More than 300 pensioners took to the streets on July 15 to protest against the rising prices, low salaries and privatization of state property. The protesters picketed the Parliament’s building and the Presidential Office. The protests were staged by the public association “Safeguard”.

The pensioners were carrying placards with such inscriptions as ‘We are not Slaves’, ‘Criminal Privatization – the Criminals, Swindlers and Mafia Appropriate Public Propriety’, ‘The People are not Garbage’, etc.

Initially, the pensioners protested in front of the Government, where they asked for a meeting with Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanyi, and tried again to enter the building of the Government, but were stopped by the police.

Later, the protesters decided to go to the Presidential Office. On the way, they blocked the traffic on Banulescu Bodoni St, at the intersection with Stephan the Great Blbd., for about 10 minutes. Shortly afterward, the police dispersed the protesters, unblocking the traffic. “Aren’t you ashamed to fight with old women?” said old men that got involved in an altercation with the police officers.

In front of the Presidential Office, the pensioners chanted ‘Voronin-Traitor’, demanding that he spoke to them. “Until coming to power, he promised he will improve our situation, but nothing has changed. This is not a state, but chaos,” a protester said.

No one came out of the Presidential Office to speak to the protesters. So, they said they will organize a new protest in a week, on July 29.//REPORTER.MD


Publication date: 15 July 2008   

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