Thousands staged anti-government, anti-corruption protests in Bucharest, countrywide. President sends message to protesters

Thousands of Romanians have taken to the streets again in Bucharest and other cities in Romania on Saturday evening in protest against the the PSD-ALDE ruling coalition under the motto ”We want Europe, not a dictatorship!”.

While Digi24 reported there were around 7,000 people protesting, RFI said there were about 5,000 people and Mediafax claimed there were 2,000.

Hundreds of people also staged protests in the big cities, Iași, Timișoara, Brașov and Cluj, while tens of Romanians living abroad have protested in the European cities where they reside, in solidarity with their fellow countrymen.

People of all ages gathered in the iconic Victoriei Square downtown Bucharest, accuse the ruling coalition it has broken the pledges taken during the electoral campaign and that it estranges Romania from the European democratic standards, while throwing the country into a political regime where only the interests of the politicians are ruling.

Protesters blew whistles, waved flags and shouted anti-government, anti-corruption slogans, while calling for the government to resign. Demonstrators slammed PSD-ALDE for ”its anti-democratics actions”, such as amending the criminal codes, intention of changing the Anti-corruption body and Public Ministry heads. Protesters also criticized the fines applied by the Gendarmerie over previous protests and accused rulers they eye to restrict some human rights by amending the Constitution on re-defining family or by denigrating some European institutions.

The highlight of these protests were some placards with the Centennial symbol on it, Romania 100 (photo), next to some coffins that, protesters say, would tie the future of our country and would untie the hands of the corrupt people. Placards were designed and made with the money raised from donations.

At the same time, Declic community has launched a platform called ”Criminalstan”, which is presenting Romania after 100 years if people accept the amendments on the justice laws: ”In Criminalstan, corrupt people will rule, guided by the power of bribes. Justice will become ancient name!”

”Since they have taken over power, the PSD-ALDE coalition has broken pledges made during the electoral campaign, and had only two priorities: to save its VIPs who had criminal files from jail and to establish a regime in Romania where the rule of law and democracy are crushed by the force of the political institutions,” reads the message of the protest organizers.

People of all ages, youngsters, families with children rallied the protest on Saturday, but also seniors, including the 101yo philosopher Mihai Sora, who said Romania is not going in the right direction and that advised Romanians to never give up the fight for their rights and for a better society. Sora has been a fervent supporter and participant at the latest protests in Romania since last year.

Hundreds have also protestes against the government and Social Democrats in the big cities, asking for the resignation of PM Dancila, Dragnea and Tariceanu or calling for the removal of the criminals from the public offices. There were 300 people protesting in Cluj-Napoca, 300 in Timisoara, 200 in Brasov and 200 in Iasi.

Romanians living abroad rallied protests, by signing the civic initiative ”No criminals in politics” and staging protests in such European cities as Paris, Vienna, Zurich, Stuttgart or Milan.

Tensions with the gendarmes

Tensions between protesters and gendarmes have also been reported, after the gendarmes tried to set up some fences in the Victoriei Square, to prevent access to the Government building, a move slammed by protesters who shouted ”No fences”, ”Shame on you”. Gendarmes have eventually given up this intention. However, they formed a cordon around the protesters, which made people angry. Demonstrators shouted ”Slaves” and asked for the resignation of the Interior ministr, Carmen Dan.

During the protest in Bucharest, the traffic was closed on Aviatorilor Blvd, from Arhitect Ion Mincu to the Victoriei Square, and was restricted on Kiseleff Blvd.

President to protesters: Civic action is important to bring rulers back to the real world

President Klaus Iohannis has sent a message to the protesters countrywide, saying the civic attitude is important to ”bring rulers back to the real world”.

Asked in Blaj to comment the rallies, Iohannis stated: ” I suppose people have take to the streets because they are discontent”.