Romania facing deep crises: “I took a cold medicine, although the patient has advanced cancer”

Political analyst Cristian Hrițuc analyzed the complicated situation in which Romania finds itself, both externally and internally, but also socially, politically and economically. The situation is serious, claims Hrițuc, who believes that the local elections in Bucharest will represent a barometer and show us what stage we are in.

Romania's situation is not rosy, although the politicians embellish it. PHOTO: Shutterstock

With an economy weakened by the huge budget deficit and with the social situation on a knife's edge, Romania is unenviable, according to analyst Cristian Hrițuc. In fact, the situation is all the more serious, the expert claims, as Romania simultaneously faces several crises, in addition to the two. In an analysis made on his blog, Hrițuc explains in detail what is actually happening.

“Romania on the brink: when all the crises meet”is the title of his article in which he describes the seemingly hopeless situation in which we find ourselves.

Complicated situation

“Tension is building up in society and there is no valve. Economic: the situation is not rosy. The economy is suffering, as it is suffering all over Europe. Budgetary: for now we are in a situation where we have taken a cold medicine, although the patient has advanced cancer. Social: huge frustrations, inequities, inequalities; people feel that they bear the brunt. Political: the parties are at a very low level of trust. The coalition works now and then, depending on the political interest of the moment. The PSD plays a game of protecting immediate political interests. The institutions are, for the most part, discredited. People no longer trust their ability to function.”is the picture of the serious internal political, social and economic crisis.

Even externally, things are not going well at all, warns Cristian Hrițuc. With the United States increasingly weakened, the European Union does not matter externally, and non-democratic regimes are more united than ever in an axis against NATO and the European Union.

“External: hybrid war, conventional border war. The world is in deep motion: the US is in trouble, the EU is in trouble, dictatorial regimes have made a common front and are trying to redraw spheres of influence.” explains Hrițuc.

A new “elite”

Further, Cristi Hrițuc talks about the huge influence of social networks, especially TikTok, but also about the new “elite”.

“Social networks: they have become increasingly influential in shaping voting choice. A man on TikTok can be more influential in propagating ideas than a serious institution or a balanced media outlet. There has emerged a «elite» who wants to rule. It doesn't matter how much schooling he has or whether he knows what he's talking about, but he can have more influence and coagulate around him a lot of people. The press: Even though there are still many professional journalists and respectable media outlets, there are many more people in the press who do not make the press. They only make propaganda, they use what they write to reach their interests, to get income. They are partisan trusts used by parties only for propaganda — money against propaganda. It is increasingly difficult for a simple person to discern news from fake news, editorial analysis, truth from lies”states Hrițuc, without giving names.

The apparent war between some politicians and magistrates is another aspect noted by Cristi Hrițuc. Politicians get out of here crumpled.

Cristi Hrițuc. PHOTO: Personal archive

“Above all these things, the war between the magistrates and the political power is increasing. There is an obvious dissatisfaction in society regarding the fact that the magistrates retire at 48 and that they have a pension equal to their salary. This dissatisfaction is real and, regardless of the messages that the SCM gives, no one can accept this situation, especially since man judges by comparison. Some of the magistrates made statements that did nothing but inflame public opinion. From these statements could be read only one message: «We are the state!» And yes, they are right: they are the state now. There is no legal solution for political force to reduce these inequities. In other words, the politicians are stuck at the mantle. On the one hand, there is the pressure of the street, which wants to reduce inequities; on the other hand are the associations of magistrates, who say: «We don't give in, we don't care what the people want.» The magistrates proved that they don't care what the people want a few days ago. The CCR decision proves that. It was given after several postponements, so that the “politician” had his back against the wall. Either accept the conditions set by the magistrates, or lose the money from the PNRR. A simple blackmail, because the CCR is the last stronghold of the magistrates. «There is no way through here» or it is passed only in the form agreed with us. We, the state, are the ones who decide what passes and what doesn't“, adds Hrițuc.

Recipe for disaster

The bad news is that there is no workaround to resolve the situation. Against the background of growing social inequalities, the population's frond spirit is growing, and the beneficiaries are the opposition parties.

“There is no legal leverage to resolve this conflict. Simply, if the magistrates do not give in, the political has no solution, it has no way forward. I do not blame the politicians. They have most of the blame because it has come to this, but now it is not about the culprits, but about the solutions. What the magistrates should know is that when we have a situation like this, it only takes a small spark for the social “bomb” to go off. explode. Revolts and/or revolutions have always started in history when there was a picture similar to the one we have now in Romania. They cannot rely on the fact that the coercive force of the state can impose order, because the “bomb” is too big and it is difficult to defuse it by conventional means“, Hrițuc also writes.

Local elections in Bucharest, barometer for Romania

Soon, claims Cristian Hrițuc, the local elections in Bucharest will show us exactly where we are, and the biggest risk is that the current democratic system, with its strengths and weaknesses and obvious imperfections, can be “swept away”.

“We will soon have a stage barometer: the local elections in Bucharest. The protest vote may be large, but this will only be a small valve. Not even 5% of the tension will be released, but it can be the element that shows: «Yes, we can have a revolution to sweep away the democratic system.» God have mercy… but what do you put in its place?”concludes Cristi Hrițuc.