Moldova Protests Turn Violent After Communist Win

Reuters | 07 Apr 2009 | 06:56 AM ET

A small group also broke into the president's office, which security forces had defended with tear gas and water cannon as thousands of protesters smashed windows and hurled stones at police.

The street protests came two days after a parliamentary election handed victory to the ruling Communists of President Vladimir Voronin.

Up to 10,000 demonstrators, mostly students, massed for a second straight day.

"The election was controlled by the Communists, they bought everyone off," said Alexei, a student. "We will have no future under the Communists because they just think of themselves."

Protesters carrying Moldovan and European flags and shouting anti-Communist slogans gathered outside the government building and made their way down Chisinau's main boulevard to the president's office.

Some policemen were seen nursing minor injuries. Voronin, the only Communist president in Europe, has overseen stability and growth in Europe's poorest nation since 2001, but cannot stand for a third consecutive term.

Parliament elects the president in the country, Europe's poorest, wedged between ex-Soviet Ukraine and EU member Romania.

Voronin has made it plain he wants to retain the levers of power and analysts say he could try to take on another influential role such as parliamentary speaker.

Moldovan Protests Turn Violent After Communist Win

Protesters clash with police in Chisinau today

April 07, 2009 CHISINAU (RFE/RL) --

Antigovernment protests have turned violent in the Moldovan capital in the wake of the ruling Communist Party's election victory, with demonstrators breaking into the presidential and parliamentary building.

Members of the opposition have alleged wide scale fraud in the April 5 parliamentary vote, in which the ruling Communists' declared victory with around 55 percent of ballots.

At least 10,000 people were gathered in Chisinau for a second day of protests, and police used water cannon to try and keep the crowd at bay.

But demonstrators poured into the building that houses the president's offices, and later broke into the parliament building across the street through smashed windows and proceeded to heap furniture and office equipment on a bonfire outside.

"Thousands of young people have broken the ground floor windows and those on the first and second floor, and entered the auxiliary rooms," RFE/RL correspondent Iulian Ciocan said to describe the scene shortly after midday. "They set something on fire, and there is thick smoke coming out of some windows. Police tried to stop them on the presidency's steps but were pushed back inside where they started using water cannons against the protesters," Ciocan said.

Unconfirmed reports suggested that dozens of protesters and police had been treated in a local hospital as a result of the clashes.

Chisinau Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca, whose pro-Western Liberal Party placed third in the elections, told the media that violence was provoked by provocateurs infiltrated among the largely peaceful protesters.

President Vladimir Voronin's Communists were said to have won a parliamentary majority that would allow them to elect the country's next president. Voronin, who won two terms, is not allowed under Moldova's constitution to run for a third term.

Voronin was due to address the country at 6:30 p.m. local time.

No major violence had been reported on April 6, the first day of demonstrations.