Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators protest against a decree that decriminalizes several facts of corruption, which would enable politicians to avoid court cases.
The social democratic government, the Romanian faced the worst demonstrations in the country since the fall of communism after the adoption of a controversial decree that decriminalizes acts of corruption.
Between 200,000 and 300,000 people, according to estimates by the press, demonstrated on Wednesday in Bucharest and in other 40 towns in the second poorest country in the European Union, demanding the resignation of the new social democratic government in power since only a month ago.
The protesters denounced the decision on Tuesday, “for the night, as thieves”, a decree of the government of Sorin Grindeanu that decriminalizes several facts of corruption, which would enable politicians to avoid court cases, and conditional sentences with sentences of imprisonment for abuse of power only if the amounts exceed the 44.000 euros.
In the capital, where they rallied some 100,000 people, a small group of “hooligans”, according to the authorities, threw bottles and firecrackers at police, who responded by firing tear gas.
About 20 people were arrested and five, including two policemen, were injured.
Grindeanu, who took office on January 4, reported Wednesday night in the social networks that they were “living in times in which the manipulation has reached an alarming level”.
But before a scheduled meeting of the social Democratic Party (PSD) on Thursday, the government begins to crack. The minister of Business, Florin Jianu, (independent) has submitted his resignation, and invited his colleagues to do the same.
“I was hoping (…) that the pressure from the street forced those who committed this error to fix it,” explained Jianu in your account of Facebook.
By his side, the minister of Justice, Florin Iordache said that nothing was done “in secret, illegal or immoral” about the decree. The government said it was simply harmonizing the legislation in accordance with the Constitution.
But critics point out that the main beneficiaries of this legislation would be the leader of the PSD, Liviu Dragnea, on trial now for alleged abuse of power, as well as other leaders of the left.
Dragnea, 54, is already disabled by the justice who sentenced him last year to two-year suspended prison sentence for electoral fraud.
Her trial for abuse of power by a case of jobs fictitious began on Tuesday. Prosecutors estimate that the damage in this case amounts to € 24,000.
Another initiative, which Grindeanu to be presented to parliament, it would mean the release of about 2,500 people who are serving sentences of less than five years.
the government said the measure will reduce prison overcrowding, but critics insist that the main beneficiaries would be several executives and politicians convicted in the wake of anti-corruption campaigns of recent years.
The European Commission and several western embassies expressed their concern about the government’s project.
The PSD returned to power after the parliamentary elections of December after having been forced to abandon in 2015 down by major demonstrations. The social democrats campaigned mainly on the commitment of improving the level of life of the romanians.
Several of his promises came into effect on Wednesday: an increase in the minimum wage, pensions, scholarships and free transportation on the railroads for the students.
But according to the editorialist Malin Bot, of the newspaper Romania Libera (close to the centre-right), “the sole purpose (of the SPD) is to make a shelter of justice and to preserve the fortunes accumulated in the State”.
In the street, several posters of the protesters threw an unequivocal message: “can’t buy”.
the ranks of The PSD, in the centre of the political life since the end of communism, were particularly affected by the investigations of the anti-corruption office, an institution that has the confidence index highest in the country behind the orthodox Church and the army.
The parliamentary elections of December were marked by a high abstention rate. But the romanians “were mobilized spontaneously when they had the impression that the justice and anti-corruption were threatened,” said AFP political analyst Radu Magdin.
The Constitutional Court, to which resorted the Superior Council of the Magistracy, might analyze the validity of the decree. To the expected, the pulse with the government should continue.
[With information from the agency AFP, and Reuters]
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