By staging protests in Chisinau and in other settlements, the Communist Party of Moldova (PCRM) pursues two goals – to exert pressure on the member parties of the Alliance for European Integration (AEI), and to raise its supporters’ spirits given the image-related problems it faces, MP Igor Dodon, who recently left the Communist group together with two colleagues, said in a meeting of the Chisinau Press Club, Info-Prim Neo reports. “On the one hand, the protests are mounted in order to exert pressure on the components of the AEI. On the other hand, the protests are a message aimed at strengthening the PCRM’s team. They do not admit it, but our leaving was a serious blow to the PCRM. I already said that the ranks of the party become narrower. Even if not many members leave, they include local councilors of all the levels and the PCRM needs to take 15,000-20,000 people out to show that nothing has changed. It is a difficult task as what did they do in districts? The same persons were taken by buses from a district center to another and there were changed only 3-4 leaders. I want to see what will happen in Chisinau. Knowing the mobilization ability of the PCRM, I can say that it will bring not more than 150-200 persons from a district. There are 30 districts and thus there will be 6,000-7,000 people. We will see how many people they will gather in Chisinau. They need to stage this great protest in Chisinau in order to show how united the PCRM is,” said Igor Dodon. The former Communist MP said the PCRM wants to return to power at all costs, but not by early elections, as it is not sure of the results, and by barricades and violence. “They hoped to do it by joining with Filat in October, when the head of the Security and Information Service was dismissed. But everything changed in a week and the agreements were not implemented, if they existed. Thus, the meetings and protests are aimed at exerting pressure on the Government and at showing that the PCRM’s team remains united,” he stated. Igor Dodon does not believe that the PCRM wants to take over the government immediately by these protests. “I don’t see a meaning in coming to power now, in December-January. There are major problems as regards the collection of incomes into the budget. Only half of the over €62 million promised to the Government under a series of agreements signed earlier this week will be disbursed because the executive did not fulfill a series of conditions. The money was budgeted, but the EU does not give in advance now. There weren’t adopted laws on the fiscal policy and competition. There are serious divergences in Parliament as regards the powers of the National Agency for Competition Protection. Problems are also encountered in the negotiation of a new contract for the supply of gas with Gazprom. There are other problems as well,” said Igor Dodon. According to him, the PCRM wants the Dodon group to vote for Marian Lupu or, in the worst case, the PCRM will delegate several Communist MPs to will vote for him. “Closer to spring, they will dismiss the Government and will come to power in a more favorable period. I don’t think they this want now. There are too many risks and problems,” said Igor Dodon.