RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

Romania sees fresh street protests

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Bucharest and other cities to protest against the judicial overhaul proposed by the Social Democratic government

Romania sees fresh street protests
Romania sees fresh street protests

, 27.11.2017, 14:18

Entire sections of civil society are seething with anger. In stand-by for months, after staging mass protests last February against the now infamous government order no. 13 to amend the criminal codes, people are now regrouping to voice their discontent against the leftist government in Bucharest.



On Sunday, tens of thousands of people braved the cold to gather in front of the government and Parliament headquarters and protest against the judicial reforms proposed by the Social Democrats, reforms which, protesters say, will ensure protection to corrupt politicians whose only goal is to “save their skin”. Even representatives of the judicial system say the proposed amendments to the justice laws will have a profound effect on efforts to eradicate corruption. But let’s hear from the demonstrators themselves:



“If things continue in the direction in which they have been going for the last year, Romania will become an unpleasant place to live for the people trying to live a free and quality life. What I’m hoping these protests will achieve is making the population aware that things can easily slip into the wrong direction.”



“It’s too much having a single group deciding on behalf of a mass of people.”


Track 3: “For the last more than 300 days, something unacceptable has been happening almost every day.”



Protests were held on Sunday not only in Bucharest but also in other big cities across the country. The bone of contention, apart from the amendment to the justice laws, is the change of the tax code. People chanted anti-government slogans and demanded the resignations of the Speakers of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, Liviu Dragnea and Calin Popescu Tariceanu, respectively, who are also the leaders of the two ruling parties, the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats.



The latter speaks of a witch-hunt, the involvement of the secret services in collecting evidence against politicians and the existence of a so-called “illegitimate parallel state” that is trying to decapitate the democratically elected government. Protesters, who see these claims as absurd, say they will continue to demonstrate.



Staged, via social networks, by around 40 groups and non-governmental organisations, these protests have also been supported for the first time starting last week by two big trade union confederations, Cartel Alfa and the National Trade Union Bloc.



In a joint press release, the latter denounce the “political mafia, theft, inefficiency, chaos and lack of transparency”.



The leaders of the ruling coalition are fighting the ghost of a parallel state, which they themselves invented. Protesters say it is in fact they who live in a parallel reality!

Klaus Iohannis, at the EPC summit (Budapest, Hungary)
Today in the News Friday, 08 November 2024

EPC meeting in Budapest

European leaders met in Budapest to discuss security challenges facing Europe, with an emphasis on the situation in Ukraine, as well as the issues of...

EPC meeting in Budapest
Photo: pixabay.com
Today in the News Friday, 08 November 2024

Romania, from wages to youth unemployment

Data from the Statistical Office of the European Union – Eurostat show that the adjusted average annual full-time salary of Romanians is the fourth...

Romania, from wages to youth unemployment
Donald Trump (Photo: Facebook / Donald J. Trump)
Today in the News Thursday, 07 November 2024

Reactions to the election of Donald Trump

Many political leaders around the world have reacted by congratulating the Republican Donald Trump, who announced his victory in the US presidential...

Reactions to the election of Donald Trump
Foto: pixabay.com
Today in the News Thursday, 07 November 2024

Farmers and the Common Agricultural Policy

The Romanian Minister of Agriculture Florin Barbu and the European Commissioner for Agriculture, the Polish Janusz Wojciechowski, who is on formal...

Farmers and the Common Agricultural Policy
Today in the News Wednesday, 06 November 2024

Roxana Mînzatu, endorsed by the Romanian Parliament

Romanian Government’s proposal for the position of European Commissioner in the future Community Executive, the Social Democrat Roxana Mînzatu has...

Roxana Mînzatu, endorsed by the Romanian Parliament
Today in the News Wednesday, 06 November 2024

Japanese Investments in Energy and Technology

Important Japanese companies have expressed their interest, these days, in Bucharest, to invest in Romania, in transport infrastructure, energy,...

Japanese Investments in Energy and Technology
Today in the News Tuesday, 05 November 2024

NATO must stay united

NATO will work with the winner of the US elections, whoever that person may be and will do its best to stay united, NATO secretary general Mark Rutte...

NATO must stay united
Today in the News Monday, 04 November 2024

Moldova stays on path to Europe

Moldova’s pro-European president Maia Sandu won a new  4-year term in Sunday’s second round run-off, with over 55% of the votes cast in the...

Moldova stays on path to Europe

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company