș in the historical region of Transylvania, it has a ...
, stating that "my commitment is to jointly make a second
Great Union In Romanian historiography, the Great Union () or Great Union of 1918 () was the series of political unifications the Kingdom of Romania had with several of the Romanian historical regions, starting with Bessarabia on 27 March 1918, continuin ...
of Romania". During a meeting of the Presidents of Romania and Moldova in
Suceava Suceava () is a Municipiu, city in northeastern Romania. The seat of Suceava County, it is situated in the Historical regions of Romania, historical regions of Bukovina and Western Moldavia, Moldavia, northeastern Romania. It is the largest urban ...
,
Klaus Iohannis Klaus Werner Iohannis (; ; born 13 June 1959) is a Romanian politician, physicist, and former teacher who served as the fifth president of Romania from 2014 until his resignation in 2025. Prior to entering Politics of Romania, national politics, ...
stated that "people on both sides of the Prut" will be found in one day not only in the EU, but also "in communion", adding that "we will be there for Moldovan citizens no matter how much effort we have to exert and how much will last". :On 26 January 2016, the
Government of Romania The Government of Romania () forms one half of the executive branch of the government of Romania (the other half being the office of the President of Romania). It is headed by the Prime Minister of Romania, and consists of the ministries, variou ...
offered a €60 million loan to help stave off economic collapse. To get the money, Prime Minister
Dacian Cioloș Dacian Julien Cioloș (; born 27 July 1969) is a Romanian Agronomy, agronomist who served as Prime Minister of Romania from November 2015 to January 2017. He previously served as Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Rural Development (Romania), A ...
said Moldova will have to reform its justice system, fight corruption, sign a draft agreement for a loan from the
International Monetary Fund The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution funded by 191 member countries, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It is regarded as the global lender of las ...
and appoint a new central bank governor. * According to the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
Embassy in Chișinău, protests highlight the frustration experienced by many Moldovans due to lack of reforms in their country. American diplomats support the right of citizens to protest peacefully, urging Moldova's Government to quickly implement the necessary reforms, such as expanding anti-corruption efforts.


Others

* According to
Stratfor Strategic Forecasting Inc., commonly known as Stratfor, is an American strategic intelligence publishing company founded in 1996. Stratfor's business model is to provide individual and enterprise subscriptions to Stratfor Worldview, its online p ...
, protests could threaten the stability of Moldova's fragile government. Consequently, the possible weakening or collapse of the Moldovan government "could slow Moldova's European integration". A similar analysis from Stratfor shows that "the recent rallies and the positive reaction from top Romanian officials are signs of increasing Romanian influence in Moldova". * / Former Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili Mikheil "Misha" Saakashvili (born 21 December 1967) is a Georgian and Ukrainian politician and jurist. He was the third president of Georgia for two consecutive terms from 25 January 2004 to 17 November 2013. He is the founder and former chair ...
, now Governor of Ukrainian
Odesa Oblast Odesa Oblast (), also referred to as Odeshchyna (Одещина), is an administrative divisions of Ukraine, oblast (province) of southwestern Ukraine, located along the northern coast of the Black Sea. Its administrative centre is the city of Ode ...
, considers that protests taking place in Chișinău are "an anti-oligarchic movement which answers Ukraine's aspirations". "It is known that, in recent years, Moldovan oligarchs began to control everything. They control all state bodies, most of the Parliament and almost entirely the premier. When former prime minister hiril Gaburicitried to change something, was immediately put on the table a file with compromising materials. This is a typical oligarchic style", concluded Saakashvili. Likewise, Saakashvili deems "the people come out on street to protest against oligarchs, but not in the favor of Russia. I think that the whole population of the Republic of Moldova is for Europe, and among youth it is an absolute majority". * In an article published by the news agency
RIA Novosti RIA Novosti (), sometimes referred to as RIAN () or RIA (), is a Russian state-owned domestic news agency. On 9 December 2013, by a decree of Vladimir Putin, it was liquidated and its assets and workforce were transferred to the newly created ...
, President of the Center for Systematic Analysis and Forecasting in
Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
, Rostislav Ishchenko, says that events in the Republic of Moldova remind of the "orange" scenario. According to the author, all "colored" coups were organized and guided by the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, and the embassies were coordination centres for protesters, scenario also "applied" in Moldova. Moreover, Russian analyst writes that "rumors that make connections between protesters and EU, particularly
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, country from where would be financed the DJ Platform, are identical to those linking the protests in Kyiv and financiers in Germany".


See also

*
April 2009 Moldovan parliamentary election protests Protests against the April 2009 Moldovan parliamentary election results began on 6 April 2009 in major cities of Moldova (including Bălți and the capital, Chișinău) before the final official results were announced. The demonstrators claimed ...
* 2013 Pro Europe demonstration in Moldova * 2023 European Moldova National Assembly *
2002 Moldovan protests The 2002 Moldovan protests were a series of mass protests and growing street opposition demonstrations against the socialist regime and the opposition's ban in elections in Moldova. However, initial protests first began after the government banne ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Moldova protests, 2015-2016 2015 in Moldova 2015 protests 2016 in Moldova 2016 protests History of Chișinău Moldova–European Union relations Pro-Europeanism in Moldova Protests in Moldova Labor disputes in Moldova