Over 15,000 people join anti-govt. protest in Bucharest

Over 15,000 people joined an anti-government protest in Bucharest on Sunday evening, November 26, according to News.ro. Thousands others went to the streets in other Romanian cities, including Sibiu, Cluj-Napoca, Brasov, Iasi, and Constanta. The protesters in Bucharest started gathering in Victoriei Square, in front of the Government building after 18:00. They shouted against the governing Social Democratic Party (PSD). The protesters want the Parliament to drop several controversial changes to the justice laws and to vote against the Government’s recent fiscal changes. After 20:00, some 10,000 protesters started marching from Victoriei Square to Constitutiei Square, where Romania’s Parliament Palace is located. The protest on Sunday evening was organized by several civic organizations, NGOs and two important union confederations. Many people are unhappy with the Government’s recent tax changes and with the changes in the justice laws and criminal codes, which may be aimed at helping some politicians with legal problems, including PSD leader Liviu Dragnea. Dragnea is being prosecuted in a new case of abuse of office and EU funds fraud, the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) announced las week. The protesters have asked him to step down from the position of Chamber of Deputies speaker. Protests take place in Romania’s biggest cities against new changes to justice laws editor@romania-insider.com