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| Moldova: Two Years from the Anti-Communist Revolt 07/04/2011 |
| (2011-04-07) |
| Last updated: 2011-04-08 13:59 EET |
Two years ago, young people in the Republic of Moldova took to the streets to protest against the government, which back then was communist. Even though it was crushed by security forces under former president Vladimir Voronin, the event marked the beginning of democratic changes in Chisinau.
On 5 April 2009, pro-Russian communists in the Republic of Moldova claimed one more decisive victory in the parliamentary elections held that year. In government from 2001, the government led by President Voronin looked as if it would hold on to power for ever, ruling with the same heavy handedness that had driven the people to exasperation. For eight years, the communist governance in Chisinau was characterized by abuse, corruption and poverty domestically, obedience towards Moscow and aggression in relations with neighboring Romania in foreign policy.
As a result, 15,000 young people gathered in the center of the capital to light a candle in mourning for the future buried in the ballot boxes. The peaceful protest lasted until April 7, when an assault group broke away from the group of protesters. Skillful and well trained, its members took by storm the Presidency and Parliament, which were in flames a few hours later. Two years later, everyone agrees that the attack was a diversion by members of special forces, whose aim was to discredit the anticommunist protest.
Upon Voronin’s orders, himself a former Soviet police general, retaliation was relentless. Ten thousand people were arrested in the street, in universities and schools, and subjected to abuse in police stations. At least one person was killed. The communists accused Romania of orchestrating and financing what it called an attempted coup d’etat. The Romanian ambassador and Romanian journalists were kicked out of the Republic of Moldova. With the country’s borders sealed and military order imposed in the streets of Chisinau, the government seemed firmly entrenched in power.
On long term, though, the transparent diversion and the brutality of the repression badly discredited Voronin and his supporters. Opposition parties, united in what is now the Alliance for European integration, won the parliamentary elections that followed, sending the communists in the opposition. The pro-Western administration promoted deep reform and managed to bring relations with Romania back to normal. The truth remains untold, however, about what happened in April 2009.
Prosecutors have accused a policeman of the death of the protester, but the case is dragging.
Neither the minister of the interior, nor the head of intelligence services in the communist government have been investigated. Even Alexandru Tanase, now minister of justice, admits that little progress has been made in investigating the events that lit up Chisinau, literally and figuratively, two years ago.
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