Page 11 - Aruba Today
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WORLD NEWS A11
Friday 22 January 2016
Unrest for 2nd day: 7,000 hold anti-govt protest in Moldova
CORNELIU RUSNAC Jizdan said Thursday that Riot police officers stand in line in front of protesters, some wanting closer links to Russia, others de-
Associated Press protesters had broken or manding a crackdown on corruption, outside the parliament in Chisinau, Moldova, Thursday, Jan.
CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) destroyed tables, chairs, 21, 2016. Moldova’s new pro-European government has been sworn in, after protesters stormed
— Thousands of people a metal detector, a com- Parliament and scuffled with police following a vote that ended a standoff between the president
held an anti-government puter, banisters and other and the legislature.
protest Thursday in the Mol- objects when they stormed
dovan capital, a day after Parliament on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Roveliu Buga)
the legislature approved a Moldova has been mired
new pro-European govern- in political instability since
ment. Protesters gathered 2014. Last year, Moldova
outside government offices had five prime ministers
and Parliament in Chisinau and there were weeks of
to protest Prime Minister protests about $1.5 bil-
Pavel Filip, the former tech- lion that went missing from
nology minister and ex- three banks prior to the
candy factory manager, country’s November 2014
who presented his Cabinet parliamentary election.
of politicians and specialists Many Moldovans are fed
to President Nicolae Timofti up with what they see as a
late Wednesday. corrupt ruling class and a
It was the second straight drop in living standards in
day of protests. Scuffles the impoverished Eastern
broke out Wednesday European nation of about
between police and the 4 million, where the aver-
protesters who stormed age monthly salary is just
the Parliament, injuring 15 220 euros ($240). Some Mol-
people, including nine po- dovans prefer pro-Russian
lice officers. On Thursday, parties as an alternative to
protesters blocked a main the current government,
artery in the capital as they which has been in power
staged a peaceful protest. since 2009. Other protesters
Demonstrators shouted criticize the government,
“Down with the govern- which has EU membership
ment! We are the people!” as a goal, as having failed
and “Early elections!” to carry out reforms and
Interior Minister Alexander tackle corruption.q
Italian church groups to open a
refugee ‘humanitarian corridor’
NICOLE WINFIELD of Protestant Churches in
Associated Press Italy and the Rome-based
ROME (AP) — An Italian ec- Catholic Sant’Egidio Com-
umenical mission is in Leba- munity teamed up to ask
non this week to work out the Italian government to
the final details of a pilot grant 1,000 humanitarian
project to bring up to 1,000 visas for refugees in camps
refugees to Italy on human- in Lebanon, Morocco and
itarian visas so they’re not Ethiopia.
tempted to risk deadly sea The aim is to airlift an ini-
crossings to get to Europe. tial group of about 100 of
The U.N. refugee agency the most vulnerable refu-
has welcomed the initia- gees —most of them Syr-
tive, one of many types of ians who are sick, disabled
private sponsorships that or elderly, or women alone
are enabling particularly with young children — from
vulnerable or needy refu- a Lebanese camp by the
gees to reach safety and end of the month or early
start new lives in third coun- February, said Marco Im-
tries. pagliazzo, president of the
In this case, the Federation Sant’Egidio Community.q
