Romanian Interior Minister resigns

27/09/10 11:52 CET

world news

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Romania’s Interior Minister has resigned three days after a protest by police officers got out of hand.

Vasile Blaga’s exit comes after he reportedly refused a presidential request to sanction those who organised the march.

Five thousand police officers took to the streets in Bucharest last Friday, angered by a 25 percent cut in their wages entailed as part of the government’s austerity programme.

They had permission to gather outside Parliament, but then marched to the Presidential Palace, where they did not.

The mood turned ugly, leading President Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Emil Boc to renounce their police protection next day.

Basescu urged Blaga to get on top of what he described as “a lack of discipline” in his department.

More about: Protest, Romania

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