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| Romanian President Traian Basescu |
Despite near frigid temperatures in the country of Romania, the political climate has been heating up, as protestors clash with police in the streets of the capital Bucharest. It is said up to 60 protestors were injured after anti-government protests sprouted up in many of the major cities across Romania.
The 'Winter of Discontent' as it's been coined has come in response to new austerity measures the Romanian government under President Traian Basescu. Demands from protestors include the resignation of the President, along with strong opposition to these cuts that would affect the public health care system, education, among other social institutions many Romanians depend on for their livelihoods.
Public wages were recently cut by a dramatic 25%, meanwhile benefits were slashed, and taxes are being increased on a nation where the median income is $12,200 (2008 estimate). While a majority of the protests have been peaceful, clashes and confrontations have been reported throughout the country.
Reports of police brutality have been widespread and according to prosecutors, four police officers are under investigation after reports of their misconduct during the protests.
The latest protest over the weekend in Romania was over the government's plan to build an open-cast gold mine in a Carpathian town, only providing more fuel for the protestor's anti-government rallies. Environmentalists and civic right groups claim the cyanide and explosives that will be used to extract the 314 tonnes of gold will effectively destroy ancient Romanian gold mines and villages. Vlad Rogati, a 61 year old retired engineer commented on the government's plan to bring revenue through gold mining to the small town. "Never mind that this project is an utter environmental catastrophe waiting to happen, but it is also the worst possible business from a financial point of view for the Romanian state... We are being misled. The promised jobs for miners are an illusion."
These protests are similar to the protests being held all over Europe in reaction to harsh austerity measures being imposed by governments seeking to tighten their fiscal belt. Greece being the center of this economic calamity has seen similar reactions from their citizenry after huge austerity measures and harsher tax rates were implemented by the government seeking to pay back it's staggering $500 billion debt. Protests have also turned violent in America, where Occupy Wall Street protestors in D.C. over the weekend claimed they were being assaulted by police officers for peacefully demonstrating. Despite this claim by many, a protest at D.C.'s city hall led to more than 400 people being arrested after protestors threw rocks and bottles at police who responded with tear gas to subdue the protestors.
The painful austerity measures come at a time when many economists say growth is needed, not restraint. "Starving yourself is not the road to health" says J. Bradford Delong, a former assistant secretary of the US Treasury and a current Professor of Economics at the University of California at Berkeley.
Whether or not these austerity measures will have a positive effect on economic growth remains to be seen. To the average person on the street, the new measures are only taking from those who already don't have enough. If this trend of popular revolt continues, the year 2012 could be a rocky one for governments everywhere.
The 'Winter of Discontent' as it's been coined has come in response to new austerity measures the Romanian government under President Traian Basescu. Demands from protestors include the resignation of the President, along with strong opposition to these cuts that would affect the public health care system, education, among other social institutions many Romanians depend on for their livelihoods.
Public wages were recently cut by a dramatic 25%, meanwhile benefits were slashed, and taxes are being increased on a nation where the median income is $12,200 (2008 estimate). While a majority of the protests have been peaceful, clashes and confrontations have been reported throughout the country.
Reports of police brutality have been widespread and according to prosecutors, four police officers are under investigation after reports of their misconduct during the protests.
The latest protest over the weekend in Romania was over the government's plan to build an open-cast gold mine in a Carpathian town, only providing more fuel for the protestor's anti-government rallies. Environmentalists and civic right groups claim the cyanide and explosives that will be used to extract the 314 tonnes of gold will effectively destroy ancient Romanian gold mines and villages. Vlad Rogati, a 61 year old retired engineer commented on the government's plan to bring revenue through gold mining to the small town. "Never mind that this project is an utter environmental catastrophe waiting to happen, but it is also the worst possible business from a financial point of view for the Romanian state... We are being misled. The promised jobs for miners are an illusion."
These protests are similar to the protests being held all over Europe in reaction to harsh austerity measures being imposed by governments seeking to tighten their fiscal belt. Greece being the center of this economic calamity has seen similar reactions from their citizenry after huge austerity measures and harsher tax rates were implemented by the government seeking to pay back it's staggering $500 billion debt. Protests have also turned violent in America, where Occupy Wall Street protestors in D.C. over the weekend claimed they were being assaulted by police officers for peacefully demonstrating. Despite this claim by many, a protest at D.C.'s city hall led to more than 400 people being arrested after protestors threw rocks and bottles at police who responded with tear gas to subdue the protestors.
The painful austerity measures come at a time when many economists say growth is needed, not restraint. "Starving yourself is not the road to health" says J. Bradford Delong, a former assistant secretary of the US Treasury and a current Professor of Economics at the University of California at Berkeley.
Whether or not these austerity measures will have a positive effect on economic growth remains to be seen. To the average person on the street, the new measures are only taking from those who already don't have enough. If this trend of popular revolt continues, the year 2012 could be a rocky one for governments everywhere.
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