Moldova

Traian Basescu, Romania's President between 2004 and 2014, is applying for Moldovan citizenship, local media say.

Mediafax, citing sources close to Basescu, reports application of both him and his wife Maria were submitted on March 08, their requests pending approval, according to Romania Insider.

The Romanian government has set up a Romania-Moldova mass media consultative board in order to create a joint media space in the two countries, spread EU values and counter Russian influence.

"The board's mission is to spread European norms to Moldova and explore the opportunities for bilateral cooperation in the mass media," the Romanian Foreign Ministry said.

Moldova's new Prime Minister, Pavel Filip, was due in Bucharest on Tuesday on his first official visit to discuss ways to enhance cooperation as well as the turbulent socio-political situation in Europe's poorest country.

Some 40,000 people demonstrated in the Moldovan capital Chisinau on Sunday to demand early elections amid the ongoing crisis in Europe's poorest country, local media reported. 

"The people are with us. They do not want to support oligarchs and the criminal authorities," opposition leader Andrei Nastase told protesters, AFP news agency reported.

Bulgaria hopes that the political forces in Moldova will act responsibly to resolve the political crisis and restore calm in the country, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday .

Several thousand demonstrators, angered about the formation of a new pro-EU government, mustered in front of parliament in Chisinau on Thursday, chanting anti-government slogans.

The rally took place a night after protesters broke through police lines and entered parliament after the new government was voted in.

Protesters against the newly approved Moldovan government broke into the building of the country's parliament on Wednesday.

The protesters led by the pro-Russian Socialist opposition stormed parliament only minutes after Moldovan MPs had approved a new pro-European government headed by Pavel Filip, deputy chairperson of the ruling Democratic Party.

Demonstrators against Moldova's new pro-European administration broke through police lines and entered the parliament building in Chisinau late Wednesday despite police attempts to disperse them with tear gas, media reported.

Bucharest has voiced concerns about continuing political uncertainty in Moldova after its  president and a coalition of political parties failed to reach a compromise agreement over who will become the country's next prime minister.

Romanians have welcomed news that Moldovan President Nicolae Timofit has asked Ion Sturza, a wealthy pro-Western businessman who also has Romanian citizenship, to form a new government.

"This is a good news as Sturza has a clear a pro-European outlook. The problem is that he has to form a new political majority in Moldova, which is not easy,"  journalist Cristian Pantazi said.