December 23 (SeeNews) - Moldova's presidential elections winner Igor Dodon was sworn in on Friday while on the streets of capital Chisinau dozens of people protested against the new pro-Russian head of state.
The inauguration ceremony, held at the Palace of Republic in Chisinau, was attended by some 700 government officials and MPs, according to a press release issued by the presidential administration.
"It will not be easy. We have a parliamentary majority that thinks differently from the president and from a part of citizens," Igor Dodon said in his first public addres as president of Moldova in front of people gathered outside the Palace of Republic to welcome him, according to footage streamed online by Realitatea Moldova TV station.
"But if I have your support, if you will be with me, then we will succeed. I solemnly pledge that I will not disappoint you," Dodon added.
As he spoke, other people held a protest rally in central Chisinau against the new president. The protest action, held at the initiative of pro-Romanian Youths of Moldova NGO, gathered people with the help of social media. According to local media reports, a few dozens of people gathered for the protest.
Ex-Socialist party (PSRM) leader Dodon won the presidential election, defeating his pro-European rival Maia Sandu, leader of pro-European Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), in the runoff vote held on November 13.
The largest political force in Moldova's 101-seat parliament elected in 2014 is an alliance comprising the Democratic Party (PD) with 23 seats and the Liberal Party (PL) with 10 representatives. PSRM is the second biggest force in parliament with 24 seats, followed by the Liberal Democratic Party (PLD) with 10 seats, the Communist Party with 7 MPs and 27 independent deputies.
Just ahead of the inauguration ceremony, the parliament passed a law which denies the right of the president to approve the Supreme Security Council's membership, powers and activity plan. Dodn had repeatedly said during his presidential campaign that he intends to enhance Moldova's neutrality status and that he is against the country's cooperation with NATO.
The tiny landlocked ex-Soviet state of some 3 million people has strong historical and political ties with its western neighbour Romania, with more than 75% of the population speaking Romanian. However, some 10% of the population living predominantly in the internationally unrecognised separatist republic of Transnistria, which broke away from Moldova in the 1990s, speak Russian and identify themselves as Russians.