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Thousands in Romania Protest Changes to Tax, Justice Laws

by Associated Press

   BUCHAREST --

   Thousands have protested in Romania's capital and other major cities
   Sunday against planned changes to the justice system they say will
   allow high-level corruption to go unpunished and a tax overhaul that
   could lead to lower wages.
   Protesters briefly scuffled with mounted police in Bucharest, and they
   blew whistles and called the ruling Social Democratic Party "the red
   plague," in reference to its Communist Party roots and one of the
   party's colors.
   Thousands took to the streets in the cities of Cluj, Timisoara, Iasi,
   Brasov, Sibiu and Constanta to vent their anger at the left-wing
   government. In Bucharest, thousands marched to Romania's Parliament.
   Sunday's protest was the biggest since massive anti-corruption protests
   at the beginning of the year, the largest since the fall of communism
   in Romania. Media reported tens of thousands took to the streets around
   the country, but no official figures were available.
   Demonstrations earlier this year erupted after the government moved to
   decriminalize official misconduct. The government eventually scrapped
   the ordinance, after more than two weeks of daily demonstrations.
   Prosecutors recently froze party leader Liviu Dragnea's assets amid a
   probe into the misuse of 21 million euros (about $25 million) in
   European Union funds.
   The European Anti-Fraud Office, OLAF, says the money was fraudulently
   paid to officials and others from the European Regional Development
   Fund for road construction in Romania. It asked Romania to recover the
   funds.
   Dragnea denies wrongdoing and has appealed the ruling to freeze his
   assets. He is unable to be prime minister because of a 2016 conviction
   for vote-rigging.
   Vasile Grigore, a 42-year-old doctor, said "we don't want our country
   to be run by people who are being prosecuted, incompetent and
   uneducated."
   It was the latest protest this year over government plans to revamp the
   justice system. One proposal is to legally prevent Romania's president
   from blocking the appointment of key judges. President Klaus Iohannis
   says he will use constitutional means to oppose the plan.
   Demonstrators also oppose a law that will shift social security taxes
   to the employee. The government says it will boost revenues.
   Anca Preoteasa, 28, who works in sales, accused the government of
   wanting "to take over the justice system so they can resolve their
   legal problems, but we won't accept this."