Sandu on Protests: We See Criminal Groups Consolidating in the Country

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While the conflict in Ukraine is escalating, attempts to destabilize the situation in Moldova are intensifying. President Maia Sandu said this on Monday, summing up a meeting of the Supreme Security Council (SSC) on Saturday. According to her, these issues were also part of the SCS’s discussions on Saturday, infotag.md reported. “We are now witnessing the consolidation of criminal groups within the country. Those who stole money from citizens are now trying to destabilize the situation in order to prevent justice reform and avoid punishment. The state will respect the right of citizens to protest peacefully, but state institutions cannot allow provocations. The law enforcement authorities must urgently identify the sources of funding of those who pay for participation in the protests. And severely punish any attempt at provocation, destabilization or aggression,” Sandu stressed. According to her, citizens’ expectations are that the state will punish the big corrupt and confiscate their property. “These criminal groupings still have access to the finances they previously stole from all of our citizens. They are ready for anything – illegal financing, bribing judges and prosecutors. Everything in order to weaken the state and evade responsibility,” Sandu said. Moreover, according to her, “some criminals are trying to become geopolitical players, to manipulate the issue of privileged relations with Russia. “Groups sponsored by criminals and outside forces have intensified war propaganda, spreading fakes about the war on social networks. We recommended that the competent authorities increase penalties for disseminating war justifications, as well as for treason or promoting separatism,” she said. Point