Ukraine’s neighbor, Moldova, is under increasing pressure as the war drags on. Amid energy shortages and violation of airspace by Russian missiles, protesters are being paid to sow unrest in the Moldovan capital
A pro-Russian group has been organizing protests against the Moldovan government for more than a month. The demonstrators demand the ouster of the pro-European President Maia Sandu and accuse the President of Ukraine Zelensky of waging war in his country. They also support Russian President Vladimir Putin and criticize neighboring Romania, the European Union and the United States for supporting Moldova’s Ukraine.
The protests come amid energy shortages and airspace violations by Russian missiles, with protesters being paid to sow unrest in the Moldovan capital. The German broadcasting corporation DW reports that demonstrators are being driven to the capital Chisinau from all over the country and are setting up tents outside the parliament. They are reportedly paid the equivalent of €20 per day and €80 per night. Moldovan journalists published dozens of videos in which protesters, some of them clearly drunk, openly talk about the sums they received.
Organizers of the protest accuse President Sandu of refusing to go to Moscow and appease Putin to secure cheap gas for Moldova, which is almost entirely dependent on Russian supplies. Russia has taken advantage of this dependence and now charges four times more for gas than it did before it invaded Ukraine in late February. Since then, inflation in Moldova has increased by 35%. There is also a risk that Russian energy giant Gazprom will completely cut off supplies this winter.
President Sandu harshly criticized the protesters during a press conference. “Criminal groups want to create a conflict situation to overthrow public order and gain power so that Russia can use our country in war,” she said, according to the state news agency Moldpress. The prosecutor’s office opened an investigation.
“Attempts to undermine the situation in the country are becoming more frequent and are being carried out by those who want war and chaos,” Sandu said during the press conference. “Thieves involve people to achieve their goals, these people promised Moscow that they would remove the country’s pro-European leadership and establish a new leadership that would allow Russia to involve Moldova in the war,” she said, adding, “Don’t be under any illusions, you will not succeed, betrayal will be severely punished.”
During her press conference, Sandu condemned the crossing of the missiles in the airspace of Moldova and demanded to respect the borders and neutrality.
During a visit to Chisinau on October 1, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht promised to help Moldova rebuild its army. Bucharest and Brussels have also pledged support. The same is true in the energy sector. As of October 14, Romania plans to supply electricity to Moldova after Ukraine cut off supplies due to the destruction of its infrastructure caused by heavy Russian shelling.