A protest announced for March 25 by the sovereign civic activist, Andrei Turtureanu, initially presented as a non-partisan action, continues to generate controversy and concerns. Although the organizer emphasized that the demonstration should be without party symbols and without political messages, recent developments indicate an increasingly pronounced politicization.
“Enemy of Romania” and “useful idiot”
The “Getica” group, made up of fighters from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, who help Ukrainian soldiers cope with the Russian invasion, presents Andrei Turtureanu as an “enemy of Romania” and a “useful idiot”. According to the group’s representatives, the sovereign Turtureanu “wants to cut ties between the Republic of Moldova and Romania, awaiting the establishment in R. Moldova of a regime loyal to Moscow“.
“He has strange fetishes about a “great national assembly” to overthrow the president and Parliament, and to turn R. Moldova into a Russian exclave. Frequently present on TikTok, in live broadcasts, he disseminates rhetorics of propaganda launched by the horns of the Russian Federation,” the group’s message states.
“Apolitical protest” supported by deputies and pro-Russian structures
The first signals appeared after the active involvement of the deputy of the “Home Democracy” Party, Alexandru Verșinin, who began to actively promote the protest, notes deschide.md. Although the people’s elected representative declares that the rally on March 25 should be without politicians, this involvement can be perceived as an attempt at political capitalization, in contradiction with the initial idea of civic neutrality.
In a conversation on Tik-Tok with Verșinin, the “sovereign” Turtureanu says that R. Moldova, being a small state, should not “upset” either Russia or the West. Verșinin responds affirmatively.
“My favorite word is “balance”. If you’ve noticed, I don’t push for Unification. I said that, economically, this is the fastest way, but the people must decide. In the last elections, the majority of the population decided that the path of European integration is the best. Whether I like it or not, I have to respect the will of the people. If the people want Unification, I will have to do this. But, I believe that we must be a sovereign, independent state, defending our rights and interests,” declared the deputy of the “Home Democracy” Party.
Referring to the protest, Verșinin specifies that the presence of politicians is counterproductive.
“The protest intrigued me. It’s very good. My position is for it to be apolitical. No political leader takes the stage… We don’t inflate anyone. We don’t make anyone a national hero,” he added.
Other politicians also participate in the discussions, including the leader of the People’s Labor Party, the pro-Russian propagandist Serghei Toma. The Mirotvorets.info platform writes that Toma is a politician who lives and does business in London, but is a supporter of the Kremlin. Thus, he posts messages on his Facebook page justifying not only the Russian invasion in Ukraine, but also a possible attack on the Republic of Moldova.
Contacted by the reporter of Deschide.MD, Alexandru Verșinin mentioned that he personally supports peaceful protests and the right of people to protest. However, the deputy specifies, a decision regarding the participation of the supporters of the “Home Democracy” Party in the demonstration on March 25 has not yet been adopted.
“We have not yet made a decision whether we will participate in this protest, precisely because we do not know who organizes it and who is behind it. If we have information that it is organized by dubious people, enemies of the Republic of Moldova, then we will not participate, we will not call anyone and we will not play anyone’s game,” Verșinin declared.
In parallel, in the public space circulate information regarding the interest in the protest of some “sovereign” groups associated with the Alliance for the Unification of Romanians, a formation led by George Simion. In the past, its actions were marked by tensions and confrontations, which would fuel fears that the protest could degenerate into violent actions.
Political sources indicate that other formations are trying to join the mobilization. Structures close to the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova and representatives of the National Alternative Movement are mentioned, parties criticized in the public space for positions considered favorable to Moscow’s interests.
Similarly, uncertainties persist regarding the possible involvement of groups associated with the former “ȘOR” Party, which would amplify suspicions of manipulation and politicization of the protest.
Another element that has attracted attention is the announcement of the participation of controversial people, including Valeriu Chirca, known for his pro-Kremlin positions and for the fact that he was investigated in the past in connection with participation in the military conflict in eastern Ukraine on the side of the separatist forces in Donbas.
“I heard that a protest is being prepared in Chisinau on March 25… People will demand lower tariffs, lower prices for food products and the holding of early parliamentary elections. I will be at this protest,” Chirca declared in an intervention on the Tik-Tok platform.
It should be mentioned that, on March 16, 2018, Chirca was acquitted by the Chisinau Court of Appeal, after, previously, the first instance had imposed a suspended sentence of 5 years in prison for allegedly fighting on the side of the pro-Russian separatists in Lugansk and Donetsk. The appeal court decided to acquit “on the grounds that the existence of the crime was not established“, and the decision was later challenged at the Supreme Court of Justice.
The presence of such people raises questions about the security and peaceful nature of the protest. More precisely, the involvement of radical actors or people with experience in armed conflicts can increase the risk of provocations and escalation.
“Nobody assumes the organization of the protest and its consequences”
The reaction of the General Inspectorate of Police to the announced demonstration was not long in coming. According to the IGP, although all citizens have the right to free expression, certain actions can be exploited for provocations, manipulation or the generation of social tensions.
“The authorities were not notified by the organizer about the conduct of such actions, the law enforcement officers examining the version that nobody assumes the organization of the event and its consequences. We reiterate that any attempt to organize illegal actions, provocations, incitement to violence or destabilization of public order will be documented and sanctioned according to the law“, the law enforcement officers maintain.
In this regard, the Police appeal to citizens to exercise caution regarding information distributed online and not to be drawn into actions that can generate disorder.
“The police will intervene firmly and promptly in case of violation of the legislation or when the safety of citizens is endangered“, the IGP specifies.
The announced protest risks becoming a common platform for groups with divergent agendas, some of them interested in destabilizing the internal situation and affecting the European path of the Republic of Moldova.
Thus, the lack of transparency, the avalanche of political actors and the presence of controversial figures erode the credibility of the protest even before its unfolding.
