“Freedom, freedom” and “Europe, Europe” were shouted by thousands of people at the pro-democracy rally held in University Square

By Romania Journal Last updated Dec 6, 2024

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“Freedom, freedom,” was the chant most often heard on Thursday evening in the capital’s University Square, where thousands of people gathered for a pro-democracy and pro-Europe rally ahead of Sunday’s decisive presidential election. On the stage set up in the Square, several voices from civil society – actors, singers, civic activists – sent out calls to vote and insisted on the important moment our country is in. “Romania says no to extremists and fascism. We want Europe and European values,” was their message.

The “civic marathon” event, as the presenters called it, has ended. “Thank you and see you on Sunday at the vote,” Marcel Bartic said in the end.

“Freedom” – shouted actor Marius Manole on stage in University Square. He also confessed that he has received “more threats than ever these days” since he began urging people to go out and vote and defend democratic values. He thanked all the artists and influencers who had the courage to come forward and speak openly about the elections “Think carefully and put your stamp on Europe, on freedom! Let’s wake up on Monday morning, the 9th, in a free country”, was the message with which Marius Manole concluded his speech.

“Romania, don’t forget, Europe is your home,” the demonstrators are now shouting.

After his speech on stage, Tudor Chirilă sang the song “Epilogue”.

Actor and singer Tudor Chirilă, now on stage: “Everyone knew. MAI, MAE, SRI. Everyone knew. We have a generalized cancer of political parties that has transformed into the metastasis of extremist parties.” “We are made traitors, but the traitors are in the state institutions,” he also said.

Actor Victor Rebengiuc told HotNews.ro reporters how he was threatened – “with axes to the head” – even before arriving at the demonstration, after announcing his participation in the protest and support for Elena Lasconi.

“I’m glad to see that you understand what needs to be done so that our lives can continue in the freedom that you demand so strongly and for which we will have to vote on Sunday,” said the 91-year-old actor. “Contrary to the threats I received just today, a threat with axes to the head and I will be lynched and trampled – my bloody footprints, my bloody remains will be trampled by people, that’s what I was told, I can’t find the message anymore or it was deleted – contrary to these messages and threats, on Sunday I will repeat the vote I gave two weeks ago and I will vote again, and God willing it will be definitive, for Elena Lasconi. I urge you, choose this path, Lasconi, it’s a smaller detour, through Câmpulung it’s closer than through Moscow,” Victor Rebengiuc told thousands of people in University Square. Victor Rebengiuc said he wants Romanians to have “a country they deserve and a fate they deserve and that they have won democratically”.

Now Ana Blandiana took the stage: “We have to go to the polls on Sunday. Yes to Europe, no to the regime we left 30 years ago,” said the writer.

In the last two weeks, several protests have taken place in the country and in the diaspora, against Călin Georgescu and the legionary movement. On Thursday evening, in Bucharest, over 1,000 people protested for democracy and Romania’s continued progress in the European Union.

Asked by British journalists if he understood the fears of the people taking to the streets, the presidential candidate gave a curt answer: “That’s just propaganda” and shook his head. In the same interview, Georgescu denied that his election success had anything to do with Russia and said that he did not care about the “lies” of the services, because he works “with God and with the people”. When asked about his position towards his warring neighbors, he first replied: “Are you sure about that?”, suggesting that he was denying the existence of the war in Ukraine.

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