Protesters in Romania are calling for the resignation of the government, despite the repeal of a controversial corruption decree.
Protesters in Romania are calling for the resignation of the government, despite the repeal of a controversial corruption decree.
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Others have labelled the president a traitor. Klaus Iohannis had called on the government to repeal the law which, had it gone ahead, would have shielded hundreds of officials from justice.
Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of the capital, Bucharest, and other cities across the country.
One beneficiary of the new decree would have been leader of the ruling Social Democrats, Liviu Dragnea. He faces charges of defrauding the state of some 24,000 euros.
Dragnea says Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu must now call in Justice Minister Florin Iordache (Yordaché)) to discuss whether or not to sack him in the wake of what has been labelled an embarrassing u-turn by the government.
Initially due to take effect on Friday (February 10), the decree will come under the scrutiny of the Constitutional Court this week for a ruling on its legality.
Romania can salvage positives from graft mess, write Sarah Hurst and
DominicElliott</a> <a href="https://t.co/ex0L90Twjl">https://t.co/ex0L90Twjl</a></p>— ReutersBreakingviews (Breakingviews) February 6, 2017