“Romania does not need a Gendarmerie that punishes flowers and candles”: Several civic organizations, letter of protest to Prime Minister Bolojan and Minister Predoiu, after the fine from the Collective commemoration

Several civic organizations have sent a letter of protest to Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and Minister of the Interior, Cătălin Predoiu, in which they express their displeasure with the actions of the Gendarmerie at the commemorative action “10 years from the Collective”, which they describe as “abusive”, reports Agerpres.

“The signatory civic organizations express their deep indignation at the abusive actions of the Romanian Gendarmerie, which, on October 30, 2025, proceeded to fine the organizer of the commemorative event held 10 years after the tragedy in the Colectiv club. This action, carried out peacefully and dignified, had a strictly commemorative character, without political connotations and without incidents. The participants lit candles, laid flowers and kept a moment of silence – manifestations that are part of the normal exercise of the right to freedom of assembly guaranteed by the Romanian Constitution and Law no. 60/1991, which exempts the commemorative gatherings held in consecrated spaces from the obligation of prior approval. posted on Friday on the Facebook page of the organization Corruption Kills.

Therefore, say the initiative's initiators, fining the participants represents “an arbitrary and abusive interpretation of the law, a gesture of civic intimidation and a dangerous precedent for freedom of expression and assembly in Romania.”

“At the same time, we draw attention to the passivity of the Gendarmerie in the face of violent and xenophobic demonstrations recently organized by extremist groups, which blocked public circulation, incited hatred and verbally or physically assaulted people and journalists, without the prompt intervention of the authorities and without applying the sanctions provided for by law. This double measure – severity against peaceful citizens from the civic movement and tolerance towards violent groups – undermines public trust in state institutions and creates the impression of a preferential treatment for the protection of extremist movements. It is dramatic to note that the memory of the victims of the Collective has been 'honored' by the current regime through fines and abuses, despite the respect for democratic freedoms and human dignity,” the letter states.

“Romania does not need a Gendarmerie that punishes flowers and candles, but an institution that protects citizens and civic spirit”, emphasized the signatories of the letter, among which are the Timișoara Initiative Federation, Corruption Kills, Timișoara Society, Freedom House, Romania Initiative, Group for Social Dialogue, Geeks for Democracy.

The fine received by one of the organizers of the commemoration of the victims from the Collective

One of the organizers of the commemorative march from Colectiv, Marian Rădună, announced on Facebook on Friday morning that the gendarmes fined him 3,000 lei because the event would have exceeded the time specified in the authorization. Its sanctioning caused a wave of reactions among public opinion.

In this context, the head of the Romanian Gendarmerie, Major General Alin Mastan, publicly apologized for the incident recorded at the event commemorating the tragedy at Colectiv.

“Considering the situation created at the event held last night in memory of the victims from Colectiv, as inspector general of the Romanian Gendarmerie, I have the moral obligation to make the following clarifications. First of all, I want to publicly apologize for the incident. Although we are talking about a singular situation, it is a regrettable moment, all the more so since the event had a deep emotional and symbolic character. (…) From this situation we will draw the necessary conclusions and learn the lessons that are required so that in the future we manage such moments with more balance,” Mastan said.

According to him, “even if, from a legal point of view, there were elements that, formally, could constitute the basis for the application of a contraventional sanction, since the opening hours stipulated in the protocol of the public event were not respected, we consider it essential to take into account the particularities of the event”. “That is precisely why we will analyze the situation created and will order measures accordingly”, he assured.