Reactions after violent clashes in Bucharest

Romania saw large-scale anti-governmental protests over the weekend

Ştefan Stoica, 13.08.2018, 12:08

For three consecutive days, protesters in Bucharest and other big
cities in Romania criticized what they see as corruption and incompetence on the
part of the leftist governments that have run the country since the 2016
elections, as well as the controversial changes operated on the justice laws
and the Criminal Code. The participants in the rallies demanded the resignation
of the Cabinet headed by Viorica Dancila and early elections.

On Saturday and Sunday, there were no notable incidents during the
protests. On Friday however, the massive rally organised in Bucharest by
Romanian expats and joined by many locals, ended dramatically, in a manner likened
to the miners’ riots that marred the early years of Romania’s post-communist
history. Incited by hooligans that had nothing to do with the protest of
diaspora members, riot police resorted to tough actions to disperse the crowds,
including tear gas and water cannons. As a result, nearly 500 people received
medical treatment, and 70 were hospitalised, including 11 gendarmes.

It was a legitimate, defensive intervention, Gendarme Service
officials have stated, backed by the Interior Minister Carmen Dan, according to
whom the strong measures were justified by the provocations coming from
hooligans. She also added that the response of President Klaus Iohannis, who
spoke of police brutality, was premature, and that the Prosecutor General’s
Office is the authority in charge with clarifying the events and with
identifying the individuals and entities that caused the violence.

The President called on the Interior Minister to take responsibility
for how the situation was handled during the protests, and to come up with a
detailed report on how and on whose orders the gendarmes acted. The head of
state firmly condemned violence, regardless of where it comes from, and
requested that those responsible should be punished. Klaus Iohannis believes
riot police should take a defensive, rather than offensive attitude, should
protect public institutions, constitutional order and, above all, the citizens
of the country.

The most controversial politician in today’s Romania, the Speaker of
the Chamber of Deputies and president of the Social Democratic Party Liviu
Dragnea, promised Romanians that he would not allow anybody to dissolve democracy,
to suspend individual rights and freedoms, to change the outcome of democratic
elections and to topple the regime through violence. He labelled President
Iohannis’ criticism regarding the riot police as irresponsible and an act of
undermining the authority of the state.

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, herself a target of the protesters’ sarcasm,
condemned the violence, which she said was caused by well organised groups. The
Social Democratic Party urged public authorities to establish to what extent
the clashes were prompted by some opposition parties and politicians.

On the other side, the head of the National Liberal Party Ludovic
Orban spoke of a premeditated action, whereas Save Romania Union, also in
opposition, says the gendarmes used force abusively against citizens and
harassed the protesters, instead of extracting the troublemakers from the
crowd. Camera footage, photos taken by journalists and protesters, as well as
testimonies from participants, indicate that the response of riot police was
out of proportion. More than 30 people applied for forensic medical reports and
filed complaints against gendarmes for abusive conduct and false arrest.