Romania Protesters Keep up Pressure on Govt

Protests in Romania are continuing a day after the cabinet repealed its controversial corruption decree - and after well over half a million people took to the streets on Sunday.

People carry effigies depicting, from right, Social Democratic party leader Liviu Dragnea, former President Ion Iliescu, Senate head Calin Popescu Tariceanu and former Premier Victor Ponta during a protest in front of the government building in Bucharest on Sunday. Photo: Beta/Vadim Ghirda.

Romania’s Justice Ministry gave up plans to change the criminal code and decriminalize some graft offences following days of mass protests.

“The ministry is now seeking to draft a bill to change and amend law No 286/2009 regarding the criminal code and law No 135/2010 regarding the criminal procedure code,” the ministry said on Monday

An estimated 600,000 Romanians protested in the capital city, Bucharest, and in other cities on Sunday against the decree that would have effectively shielded some officials from prosecution on corruption charges.

New protests were expected on Monday, as demonstrators demanded the resignation of the Social Democrat-led government, demanded early elections and said they had no faith in the government’s goodwill. “We don’t believe you, we won’t give up,” demonstrators chanted.

“I will not resign,” Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu told news channel Antena3. Only parliament could force him to step down, but he had a definite majority there, he noted.

Social Democrat chief Liviu Dragnea on Monday also said party members had reaffirmed their support for Grindeanu, despite an impeachment motion submitted against him by opposition parties.

The government has said that the decree, adopted last Tuesday, was designed to bring Romania’s criminal code into line with recent constitutional court rulings, following European Union regulations on the matter.

But critics and activists claimed the one-month-old cabinet had used the need to update legislation as an alibi to deal a blow to an ongoing anti-corruption crackdown.

Iordache’s position might now be at stake, after both Grideanu and Dragnea hinted that he was to blame for not communicating the reasons behind the new legislation well enough.

Grindeanu said that a decision on this would be taken late on Monday.