Dragnea compares protesters from the Opposition with the Nazi Blackshirts. Ciolos retorts

PSD leader Liviu Dragnea has denounced again „violence” at the anti-PSD meetings in Iasi and Galati, claiming the violent attacks have been committed by „bloodshot-eyed youngsters from USR”.

The SocDem chairman has also accused the Opposition of fascism, saying he found extremely hard to convince the PSD members and followers attending the rallies not to fight back „this violence”.

„I was looking to this violence and trying to think if there is any difference-and I found none-from the way Blackshirts behave in the Nazi Germany in the 30s. The same thing, to block any opinion, to beat and scare people”, he told Antena 3 on Monday evening. He also sent a veiled threat to the protesters, suggesting that PSD supporters might fight back.

„I did not find easy to ask my colleagues and followers who are coming to these rallies not to fight back. It was very, very hard that no follower, no member should fight back. I’ve been working intensely on convincing them to stop getting out of the coach. Yet, when 30,000 to fight back several hundreds, the result is predictable, but I still maintain this attitude (…) for I don’t want to take Romania where Iohannis, and PNL, and USR and even those from Pro Romania want to take it,” Dragnea said, adding that there attempts to scare the PSD voters.

„Someone told me that one person came to their village and told them he will burn their house if they vote for PSD”, the PSD chair claimed. He argued the reaction should be „let’s slap them, but to the polls”.

Dragnea launched a new attack against President Iohannis and the national intelligence service, which represent „the parallel state.”

„Who should represent us to Brussels? Some bullies? If they want to be ruled by clubs… Of course, we’ll organise more rallies. We are not afraid of some bullies. Do you think that SRI doesn’t know what’s happening?”, Dragnea said.

He added that PSD is not in power, but it’s ruling. „The real power in Romania is held by Iohannis and those from the parallel state, from the judiciary”, he accused.

The Blackshirts movement was originally the paramilitary wing of the National Fascist Party and, after 1923, an all-volunteer militia of Italy under the Fascist ruling.

After the rally in Iasi, social-democrat leader Liviu Dragnea has attended on Saturday another rally in Galati and faced the same situation, with supporters below the expected number and protesters chanting anti-PSD slogans.

In retort, PLUS chairman Dacian Ciolos said that Liviu Dragnea had offended the memory of the Nazis’ victims and he should apologize after comparing the USR-PLUS rallies to the manifestations in Nazi Germany.

“I think Liviu Dragnea is losing control of his own words and thoughts. To make such a statement is an offense to the memory of millions of victims of Nazism. Liviu Dragnea, if he has any reason left or decency, he should apologize,” Ciolos posted on Facebook.