Page 17 - bne IntelliNews Georgia country report November 2017

Southeast Europe
November 11, 2017 www.intellinews.com I Page 17
20,000 protest in Bucharest against planned changes to justice system
bne IntelliNews
Around 20,000 Romanians marched in Bucha- rest on November 5 to protest against the planned changes to the country’s justice system which are seen to increase political control over the judiciary.
The protest will put even more pressure on the government, which has already been criticized for its planned measures in the judiciary and fis- cal sectors. Romanian trade union confederation CNSLR Fratia announced on November 2 it has decided to start procedures to launch general strike, following the government’s decision to transfer social security contributions entirely to the employees.
Romania was the scene of mass anti governmen- tal protests, the largest since the fall of commu- nism, in winter, when the government adopted an emergency decree to partly decriminalise abuse of office – a move which was seen as a significant step backwards in Romania’s anti-corruption fight. The ordinance was revoked, but the govern- ment moved on with plans to change legislation in the sector. The planned changes have been criti- cized by the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) and the judges forum, while the magis- trates body, the CSM, has already issued a nega- tive review on the proposals.
Around 20,000 people marched in Bucharest, while smaller protests were organised in other Romanian cities as well as abroad. The total num- ber of protesters was estimated by Digi24 televi- sion channel at 35,000.
20,000 Romanians protest against government plans to weaken judicial independence
The protests were organised on Facebook, the same as those organised back in winter. “The judicial inspection will become a political tool in the hands of the justice minister,” the organisers of the pro- test wrote. The appointment of the chief prosecutors by the minister, without any control by the president would mean that the general prosecutors office will be subordinated to political interests, they added.
The protesters were also unhappy that the sena- tors gave last week a negative review to a draft bill banning those with criminal convictions to hold the president post.
“If these bills are adopted by the parliament, it would be a disaster for Romania and its citizens. We can say good bye to independent justice. We are not alone in this fight. Both the magistrates and the president of the European Commission showed they are against these laws,” the Face- book page of the event wrote.
The protest on November 5 started as usual in Victory Square in Bucharest, in front of the gov- ernment’s headquarters. The protesters marched through the city and then stopped in front of the Palace of the Parliament.
The protesters chanted slogans such as “Justice, not corruption”, “We don’t want to be a country of thieves”, “PSD, the red plague”, “Thieves”, and “Tudorel, [the justice minister] resign.”
The planned changes to judicial legislation