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| Moldova political crisis: Protesters break into parliament | Moldova political crisis: Protesters break into parliament |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Protesters broke into Moldova's parliament after it approved a new pro-European government. | Protesters broke into Moldova's parliament after it approved a new pro-European government. |
| The vote was aimed at ending months of political deadlock but was boycotted by opposition parties. | |
| Pavel Filip, from the main pro-European coalition, has been appointed prime minister. | Pavel Filip, from the main pro-European coalition, has been appointed prime minister. |
| The previous government of the former Soviet republic was dismissed by lawmakers in October amid a corruption scandal. | The previous government of the former Soviet republic was dismissed by lawmakers in October amid a corruption scandal. |
| Thousands of people had gathered outside parliament in the capital, Chisinau, against the appointment of Mr Filip, a former technology minister. | Thousands of people had gathered outside parliament in the capital, Chisinau, against the appointment of Mr Filip, a former technology minister. |
| A group of protesters broke police lines and forced their way into the building, local media reported. | A group of protesters broke police lines and forced their way into the building, local media reported. |
| Tear gas was reportedly used and policemen were seen wearing gas masks. It was not clear if there were any injured. | Tear gas was reportedly used and policemen were seen wearing gas masks. It was not clear if there were any injured. |
| The protesters chanted "Cancel the vote!" and "Thieves", the AP news agency reported, and demanded early elections. | |
| Protesters say that the new prime minister has close links to Vladimir Plahotniuc, one of the most powerful businessmen in Moldova. | |
| President Nicolae Timofti last week refused to nominate Mr Plahotniuc for the post of prime minister and Mr Filip's opponents say he will now just be a proxy for vested business interests. | |
| For his part, Mr Filip has pledged to form closer ties with the European Union. | |
| Moldova is one of Europe's poorest countries and has been locked in political turmoil since the disappearance of some $1bn (£710m) from the banking system in 2014. | Moldova is one of Europe's poorest countries and has been locked in political turmoil since the disappearance of some $1bn (£710m) from the banking system in 2014. |
| The missing money is equivalent to an eighth of the ex-Soviet republic's entire GDP. | The missing money is equivalent to an eighth of the ex-Soviet republic's entire GDP. |
| The scandal caused a rapid fall in the value of the national currency, the leu, hitting Moldovans' living standards. | The scandal caused a rapid fall in the value of the national currency, the leu, hitting Moldovans' living standards. |