25 years marked since the bloodiest miners’ riot in Romania

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On Saturday 25 years were marked since the bloodiest miners’ riot in Romania that claimed tens of people’s lives, of whom only six were identified. 746 persons were injured. The file in this case was reopened early this year.

It all started on May 20,1990 when Ion Iliescu and his party, the National Salvation Front were winning parliamentary and presidential elections. This prompted the right wing parties’ supporters to stage massive protests, denouncing the “neo-communist” ruling and asking for the state television’s independence and  for the truth on the 1989 Revolution.

Later on the night of June 12, the authorities clashed with the protesters who have been staying in the University Square for 52 days. That night President Iliescu issued a release calling “all conscious and responsible” forces to intervene against “the extremist groups”.

Troops of the Anti-terrorist Fight Special Unit surrounded the square with Police’s buses, Molotov cocktails and stones were thrown and the Police buses set on fire. Bucharest Police, Interior Minister and SRI’s headquarters have been attacked and also set on fire.

In the evening of June 13, three sets of cars full of miners left from Petrosani to Bucharest, while another train left the next day from Motru train station to the Romanian Capital.

Once they got to Bucharest, the miners led by Miron Cozma went to University Square, as Ion Iliescu had asked them to from the Government’s balcony: “I am addressing to you, thanking for your proletarian solidarity answer (…) The miner delegation, led by Mr. Cozma will go to University Square, that we want you to get back.”

In University Square, the miners pretended to readjust the flower saplings destroyed by the protesters’ tents and broke into the Geology Faculty, where they occupied the balcony and devastated the Students League’ HQs. The same happened to the Philology and Maths Faculties, as well as at the Architecture Institute. Numerous professors and students were beaten back then. The miners also devastated the headquarters of the historic Peasant and Liberal parties and occupied the state-owned Romanian TV broadcaster.

All who “were suspected as being intellectuals” were beaten, taken up in patrol wagons and interrogated at Magurele military unit.

International public opinion used to condemn the events that were covered by TV stations and newspapers all over the world. US State Department also reacted, saying that “the actions authorized by president Iliescu and his Government struck at the heart of Romanian democracy.”

Commemorations, ex-president Iliescu slammed

Over 100 persons, most of them representing “December 21, 1989” Association, commemorated 25 years since the June 1990 miner riot. The event took place right in the University Square, at the fountain location, where they sang songs from the anticommunist protest 25 years ago.

The Association’s leader Teodor Maries said that former president Ion Iliescu would be brought on trial and the crime would never lapse.

While attending a debate in Timisoara on Saturday, MEP Laszlo Tokes, the reverend that practically fired up the Revolution’s sparkle, said that those guilty of the communism crimes must be taken to court, also naming Ion Iliescu.

“Now we are close to Victor Ponta’s removal and to bringing Ion Iliescu to account. Last month, a conference on communism crimes took place in Brussels. The platform then proposed setting up an European court to judge the communist crimes and to identify the authors who are still alive. After all these years of delay there are signs that judiciary got off the ground. Ion Iliescu’s case is next,” Tokes said.

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