Despite protests, the Moldovan parliament passed a bill on Thursday that would limit the powers of the newly elected pro-European president. In the second round of the presidential election in Moldova on November 15, pro-European opposition candidate Maija Sandu defeated the former pro-Russian head of state Igor Dodon. It is planned that Sandu will take the oath of office at the end of December. The bill provides for the transfer of control of the intelligence agency – the Moldovan Information and Security Service – from the president to parliament. More than 5,000 people protested against the bill today at the Moldovan parliament in Chisinau. Sandu and her supporters believe the bill aims to limit the president’s powers before Sandu takes office and strengthen the parliamentary powers dominated by Dodon’s supporters. Opposition MPs did not vote in parliament on the controversial bill. MEPs also passed a number of other bills, including the granting of official status to Russian.
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