Moldova: Protests planned in Chisinau June 29 and July 1 /update 1

Event

Rallies are expected to be held in Chisinau on Friday, June 29, and Sunday, July 1, to protest the upholding of the ruling by a Moldovan court to invalidate the June 3 mayoral election. On June 29, demonstrators are expected to gather at 14:00 (local time) near the Central Election Commission. Demonstrators will rally at the Great National Assembly Square on July 1. Heightened security measures and traffic disruptions are anticipated around the protest sites.

Context

On June 25, the Moldovan Appeals Court upheld a ruling to invalidate the June 3 mayoral election, stating that both candidates violated campaign laws during the runoff. Previously on June 19, a lower court ruled to void the results after finding that the two candidates addressed voters on social media on election day. Under Moldovan law, political campaigns are required to remain silent on the day of the vote. Thousands of people have been holding daily demonstrations in Chisinau since the June 19 ruling. Both the US and the EU have voiced concerns about the ruling, claiming that the decision will erode Moldavan citizens' confidence in the democratic process.

Andrei Nastase, a pro-EU candidate who campaigned on anti-corruption, was originally declared the winner after securing 52.2 percent of the vote in the runoff. His supporters claim that the election was invalidated by allies of pro-Russian candidate Ion Ceban. Nastase and other political leaders also argued that the two candidates were only calling for Chisinau residents to go out to vote and not campaigning their platforms.

Advice

Individuals in Chisinau are advised to avoid all demonstrations as a precaution, allow additional time to travel around protest sites, and avoid discussing sensitive political issues in public.