A protest takes place on Friday, August 1, in Victoriei Square in the Capital, as a reaction to the austerity measures adopted by the Government. The manifestation, which takes place under the slogan “Romania is not silent!”, started at 5 pm and is authorized until 22.30.
The protest is authorized until 22.30. Photo: Facebook/Aurel Curdov
The protest coincides with the entry into force of a new fiscal-budget package, which brings tax increases, funds in areas such as education and health, but also additional pension taxation. Many of these decisions are criticized for the impact they will have on the population and the business environment.
“Cut from you, not from us! On August 1, the austerity measures come into force. The cuts begin. The increases begin. The Romanian are poor … but not from our fault! You have created the crises. And now you put us to pay the note? Do you ask for solidarity?” The organizers transmitted on the event page, posted on Facebook.
The Gendarmerie of the Capital has mounted protective fences since the morning and announced that it had taken all the necessary measures to prevent incidents. So far, the protest is carried out peacefully.
The organizers claim that the manifestation is only the beginning of a wave of protests, in the context in which the dissatisfaction with the Government Economic Directorate is increasing.
The protest is authorized until 22.30. Photo: Facebook/Aurel Curdov
What the protesters want
The protest organizers also talked about their requirements, also in the event posted online:
1. Drastic cuts among political expenses – 50% reduction of the subsidy allocated to political parties.
2. Immediate stop of financing and military aid for Ukraine – “The complete stopping of financial and military aid for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Priority for Romania: hospitals, schools, agriculture, safety, social measures”, say the organizers.
3. freeze the military expenses – limiting the arming expenses to at most the level of 2021, until a budget deficit deficit is achieved.
4.. Protecting the Romanian business environment – The immediate stop of the fiscal measures that destroy the Romanian SMEs
5. The renunciation of VAT increase and other consumption taxes – abandoning the VAT increase proposal from 19% to 21% and the share reduced from 9% to 11%.
6. Stopping the unfair taxation of pensions – renouncing the introduction of the 10% CASS contribution for pensions of over 3,000 lei.
7. The real taxation of the big companies – the introduction of a real minimum tax of 1-3% on the turnover, in accordance with the European directives on combating aggressive fiscal optimization.
8. Immediate reintroduction of all categories of Romanian sewing in the public health system
9. Respect for education – “Give up the abusive measure of the combination of schools with small students and increase the number of students/class!”.
10. Stop political persecutions and repressive laws – “The harassment of the voices of dissident, the Stalinist processes and the recrudescence of censorship are never acceptable in a democratic state.”
