Romania ditches decree that would have protected corrupt politicians

Romania’s Social Democrat government made good on Sunday on a promise by the prime minister to repeal a decree decriminalizing some graft offences, as nationwide protests against high-level corruption entered a sixth day.

For the second night since the passing of PM Sorin Grindeanu’s emergency decree, protesters voiced their opposition by shouting “thieves” and calling on the government to resign.

The government said it would align the penal code with the constitution but protesters saw it as a brazenly transparent attempt by the ruling Social Democrats (PSD) to let off many of its own officials and lawmakers. Grindeanu is also a member of Dragnea’s party, known as the PSD.

(Vatican Radio) Romania’s leftist-leaning government has scrapped a controversial decree that would have prevented law enforcement to prosecute many politicians for corruption.

After repealing the decree on Sunday, Grindeanu asked the justice minister to prepare a draft law that would be sent to Parliament for debate. While it says it’s trying to ease prison overcrowding, its actions would free hundreds ex-officials and halt probes into others.

But, in fact, on this occasion we are talking about one of Europe’s lowest profile capitals, Bucharest in Romania.

On Wednesday, protests in Piata Victoriei square in Bucharest were peaceful until 21.00 CET, when a group of football fans attacked riot police, forcing them to use teargas. Some of the peaceful protesters affected by tear gas also needed medical care.

A woman waves a Romanian flag during a demonstration in Bucharest, Romania February 4. The country’s constitutional court is expected to rule next week on whether the measure was legal. Mr. Jianu resigned in protest earlier this week. “Am I going to tell him his father was a coward and supported actions he does not believe in, or that he chose to walk away from a story that isn’t his?”

Many Romanians now feel their lives have been made even harder by corruption within the government, which has been accused of routinely favouring friends and allies rather than making decisions for the benefit of the wider population.

The European Commission has been closely monitoring Romania each year since then, to chart progress in judicial reform and the fight against corruption.

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