New York Reports From Romania
There is a heavy feeling among residents of Cluj-Napoca, as the city prepares itself for the second round of anti-government protests in the wake of highly unpopular policies involving the rights of voters implemented by the Ponta/Basescu government. The tense atmosphere can be felt throughout Cluj-Napoca as an increased police presence in the city has put many citizens on edge. The presence is highly visible, with teams of 5-6 uniformed police officers patrolling the streets as you walk through Piata Uniiri, the city center and designated location for tonight's demonstrations.
The race for the Presidency here in Romania has been marred in controversy following the government in Romania under current Prime Minister and Presidential Candidate Victor Ponta allegedly tampered with the rights of Romanian voters residing abroad. It is estimated that 3 million people were affected, leaving almost 15% of the country's 20 million citizens ineligible to vote.
Those citizens living abroad are made up mostly of students and working professionals who are largely anti-Ponta.
Up to 10,000 protesters marched through the streets of Cluj-Napoca last week, a city of almost 320,000 people. The march was led in unison with demonstrations across the country in Timișoara, Bucharest, Constanta, and elsewhere. Protesters here are looking to keep the momentum going, scheduling a country wide protest against the government's voting policy this Friday at 18:00.
Following the largely student led protest, the Ponta government declared that university would be cancelled the Friday preceding the elections Sunday, as well as the Monday following. The government claims the holiday is to allow students studying in cities other than their primary residence to travel home to cast their vote. Citizens and students are saying it is intended to disperse the heavily populated student cities to weaken the planned protests and demonstrations against his regime.
There are also reports that the Ponta government has essentially "paid off" professors, providing them with bonus pay days before the election.
In a televised debate last week, challenger Klaus Iohannis confronted Ponta on his government's restrictive voting policy, saying that "...We live in a democratic country. Each citizen has the right to vote." Mr. Ponta retorted that "This (voting) is a slogan." Iohannis took the opportunity to chastise the Prime Minister's record of oppression and abuse of power.
Being a citizen of the United States here in Romania during such a politically tumultuous time brings to me recent memories of Voter ID laws in the states, aimed at preventing minorities, the elderly, and students from casting ballots. Such attempts to suppress the vote are common in even some of the most advanced democracies in the world; this being said, why would Romania be any different?
I will continue my coverage of the protests as they happen, hoping to bring minute to minute updates on the crowd's activities, as well as the response by authorities here in Cluj. From what I have gathered, protesters intend on demonstrating peacefully, and by doing so, set an example for the kind of democracy they aspire to be. One that listens to the aspirations of its people, and not its elite.
-JTPolitik
Twitter: @JTPolitik
There is a heavy feeling among residents of Cluj-Napoca, as the city prepares itself for the second round of anti-government protests in the wake of highly unpopular policies involving the rights of voters implemented by the Ponta/Basescu government. The tense atmosphere can be felt throughout Cluj-Napoca as an increased police presence in the city has put many citizens on edge. The presence is highly visible, with teams of 5-6 uniformed police officers patrolling the streets as you walk through Piata Uniiri, the city center and designated location for tonight's demonstrations.
The race for the Presidency here in Romania has been marred in controversy following the government in Romania under current Prime Minister and Presidential Candidate Victor Ponta allegedly tampered with the rights of Romanian voters residing abroad. It is estimated that 3 million people were affected, leaving almost 15% of the country's 20 million citizens ineligible to vote.
Those citizens living abroad are made up mostly of students and working professionals who are largely anti-Ponta.
Up to 10,000 protesters marched through the streets of Cluj-Napoca last week, a city of almost 320,000 people. The march was led in unison with demonstrations across the country in Timișoara, Bucharest, Constanta, and elsewhere. Protesters here are looking to keep the momentum going, scheduling a country wide protest against the government's voting policy this Friday at 18:00.Following the largely student led protest, the Ponta government declared that university would be cancelled the Friday preceding the elections Sunday, as well as the Monday following. The government claims the holiday is to allow students studying in cities other than their primary residence to travel home to cast their vote. Citizens and students are saying it is intended to disperse the heavily populated student cities to weaken the planned protests and demonstrations against his regime.
There are also reports that the Ponta government has essentially "paid off" professors, providing them with bonus pay days before the election.
In a televised debate last week, challenger Klaus Iohannis confronted Ponta on his government's restrictive voting policy, saying that "...We live in a democratic country. Each citizen has the right to vote." Mr. Ponta retorted that "This (voting) is a slogan." Iohannis took the opportunity to chastise the Prime Minister's record of oppression and abuse of power.
Being a citizen of the United States here in Romania during such a politically tumultuous time brings to me recent memories of Voter ID laws in the states, aimed at preventing minorities, the elderly, and students from casting ballots. Such attempts to suppress the vote are common in even some of the most advanced democracies in the world; this being said, why would Romania be any different?
I will continue my coverage of the protests as they happen, hoping to bring minute to minute updates on the crowd's activities, as well as the response by authorities here in Cluj. From what I have gathered, protesters intend on demonstrating peacefully, and by doing so, set an example for the kind of democracy they aspire to be. One that listens to the aspirations of its people, and not its elite.
-JTPolitik
Twitter: @JTPolitik
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