Unrest in Romania for a week but the media are still silent
Police fire tear gas at protesters in Romania
Romanian police fired tear gas and clashed with protesters during an anti-government rally, the third consecutive day of demonstrations against austerity cuts and falling living standards.
The protests were the most serious since President Traian Basescu came to power in 2004 and were the result of pent-up frustration against public wage cuts, slashed benefits, higher taxes and widespread corruption.
In 2009, Romania took a two-year 20 billion euro loan from the International Monetary Fund, the EU and the World Bank, as its economy shrank by 7.1%.
Romania imposed harsh austerity measures under the agreement, reducing public wages by 25% and increasing taxes.
The unlikely catalyst for the protests, however, was the resignation of popular health official Raed Arafat, a Palestinian with Romanian citizenship who opposed health reforms proposed by the government.
On Friday, Mr Basescu told the government to scrap the reforms, but public anger had already risen against Mr Basescu and the government.
Widespread support for Mr Arafat has led commentators drawing parallels with ethnic Hungarian Laszlo Toekes, whose opposition to late dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989 was the spark for the anti-communist revolt.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/police-fire-tear-gas-at-protesters-in-romania-6289964.html
Several people hurt in Bucharest anti-austerity protest
Romanian riot police have fired tear gas during clashes with demonstrators protesting against austerity cuts in the capital, Bucharest.
At least nine people, including policemen, were injured in what was the third consecutive day of protests.
The rallies began in solidarity with a popular health official who had quit in protest against health care reforms.
But the protests have since widened to include general discontent with the government’s policies.
There were smaller demonstrations in other Romanian cities as well.
Unlikely catalyst
The clashes erupted on Saturday as the protesters marched towards Bucharest’s University Square.
The demonstrators pelted police with stones, who used tear gas in response.
Among the injured was a local TV journalist. Some 30 people were detained.
The unlikely catalyst for the latest demonstrations was the resignation of popular health official Raed Arafat.
The Palestinian-born doctor came to Romania in the 1980s, and is a well-known and much-liked figure, due to the practical changes he made to improve the emergency services, the BBC’s Nick Thorpe reports.
Dr Arafat stepped down as deputy health minister last Tuesday, after a series of public attacks against him by President Traian Basescu, our correspondent adds.
Dr Arafat opposed government measures to partially privatise Romania’s shaky health care system.
President Basescu later announced that he was scrapping the unpopular reform, but that has failed to soothe the demonstrators’ anger, our correspondent says.
He says they are now calling for Mr Basescu to resign and hold early elections.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16565123
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