The former president of Moldova

, Ihar Dodon,

was released from house arrest on numerous criminal charges, but they took his signature not to leave the country for 60 days.

Dadon, who heads the Socialist Party and has been under house arrest since May 26, immediately after his release promised supporters near the courthouse that he would continue to protest against the pro-Western leadership of Moldova led by President

Maia Sandu

and Prime Minister

Natalya Havrilice

.

"This is our first victory, but the struggle continues," Dadon, who advocates closer ties with Russia, said in Chisinau.

Thousands of demonstrators have filled the streets of Chisinau in recent weeks to protest an energy crisis and a spike in inflation following Russia's invasion of neighboring Ukraine and the sanctions against Moscow that followed.

The situation was further complicated by the recent hacking of the pages of high-ranking officials in social networks.

Last month, anti-corruption prosecutor

Piotr Yarmaliuk

sent the so-called "Kulek" case to court, in which Dadon is accused of promoting corruption and receiving support from a "criminal group" for the Socialist Party.

It is believed that in 2019 he received about 1 million dollars from the oligarch

Vladimir Plakhatniuk

and the confidant of

Sergei Yaralov

.

Investigations are ongoing.

Last month, the US Treasury Department announced sanctions against former Moldovan politicians, including former deputy and leader of the Democratic Party (DPM) Plahatniuk, fugitive businessman and party leader

Igor Shor

and his wife, as well as several Russian citizens.

Moldova, a former Soviet republic with a population of about 3 million people, is heavily dependent on Russian gas and energy.

Russia's Gazprom has suggested it may suspend gas supplies to Moldova over a payment dispute.

The government of Natalya Havrilica strives to reduce Moldova's dependence on Russian energy sources.

Maya Sandu fundamentally adheres to the transitory course.

The most important ally of Moldova is neighboring Romania, which helped Moldova during the coronavirus pandemic, and now with energy.