Romania: Students to march in Bucharest Jan. 20

Event

Student organizations are planning to hold a protest march in central Bucharest on Saturday, January 20. According to event organizers, the demonstration will begin at 18:00 (local time) in Piața Universității (University Square). The participants will then march to Union Square, before proceeding to the national parliament. Along the march route, participants are expected to stop outside other buildings associated with the ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD). The demonstration is scheduled to end at approximately 21:00. It is estimated at least 7000 people will  be in attendance. An increased security presence, along with significant transportation delays, is expected in the vicinity of the march.

Context

Saturday's demonstration is being held to denounce judicial reforms proposed by the ruling coalition of the PSD and the Liberal-Democrat Alliance (ALDE). Protests first erupted in Bucharest and other Romanian cities on December 10, 2017, against changes that would limit judicial independence; the controversial law is being challenged in the country's Constitutional Court. Some 10,000 people participated in protests in Bucharest; an additional 10,000 people protested in other cities, including Cluj, Galati, Brasov, and Constanta.​ Subsequent protests have occurred nationwide throughout January 2018.

Public outrage broke out in February 2017 after the government ratified an emergency decree allowing certain corruption offenses to be decriminalized. This sparked the biggest protests seen in the country since the fall of communism in 1989. At least half a million Romanians took to the streets, forcing the government to eventually repeal the ordinance and the justice minister to resign. Protests have continued on a regular basis since February.

Advice

Individuals in Bucharest are advised to avoid any demonstrations as a precaution and to anticipate significant transportation delays in the vicinity of the demonstration.