“Children’s protest” in Bucharest this weekend, despite complaints at Child Protection Authority

Parents are again expected to take their children to Victoriei Square in Bucharest this Saturday, for a peaceful protest. A similar event took place on February 4, when hundreds of families with children gathered in front of the Government building. Similar to the previous protest, the event scheduled for this Saturday is organized on Facebook, and some 500 people appear as going. The event, which is presented as a lesson about democracy and civic involvement, is to start at 11:00. “Saturday, let’s take our children by the hand, in our arms, in trolleys, on our shoulders, and make the most peaceful and colorful protest! See you in Victoriei Square starting 11:00,” reads the Facebook event’s presentation. The Saturday protest is being organized despite the fact that the Child Protection Authority (ANPDCA) has received 29 complaints about children attending the protests. “Reaffirming the full recognition of the freedom of expression as a fundamental right guaranteed to every citizen by the Constitution, the National Authority for Child Protection and Adoption reiterates only that no child should be exposed to the risks the adults take by participating in actions they undertake to exercise this right,” reads the statement from ANPDCA. According to the local media, some of the complaints referenced a law mention that bans the use of children by their parents or legal guardians “for the purpose of receiving personal/ institutional advantages or of influencing the decisions of public authorities.” According to the same law, the parents or legal guardians who break its provisions can be sanctioned with fines between RON 5,000 (EUR 1,100) and RON 10,000 (EUR 2,200). Labor minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu said on Wednesday that the Child Protection Authority couldn’t take any measures against the parents who take their children to protests, but the Police can identify and sanction the parents, reports local News.ro. According to her, the complaints were made by individuals, journalists, and representatives of some NGOs. The labor minister also said that only two of the complaints actually target a certain person, and this person is Nicusor Dan, the president of the Save Romania Union (USR) party, who took his child to the protests. The minister also said that President Klaus Iohannis is among those who instigated the parents to violate the law. A few days after the “children’s protest,” President Iohannis addressed the Parliament and, during his speech,