Main focus of Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Romanians battle austerity policy

The resignation of President Băsescu is one of the demonstrators' demands. (© dapd)

Several thousand Romanians have protested since Thursday against the healthcare reforms and austerity policy of their government, culminating in violent clashes in Bucharest on Sunday. Only fresh elections can calm the wave of protest, commentators write, because the government's strict reform policy is a failure.

taz - Germany

The international public was surprised by the protests but not so the left-leaning daily taz: "The images of burning cars, road blocks, smashed shop windows, water cannons and police wielding truncheons resembled those we know from Athens. ... The discontent of the people with the austerity measures ordered by the president and his obedient government has been simmering for some time. The dismissal of a competent undersecretary in the health ministry who had spruced up the national medical emergency service triggered the initiative. The anger of the demonstrators is directed not just at the project of a privatised emergency service but ultimately also against the Băsescu's ruling group, which is perceived as a power clique system. Only a call for early elections can counter the contemptuous words of an MP belonging to the ruling party who described the demonstrators as 'worms'. This would at least calm the mood for a while." (17/01/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Romania
All available articles from » William Totok

La Repubblica - Italy

The protests against Romania's austerity programme are understandable, writes the left-liberal daily La Repubblica, because the measures are far too harsh given the social problems in the country: "These are the fiercest protests since the uprising of the miners in the 1990s. ... This time it's so-called civil society that is taking to the streets by the thousand because it has had enough. The Romanians' patience has come to an end. You can't implement a tough austerity programme and balance the budget without taking account of the reality of the situation. And this is what it looks like: double-digit unemployment, average wages of less than 350 euros and frozen pensions of 160 euros a month after 37 years of work. ... Prime Minister Emil Boc has now held out the prospect of dialogue with the social partners. Too late. This time the government has gone too far." (17/01/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Economic Policy, » Unrest / Riots, » Romania
All available articles from » Renato Caprile

Voxpublica - Romania

The Romanians associate the corruption, ailing healthcare system, economic crisis and tough austerity measures above all with President Traian Băsescu, writes Iulian Leca in the blog portal Voxpublica: "The majority of the population is out in protest because they can no longer bear the current government. But the anger is also directed at the entire political class. The demonstrators are disgusted and disappointed, feelings which are easily projected onto the figure of Traian Băsescu. In the elections in 2004 and 2009 he united the last hopes and illusions of a people that was weary of making sacrifice upon sacrifice. In recent years, however, he has done nothing but trample on their feelings. ... If he does not mend his ways and if the people on the street hear only that they are 'uneducated, fanatics, peasants, worms and good-for-nothings', these people will lose all hope for the future." (17/01/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Unrest / Riots, » Romania
All available articles from » Iulian Leca

Népszava - Hungary

Romanian President Traian Băsescu has failed with his reform of the public healthcare system, the left-leaning daily Népszava concludes: " Băsescu is probably the most successful Romanian politician since the fall of communism and now he may have been left speechless for the first time in his entire political career. He has remained uncharacteristically silent during the riots of the past few days. The demonstrations against the Romanian health reform developed by the experts of the presidential palace are a declaration of solidarity with the popular undersecretary Read Arafat and his highly respected medical emergency service Smurd [which is to be privatised]. ... Băsescu now faces the same problem all the Romanian health ministers and Central Eastern European politicians faced when they wanted to create competition against the monopoly status of the public health insurance." (16/01/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Romania
All available articles from » Mária Gál

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