President of Moldova ready to leave: opposition

President of Moldova Nicolae Timofti is ready to leave, according to Renato Usatii, the leader of Our Party opposition political group. He said the president gave way to the protesters and is ready to leave. Meantime, the president’s press office has neither confirmed nor disclaimed that statement. The office of the Presidential Administration registered the statement of resignation the protesters drafted instead of the president. 

Today, on October 1, the public was picketing the president’s residence expressing their discontent at the authorities. As many as 150 people gathered outside the president’s residential quarters.  They were met by the police cordon. Igor Dodon, the leader of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM), and Renato Usatii, the leader of Our Party, submitted the resignation statement on behalf of the president. Nicolae Timofti was out, so his aides had to communicate with the protest organizers. People outside the president’s residence were chanting slogans: “Shame on Timofti!”, “Go away!”.

What the protesters say explaining their discontent at the president and the government of Moldova is that he is incompetent. “He should leave voluntarily. The people are starving, while he does nothing. He is guided from outside. He is on the leash. They must listen to our opinion and treat us as human beings. Therefore, we are here holding this peaceful assembly. We want them to adopt a decision here, before the people.”

Oleg Lipskii, a parliamentarian from PMSR said the people’s will is a legal will. “We will keep staying here and demanding Timofti to leave. Resignation is the key to the normal, deserved future. Prices hike in the country. We cannot bear it any longer. They steal from us, while we are in poverty. Mr. Timofti, leave please! We know that you respect and value yourself. You are a true patriot of this country. Make a strong-willed step!” 

Addressing the protesters, Renato Usatii said: “Nicolae Timofti is ready to make such an ultimate step. We asked the parliamentarians to tell Timofti’s masters – Filat and Plahotniuc – to let him go.  He is ready to. It is reliable information,” he said.

The press office of the Moldovan president said “Usatii can say everything he wants. He is responsible for his statements that are exaggerated and groundless,” the president’s spokesperson Vlad Turсanu told RTR-Moldova TV.

Meantime, the ultimatum the protesters set to Timofti is expiring in 20 hours. “We have submitted the application to the president’s aides. Timofti just needs to sign it. In the application, the president apologizes to the people and files in his resignation. We insist that this statement is signed by tomorrow evening,” Igor Dodon said.

It is not the first attempt of the protesters to make Timofti leave. A similar statement of resignation the protest organizers tried to submit to the president for signing also before.