Massive rallies are being held Saturday in five Moldovan cities to urge the government to hold presidential and snap parliamentary elections, as well as ban unionist movements in the country, the Party of Socialists' leader, Igor Dodon, said, according to Sputnik.
"The main demands of protesters are to hold early parliamentary elections simultaneously with the presidential [elections] and ban unionist movements in Moldova. Unionism should be banned in Moldova by law," Dodon said during a rally in the Moldovan town of Edinet.
The protests are also being held in the cities of Soroca, Cahul, Anenii Noi and Ungheni in response to the Moldovan Unionist Movement's increased calls for the political union of Moldova and Romania.
During the rallies, protesters signed the declaration of protecting Moldova's integrity. The declaration will be followed by a mass rally calling for the country's independence to be held in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau on May 15.
The country's several opposition forces - Socialists, Our Party and the Civic Platform Dignity and Truth (DA) - have been demanding the resignation of the Moldovan president, the prime minister and the chief prosecutor, while also calling for early parliamentary elections, a direct presidential election and prompt action to tackle corruption.
The Moldovan Parliament declared on April 1 that direct presidential elections would be held in the country on October 30. The decision was passed by a majority vote in the parliament. The term of office of the previous Moldovan president, Nicolae Timofti, elected by the parliament in 2012, expired on March 23.