Convicted Moldovan businessman Ilan Shor, who is living in Russia, has pledged to pay $3,000 per month to individuals participating in anti-government demonstrations in Chișinău, NewsMaker reported on August 12. Shor, sentenced in absentia for bank fraud, made the announcement in a video posted on Telegram channels linked to him. 

Shor called on supporters to gather on August 16 in the Great National Assembly Square, bringing tents for an open-ended protest aimed at removing the pro-European Union Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) from power. Moldova will hold parliamentary elections on September 28.

“To compensate you for the time during which you will not be able to receive your salary, I declare today… you will already start receiving a monthly salary of $3,000 on Saturday,” Shor said, adding that accounts would be opened for participants to receive daily payments calculated from the promised monthly amount.

The General Inspectorate of Police (IGP) warned that accepting or participating in demonstrations for financial incentives constitutes a “serious violation of the law” and urged citizens not to be drawn into what it described as “illegal promises.” In a statement, the IGP accused Shor of “criminal incitement” and attempting to involve citizens in activities aimed at provoking violence and disorder.

“Shor, the leader of the criminal organisation, wants to involve citizens in illegal activities that incite violence. Shor is hiding and wants to hold other people accountable for carrying out his illegalities,” the IGP said. It added that law enforcement officers “will not allow criminal groups to organise illegal protest actions” and would act “firmly” within the legal framework against any attempts to influence protesters through material rewards.

PAS spokesperson Adriana Vlas told NewsMaker that the party trusts authorities to “conscientiously document the cases” and insisted that “electoral corruption must be punished and the judiciary must do its job.”

The police reaffirmed their support for the legal right to peaceful assembly but stressed that any deviation from the law, including offering payments to demonstrators, would be documented and sanctioned.