Some two thousand people protested on Wednesday evening, June 20, in Bucharest’s Victoriei Square against the ruling coalition and its recent changes to the criminal procedure code, which limit prosecutors’ powers in Romania.

There were also incidents between the protesters, who wanted to block traffic on a street adjacent to Victoriei Square and the gendarmes sent to maintain order. The gendarmes took eight protesters to the police for questioning, including a German journalist who is documenting a story on PSD leader Liviu Dragnea. The journalist, Paul Arne Wagner was taken by the gendarmes despite having his photo camera and press badge visible. He was released after about two hours.

Thousands protested in other Romanian cities, including Cluj-Napoca, Sibiu, Iasi, Timisoara, Constanta, Brasov, Bacau, Ploiesti and Oradea.

The protesters are mainly unhappy with the changes to the criminal codes voted by the ruling coalition, which are helping their leaders dodge criminal prosecution, and with the politicians’ efforts to remove the chief prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), Laura Codruta Kovesi.

Romania’s Chamber of Deputies adopts changes to criminal procedure code in late evening vote

(Photo: Umbrela Anticoruptie Cluj Facebook Page)

editor@romania-insider.com