Moldova Protests: Energy Costs, Pensions Spark Outrage
The Communist and Socialist Bloc (BCS) protested today in front of the Government building. BCS deputies and supporters chanted anti-government slogans, demanding a 15% pension indexation instead of the 4.2% announced by authorities.
Members of the parliamentary commission on social protection, health, and family counter that the BCS proposal lacks financial feasibility.
Gathered in front of the Government House, protest organisers voiced their anger over high energy tariffs, as well as low pensions and salaries compared to rising food prices.
Voices from the Protest:
- "We didn't come here of our own free will."
- "Every day there is a law against the people."
- "A correct indexation is needed, a decent indexation, because these people have worked all their lives. At this age, they are forced to go out and demand justice."
- "Lack of economic development, poor old people. Absolute resignation."
BCS MP Alla Darovannaia argues that the new pension indexation formula should consider the average inflation rate over the past three years. She says the BCS has registered a parliamentary initiative to amend the law on the public pension system, allowing for an indexation of over 15%.
"We consider this formula to be completely incorrect. We have registered in the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova and will insist on being given an opinion to calculate the pension indexation coefficient as the average inflation for the last three years," said Darovannaia.
Meanwhile, the vice-president of the parliamentary commission on social protection, health, and family, PAS MP Marina Morozova, told Radio Moldova that the opposition's proposals are populist. She emphasises the lack of financial coverage for a 15% pension indexation.
"We recommend that our opposition colleagues wait for the decision and the Government's communication. Perhaps our opposition colleagues can remember how they indexed the pension on October 1, 2020, when they indexed it by 1%, the minimum pension increased by 12 lei. They constantly come up with populist projects and register them, and we discuss them in the committees, including," said Morozova.
Notably, in the last three weeks, there have been other similar protests by the Communist and Socialist Bloc targeting the increase in tariffs for communal services, particularly natural gas. Political analysts in Chisinau suggest these protests, though seemingly organised by different opposition parties, aim to undermine public confidence in the ruling party.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
