BELGRADE, Serbia

Thousands of people on Sunday gathered for anti-government protests in Moldova's capital Chisinau amid rising cost-of-living.

The protest was organized by the populist Sor Party.

The protesters marched toward the Grand National Assembly Square.

Sporadic clashes broke out from time to time as police tried to stop the march.

According to the local media, some citizens who were brought by buses from other cities to the demonstrations were prevented from entering the city.

The demonstrators demanded that the government cover their electricity and natural gas bills for the December-February period.

Another protest was held in the capital of the Gagauz Autonomous Region, Comrat.

The Interior Ministry reported that 54 people were detained on the grounds that they had banned products with them during the demonstrations.

Director of the country's police Inspector General Viorel Cernauteanu at a press conference claimed that Russian intelligence was behind the protests.

Cernauteanu said that 10 groups consisting of 5-10 people were formed for this purpose and these people were related to the Russian security company Wagner.

According to Cernauteanu, 25 suspects were arrested and seven of them were detained.

Protests broke out in Moldova in Februrary after the resignation of Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita.

The protests take place every weekend.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu at a press conference in February accused Russia of planning subversive actions in Moldova.

The spokesperson of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mariya Zakharova, denied these accusations and said that Ukraine was trying to pit Moldova against Russia.