International
Despite scrapping of controversial decree, mass protests continue in Romania
24 hours after the Romanian government decided to back down on a controversial plan to relax anti-graft laws, mass protests are still ongoing in and around the capital of Bucharest.
Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu told a hastily convened news conference that the government would meet on Sunday to repeal the emergency decree that had raised worries of a retreat in the fight against corruption.
“I do not want to divide Romania. It can’t be divided in two,” Grindeanu said on Saturday.
The comments of the PM did not deter the uproar as an estimated 500,000 protesters rallied in Romania’s capital following government repeal of the contentious corruption decree in the face of week-long mass demonstrations.
It is the sixth consecutive day of protests as massive crowds poured into Bucharest’s Victory Square to protest against what they deem an alarming retreat in the country’s fight against corruption.
Read also: ROMANIA: Mass protests force govt to repeal controversial corruption decree
“It has gone, the amendments are history, but the protesters are still not trusting the prime minister,” Al Jazeera’s David Chater, reporting from the capital, Bucharest, said.
Chater said demonstrators are questioning Grindeanu’s competence, calling him and his government to “go”.
“Why did he try and rush through this legislation? What else will happen? They [protesters] are not happy with the way things are going,” Chater said.
“They want the government and the prime minister to step down,” he added. “They want a clear democratic transparent government and they’re making sure that their protest is heard.”
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