Dozens injured after grenade attack at concert

A grenade explosion injured 26 people during a Romanian singer’s concert in the Moldovan capital Chisinau, just after the country’s prime minister received two threatening phone calls, officials revealed today.

Prime Minister Vlad Filat said the calls to his office threatened “physical revenge”.

Authorities are investigating whether Wednesday’s attack was politically motivated, although they are also considering whether it could have been caused by carelessness or hooliganism.

“We have to eliminate (all) suspicions, so that people feel they are protected and safe,” Mr Filat said.

He called an emergency meeting today with the head of Moldova’s intelligence service, the deputy chief prosecutor and the interior minister.

Singer Stefan Banica Jr had been giving a concert in a square in Chisinau when the grenade detonated.

Political unrest recently has rocked Moldova, where some 80% of the population is ethnic Romanian.

Communists who are hostile to Romanian lost elections in July to a pro-European alliance, and now vow oppose the pro-European candidate for president. This could lead to fresh elections.