Over 60 People Detained at Mass Opposition Protest in Moldova - Police

CHISINAU (Sputnik) - At least 65 people were detained during an opposition protest in Moldova’s capital of Kishinev, police inform.

Mass demonstrations organized by Moldova's opposition Sor Party took place on Sunday, with over 50,000 people trying to get to the Kishinev city center to demand snap parliamentary elections, according to Sor member Dinu Turcanu. The organizers said that police tried to prevent protesters from getting to the city center, cordoning off the central square.

According to police, a total of 1,700 people participated in the Sunday protest in Kishinev, some of them attempting to break through the police cordon.

"65 people, including four minors, were detained for identification. Persons who incited riots and posed a threat to public safety were identified," Chief of the General Police Inspectorate said in a Sunday statement.

Since September 18, regular anti-government demonstrations have been taking place across Moldova, attracting thousands of Sor supporters. The Sunday demonstration ended with the participants adopting a resolution, calling on Moldovan President Maia Sandu to resign.

Moldova's opposition has repeatedly accused the government of failing to cope with the economic crisis amid record inflation that reached 33.97% in September and deteriorating living standards. The country's leadership has also been criticized for its unwillingness to negotiate better gas prices with Russia and for putting political pressure on opponents.