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Protests in Bucharest, several cities vs Justice Laws' draft amendments
Several protests against the Justice Laws' draft amendments were announced on Facebook for Sunday evening in Bucharest and other cities countrywide and abroad.
In Bucharest, people are called to cluster at 18:00 hrs in Victoriei Square, the seat of the Government, and march to the Parliament Palace. Similar manifestations were mustered for Sunday night in other cities countrywide as well as in Paris, Berlin, Rome, Zurich.
"The bill to amending the Justice Laws has already been parked in the Parliament and it is to be debated and voted in a plenary siting. The Judicial Inspection will become a political tool at the Justice minister's hand. The appointment of the prosecutors' heads by the (Justice, ed. n.) minister, with no control from the President (of Romania, ed. n.) will mean that the DNA (National Anti-corruption Directorate, ed. n.) will turn back to the PNA (former title for DNA, ed. n.), and the Prosecutor's Office becomes subdued to the political interests. Should this package laws is endorsed by the Parliament, it will be a disaster for Romania and its citizens. We could say good bye from an independent justice. We are not alone in this battle. From magistrates to President and to the European Commission, they have all positioned against these draft laws. It is time that each of us acts and does not legitimate the attempt of the corrupt to control Justice. On Monday, the lawyer senators have given a negative report to a draft law that is hampering the criminally sentenced to reach the country's supreme position. The vote in the Senate is to be given. This means that an underworld mob guy, a criminally condemned person could decide the Romanians' fate and represent them," says the Facebook motivation of the march titled "We don't want to be a nation of thieves!"
Other protests were announced in southern Craiova, western Cluj-Napoca, southeastern Galati, central Targu Mures, northeastern Iasi, southeastern Constanta, northwestern Oradea, western Timisoara, central Sibiu and Brasov, northeastern Radauti, eastern Focsani, Targu Ocna and Suceava, but also in Zurich, Paris, Berlin, Rome, London and Toronto.
PNL, USR and the Romania 100 Platform, launched by former PM Dacian Ciolos joined the protests.
The National Liberal Party (PNL) specifies in a release that it backs the participation of its members and fans in the protests "against the assault to Justice's independence" and "against the aberrant economic measures of the PSD — ALDE gov't."
"When a liberal democracy's fundamental values are besieged by the Bolshevik-like parties of some mob-habits underworld people who wish to decide their innocence in Court by themselves, the opposition must operate strongly against this assault and defend the people's equality before the law," the PNL chairman Ludovic Orban said, according to the source.
"We don't want to be a nation of thieves and not all of us are like you!" is the message the PNL leader voices and sends to the PSD — ALDE (Social Democratic Party — Liberals and Democrats Alliance. ed. n.) administration.
"The USR (Save Romania Union, ed. n.) members participated on Sunday in the demonstrations launched all over the country in order to halt the PSD assault against Justice. All reformist forces should say in one voice: We don't want to be a nation of thieves!" says the USR in a message posted on Facebook.
"Romania 100 Platform is not backing the PSD-ALDE modification proposals to the Justice Laws. They are not the outcome of some responsibly assumed reforms, but a shield of a oligarchy that has to bury criminal files and to defend its political clientele's interests. The citizens who want a Romania ruled in the public interest, a rule of law Romania, with an independent justice, a clean Romania will protest peacefully all around the country and abroad, starting with Sunday, 5 November. The Romania 100 Platform will be next to them in the street," a release published on the Romania 100 Paltform's website reads.
Former Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos was present Sunday evening at the protest in Bucharest, on which occasion he argued that he considered joining the manifestations because "a limit is being reached."
"I thought being here myself is important because a limit is being reached. It has been almost a year of governing with a very important economic growth potential. I believe we have missed many moments this year precisely because of the unpredictability and anarchy in decision, and moreover, this attitude towards justice doesn't do anything but weaken the trust of those who can invest in Romania and prevent them from doing it," Ciolos stated.
He underscored that Romania's wellbeing cannot be built "without a solid foundation of honesty, of integrity."
"That means Justice must do its job," the former premier added.
He showed that Romania is going through a fortuitous time from an economic point of view.
"I have the impression that we are gambling with Romania's chance precisely by creating unpredictability. (...) We cannot risk Romania's future through such decisions. Today we announce one thing, tomorrow we go back on it, we announce something else. This is about people who are governing the country and who are sending signals and Romania is perceived by their behaviour. I believe that we must be clear about the path we want Romania to take and to follow through what we say we want to do," Dacian Ciolos pointed out.