Moldovan Protesters Twitter Away

According to Russian daily "Izvestia," Molodvan protesters in Chisinau decided to take a more high-tech approach to challenge the government: "It is no longer enough or even modern to take over mail or telegraph stations. Young people prefer to use "modern toys." Organizers of the Chisinau disorder, and their "supporters," coordinated their actions through the Twitter social network. ... The user of this social network can easily find any information by "tagging it." Such tags were used for the communication actors in Chisinau, mobilizing those wishing to join in the protest."

Izvestia further reports that after the first night of protests it became clear that if the government is indeed resolved to disperse protesters, its police batons and water cannons are not enough - Moldovan President Voronin's police and army force is too small (it numbers only 6,000 people). Izvestia further reports that President's HQ was ready to start shooting at protesters Wednesday afternoon. According to Mark Tkachuk, Voronin's Head of the Election Headquarters: "What our political opponents did last night during the first night of protests is forcing them either to move forward to the end, or to surrender. ... For them, surrender is psychologically difficult, while it's also not possible to go to the probable conclusion of their actions."

Tkachuk further stated: "President Voronin made it clear that the government's refusal yesterday to use force was unprecedented, since we saw that children - school children and adolescents - were used as human shields by the putschists. Already yesterday, the government had every reason to use firearms. But today, we decided: there will be no mercy! If today's actions should worsen, will speak the language of military methods."