During eight years of Communist government, the police had been involved in election campaigns, in hindering the right to expression and free movement; while last April's events were a normal reaction of the young people to living in a police state, declared Interior Minister Victor Catan at a news briefing on Tuesday, Info-Prim Neo reports. “In April last year, the Ministry of the Interior, the police were some of the most politicized agencies of the state, which came to be instruments in the hands of the then ruling party, which were used to ensure its retaining of power”, declared the minister. According to Victor Catan, during the onset of the demonstrations in Chisinau the police should have taken all the legal measures to prevent their degeneration into mass disturbances, but they failed to do so. “In 2009, we saw the weakest yet the cruelest facet of the police in their repressive handling of the demonstrators. Contrary to the law and in an abusive manner, they engaged in a fight against the political opponents of the (then) ruling party, causing considerable damage to democracy and political pluralism and fundamental human rights and freedoms”, stated the minister. Victor Catan went on to add that during the events of April 6, 7 and 8, little was done to evacuate the Parliament building and the Presidential Palace and rescue papers of historic and financial value as well as classified documents. Catan also criticized his predecessor, Gheorghe Papuc, for launching large-scale repressive operations and setting the special squad Fulger on civilians, including passers-by.