Starting in the spring of 2015, Moldova experienced large-scale protests amid a worsening economic situation and corruption scandals. The protests gained momentum in September, when up to 100,000 people demonstrated in the largest protest since Moldova's independence from the Soviet Union in August 1991.

The protests have been organised by a grass-roots citizens' movement, Dignity and Truth (), that was established in February 2015 as a response to the disappearance of $1 billion from the Moldovan banks in 2014. Dignity and Truth is led by lawyers, journalists and other well-known figures in Moldova.

Background

In Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, nearly 17% of the population live below the poverty line. Moreover, with an average wage of about $129 per month, Moldova reportedly has the lowest standard of living in Europe.

In 2014, $1 billion vanished from three of Moldova's leading banks.The great Moldovan bank robbery, BBC News (18 June 2015) In two days loans worth $1 billion were transferred in to United Kingdom and Hong Kong-registered companies whose ultimate owners are unknown.The billion-dollar ex-council flat, BBC News (7 October 2015) Banks are administered by the National Bank of Moldova, so this loss was covered from state reserves. This protected depositors but created a hole in Moldovan public finances equivalent to an eighth of the country's GDP. Protesters claim this damaged their living standards.Thousands join Moldova anti-government protest, BBC News (13 September 2015)

The issue highlighted the problem of corruption in Moldova and although the government has promised an investigation, protest leaders have called for a campaign of civil disobedience, a general strike and a refusal to pay utility bills in order to force the resignation of the government. Likewise, as a response to the $1 billion disappearance the grass-roots citizens' movement Dignity and Truth () was established in February 2015. This organization is led by lawyers, journalists and other well-known figures in Moldova.

Advocates of unification with Romania see this step as a solution to Moldova's economic, political and social crisis, but also in the context of the tensions in neighbouring Ukraine. Polls up to May 2015 showed 10 to 20 percent of Moldovans supported unification.

Name The protests are dubbed in the international press as the Moldovan Maidan (due to similar circumstances with Ukrainian Euromaidan) and Anti-oligarchic movement. In Moldova, media outlets cataloged the events as a Red Revolution, due to involvement of communist and socialist parties in the protests.

Protesters' profile The protesters have formed two distinct camps: pro-European sympathizers and those who support pro-Russian parties. But while they may be separated by aspirations and ideologies, both sides have similar aims: the resignation of the government, the conviction of corrupt oligarchs and early elections.

For those in the pro-Russian camp, the corruption cases have provoked a crisis of confidence in the European project. Moldova signed an association agreement with the European Union in 2013, committing to core reforms, economic recovery, sector cooperation and justice, but anti-European sentiment is growing. An April 2015 poll found that 32% of Moldovans favoured joining the EU, a decrease of 46 percent compared to 78% in 2007.

Timeline

Farmers' protests The National Farmers Federation of Moldova, the Republican Association UniAgroProtect, the National Farmers Federation AGROinform and the Association Moldova-Fruct organized on 27 March and 15 April protest action by farmers throughout the country. According to organizers, the protests mobilized more than 5,000 farmers. They blocked national roads with agricultural machinery.

Farmers oppose a VAT increase from 8% to 20% and demand swift access to a credit line of nearly €100 million offered by Poland with a subsidized interest rate. Farmers say that, because of the devaluation of the leu, resulting from de facto nationalization of the banks at the heart of the economic crisis, they can't service outstanding loans. They had several meetings with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Finance, but were not satisfied with the result. The farmers' demands include replenishment of subsidy funds in 2015 to 1.2 billion lei, the release of the lending process in agriculture and the decrease of the lending interest rate.

5 April demonstration

Tens of thousands of people across the country gathered in downtown Chișinău, at the call of the Dignity and Truth Platform, in an action of protest against the collapse of the financial and banking system, but also against judicial corruption. Demonstrators chanted slogans against the government led by Chiril Gaburici and demanded the unification of Moldova and Romania. Gaburici resigned on 22 June after an investigation into alleged fraud in his educational qualifications and was replaced permanently by Valeriu Streleț on 30 July.

3 May demonstration

On 3 May, up to 50,000 people protested against the Government of Moldova, saying it had failed to implement reforms to bring the country closer to the European Union. Protesters also called on the government to investigate the disappearance of $1 billion (nearly 1/8 of the country's GDP) from the state-owned Savings Bank and the private banks Unibank, Banca de Economii and Banca Socială, in November 2014 before parliamentary elections. The central bank commissioned risk consultancy Kroll to conduct a preliminary investigation into the activities of the three stricken banks. Their findings were confidential but on 4 May parliament speaker Andrian Candu published what he said was Kroll's report on his website. "There appears to have been a deliberate plan to gain control of each of the banks and subsequently manipulate transactions to gain access to credit, whilst giving the appearance to the contrary", the report said. The protest activities were mobilized by the newly founded citizen platform called "Dignity and Truth" – allegedly financed by Viorel and Victor Topa, two exiled businessmen – to which leading personalities in Moldovan civil society belong.

Expulsion of George Simion A protest took place on 14 May, in Bucharest, in front of the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova, calling for an "urgent revocation of abusive measures" taken by the Chișinău authorities against Romanian citizen George Simion. The measure was seen as an attempt to intimidate the protest announced for 16 May. Simion had come to Moldova to help organize and take part in the march. He was expelled for five years on 14 May on grounds that his activities could endanger national security.Thousands Rally In Moldova For Unification With Romania, Radio Free Europe (15 May 2015) Despite this, more than 25,000 people gathered in Grand National Assembly Square in the largest pro-Romanian manifestation in Chișinău in recent years. Most of the protesters were young people and intellectuals. They demanded the unification of Moldova and Romania and displayed placards with unionist and anti-Russian messages. Demonstrators were joined, among others, by Mayor of Chișinău Dorin Chirtoacă. Column of protesters made several stops in front of the embassies of Romania, Germany, the United States and Russia. Participants at the unionist march voted for the formation of the National Unity Bloc (), adjoining 22 non-governmental entities, including Youth of Moldova, Action 2012, Association Light of Transnistrian Teachers, Queen Helen Foundation, Children Charity Foundation Sidereal Moment, Association of Former Deportees in USSR, Association Tiras-Bender, etc. The march ended with the signing of a Pact of Union, Pact for Europe.

A bus with 50 members of the Moldovan Youth organization and others who wanted to attend the rally were blocked and legitimated by police in Cahul. Meanwhile, about 40 high school students from Florești were warned by telephone, through parents, by the police that if they participate in demonstrations on 16 May, they would suffer as during the protests of 7 April 2009.

Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta conducted a visit to Chișinău on the occasion of Moldovan Independence Day, being greeted by about 200 young men with masks featuring George Simion. "We want to see justice done in the case of George Simion, we want functional justice and we believe that true sovereignty, independence and freedom can only be achieved through union", stated Anatol Ursu, one of the organizers of the flash mob.

After pressure from civil society and Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu, Chișinău Court of Appeal decided, on 18 September, to lift the ban imposed on George Simion.

On 22 September, Romanian and Moldovan governments met in joint session, in Neptun. At the same time, over 300 people gathered outside the building where the meeting was held, demanding unification of Moldova with Romania. Before the meeting began, protesters tried to force the cordon of gendarmes to get closer to the building, and some of them jostled with law enforcers. The heads of the two governments agreed to talk to the unionists.

March of Stephen the Great

On 5 July 2015, up to 30,000 people, according to organizers, gathered in Grand National Assembly Square, Chișinău, facing Government House and the Monument to the Victims of the Soviet Occupation, to demand the unification of Moldova and Romania. Participants chanted unionist slogans and voted symbolically for a union. Organized by Action 2012 and Youth of Moldova, the manifestation was claimed to be one of the largest in the recent history of Moldova and the fourth great national gathering after those of 27 August 1989 (calling for a restoration of the Latin script), 16 December 1990 (in support of changing the name of the state to Republic of Moldova) and 27 August 1991 (celebrating the proclamation of independence from the USSR). Among participants were present Members of the Romanian Parliament and Moldovans from the Diaspora.

Thousands of young people among the participants in the Great National Gathering headed to Bucharest in the March of Stephen the Great () calling for the unification of Moldova with Romania. The march lasted a week, from 5 to 11 July. In the Republic of Moldova, the march followed the route Strășeni–Lozova–Călărași–Cornești–Ungheni. Participants crossed the Prut River, on 11 July, at 10 a.m., in a large-scale reenactment of the Bridges of Flowers in 1990. Their march ended in Bucharest, where were greeted by several hundred Romanian citizens in University Square, before making their way to the Cotroceni Palace to call on Romanian President Klaus Iohannis to support the unification project. Former Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin has sharply condemned the march to Romania. In a letter to European Parliament President Martin Schulz, released on 7 July, Voronin accused Bucharest of fomenting "the destruction and annexation of Moldova".

Autumn protests

Tens of thousands of people manifested in Chișinău at the call of the Justice and Truth Platform. According to police, between 35,000 and 40,000 people attended the demonstration, while organizers estimated around 100,000 participants. The protest was the biggest since Moldova's independence movement in the early 1990s, bigger even than the mass anti-communist protests of April 2009. Participants adopted a resolution demanding early elections, the resignation of President Nicolae Timofti and all leading institutions of law, including the Prosecutor General's office and the National Anticorruption Center.