The Bucharest Tribunal has ruled to annul the revolutionary certificate of former Romanian president Ion Iliescu, following a request from the Secretariat of State for the Recognition of Merits of Fighters Against the Communist Regime. The decision is not final and can be appealed within 15 days, according to Agerpres.
The ruling follows a review by the government-affiliated Secretariat, which determined that Iliescu's long-standing role within the Communist Party disqualified him from receiving the honor.
According to documents from the Secretariat, Ion Iliescu joined the Communist Youth Union in 1944 and the Romanian Communist Party in 1953, later advancing to key leadership positions, including secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth Union and member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party.
Iliescu's role as secretary of the party's Central Committee in 1971 was cited as grounds for the certificate's revocation, as Romanian law excludes individuals who held high-ranking positions in the Communist regime from benefiting from revolutionary status.
The decision carries financial and social implications, as holders of revolutionary certificates receive state benefits such as free public transport, exemption from property taxes, priority in purchasing state-owned housing, and access to free medication and medical treatment. These titles were awarded after 1990 to those who actively took part in the 1989 anti-communist Revolution.
The process to revoke Iliescu's certificate began in 2022 after a petition from the December 21 Association, which argued that he did not meet the legal requirements for the title, Agerpres reported.
Ion Iliescu, who served as Romania's leader three times - first as head of the National Salvation Front in 1989, then as elected president from 1992 to 1996 and 2000 to 2004 - remains a controversial figure in the country's post-communist history.
He has twice been indicted in the "1989 Revolution" case, accused of orchestrating a misinformation campaign to justify his rise to power after the fall of communist leader Nicolae Ceaușescu. Prosecutors alleged that this campaign, carried out by senior military officials under Iliescu's leadership, led to widespread chaos, unnecessary violence, and loss of life. The courts dismissed both indictments, sending the case back to military prosecutors for further investigation.
Also, in January this year, the General Prosecutor's Office announced that criminal prosecution has been initiated again against former president Ion Iliescu and ex-prime minister Petre Roman in the case targeting the violent crackdown of the protests in Bucharest's University Square on June 13-15, 1990, also known as the Mineriada (miners' riot). The two are facing charges of crimes against humanity.
irina.marica@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea)
