ROMANIA: Mass protests force govt to repeal controversial corruption decree

Five days of mass demonstrations by scores of Romanians who thronged the streets of Bucharest and other cities protesting against controversial corruption decree has forced the government to repeal it.

The Romanian government has decided to back down on controversial plan to relax anti-graft laws following the eruption of the biggest rallies to be staged in the European country in decades.

Read also: Mass protests against corruption decree enters Day 4 in Romania

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 announcement came after thousands stormed the streets of Bucharest as the political crisis over the controversial decree showed no sign of easing even as Romania’s ombudsman earlier went to the Constitutional Court to challenge the decree that decriminalises abuse-of-power offences in which the sums do not exceed 200,000 lei ($48,000).

 

 

 

 

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