Ten of thousands a the pro-EU march announced in Bucharest, several cities

Pro-European rallies were held in Bucharest and other major cities across the country on Friday, marking Europe Day. In Bucharest, participants gathered in University Square, then marched to Victory Square. Organizers said Romania was once again at a turning point. “Between the two rounds of the presidential election, our voice must be louder than ever!”

The rallies ended at 10:00 PM, the time until which they had approval from local authorities. The demonstrators in Bucharest began to leave Victoriei Square around 10:15 PM. The few who remained began to sing and dance.

“Maia Sandu, thank you! The Republic of Moldova has set an example for us. We are Europe!”, was shouted from the grandstand set up in Victoriei Square. People listened to and sang the song “Bella Ciao”, a song of the anti-fascist resistance in Italy, as well as the refrain “Better dead than a communist”.

We will vote for education, so that in our country we do not have tens of thousands of children without access to education, so that they no longer become victims of disinformation, manipulation and fake news. We want the education system reform first and foremost”, it was also stated in Victoriei Square.

The participants want the message sent in Bucharest to reach skeptics and those manipulated into believing that we would be better off without Europe.

“Dear Romanians in the diaspora. We don’t hate you, but you could have left, and we want to live just as well,” was also broadcast from the square. They talk about the advantage of being in the EU, including the EU’s rapid regulations when there are suspicious actions on social media, whether it’s disinformation or cyberattacks. They also chant: “Let’s get rid of Russia,” “No fascists, no legionnaires, no Russia, let’s go Europe.”

Around 15,000-20,000 people joined the pro-EU rally in Bucharest, other several thousands in other cities like Cluj, Timisoara, Arad, Botosani.

The “One Way – Europe 9 May” demonstration, a march for democracy, freedom and European values, took place on May 9, between University Square and Victory Square in Bucharest, starting at 6:00 p.m.

The demonstration was announced by the “Resistance” community. The event organizers say the march is taking place at a “turning point” for Romania, ahead of the second round of elections.

“Romania is at a turning point again. The first round of the presidential elections has passed. In the second round, we choose Romania’s future path – do we continue on the straight path of European values ​​or do we deviate onto a dark path, where freedom becomes a memory and hope is silenced. The second option does not just mean leaving the European path – it means a society in which power decides everything, freedoms are restricted, rights become a luxury, and voices that think differently are silenced,” the organizers said.

According to the Bucharest Gendarmerie, the schedule of the demonstration is as follows:

5:30 PM – 6:00 PM: Gathering of participants in University Square, specifically in the 21 December 1989 Square area and on the sidewalk adjacent to the park in front of the Bucharest National Theatre;

6:00 PM – 7:30 PM: Public assembly, consisting of speeches in University Square;

7:30 PM – 8:30 PM: March along the traffic direction on the following route: University Square – Nicolae Bălcescu Boulevard – Gheorghe Magheru Boulevard – Romană Square – Lascăr Catargiu Boulevard – Victoriei Square (final point in the central median);

8:30 PM – 10:30 PM: Public assembly in Victoriei Square – central median;

10:30 PM – 11:00 PM: Complete dispersal of participants.

The organizer of this public gathering will only allow the display of the flags of Romania, the European Union, and NATO, the Gendarmerie stated.

Rally in Brussels

On Europe Day, the Romanian community in Belgium is organizing an authorized rally on Friday in Place du Luxembourg, Brussels, under the message “Support for a European Romania,” an initiative group of Romanians in Brussels announced in a press release.

The event, scheduled for 5:00 p.m., takes place in the context of a large civic mobilization, held simultaneously in several cities in Romania. It is a gesture of solidarity and a warning signal against the real risk of an authoritarian drift and Romania’s departure from European values.

“We want a democratic Romania, anchored in the values ​​of the European Union. We oppose extremism and support the rule of law, institutional balance and civic participation,” the statement reads. “The second round of the presidential elections, on May 18, is decisive. We call on all Romanian citizens in the diaspora and at home to vote – so that the voice of democracy is stronger than any hate speech,” the organizers’ message continues.