Romania: protest against poor infrastructure

Angered by the lack of proper motorways in his country, a Romanian entrepreneur has built a one-metre-long stretch of highway as a symbolic gesture of protest. Many Romanians have rallied around him and staged a 15-minute strike in support of his protest last week. The entire country has only around 800 kilometres of motorway. Romania's press is impressed by the action.

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Adevărul (RO) /

Original and effective

The man has put his finger in the wound, comments Adevărul:

“He is holding up a mirror to the government. Many believe it can't go on like this, that they must take action. Ştefan Mandachi is just one of them, but one who is determined and has the resources to take the lead. ... This movement for the motorways is effective and immune to the weapons the [ruling] PSD uses against the opposition. No one can claim that [US billionaire] George Soros is to blame for the problems with the motorways. ... Mandachi's movement has caught the PSD off guard.”

Revista 22 (RO) /

A popular awakening

Revista 22 is also excited about the new movement:

“The generally politically neutral part of society that mainly dedicates itself to its own affairs and careers is gradually becoming more radicalised. People are increasingly feeling what a negative impact the bad policies are having on their everyday life. Many of them will now conclude that it might be a good idea after all to go and vote in 2019 and 2020. ... And now that Dragnea has described their legitimate protest as a 'circus' and their leaders as 'crooks' they'll hardly choose to keep the PSD in power. [This protest] is an important moment of political and democratic maturity.”