Are the protests spreading to Europe?

Ok so we have seen last year a large number of protests that sparked revolutions in countries such as Tunisia, Egypt and Iran, protest which led to a change in the regime.

We have seen that a lot of these protests contained elements of foreign implications such as shady figures that seemed to give orders and take orders over the phone, citizens of islamic countries that spoke excelent english and last but not least, media outlets that warped stories so that it seemed like the people were against the regime when in reality they were chanting for their ruler not against him.

Now i am seeing protests spring up in my country (Romania) that changed their point. The main point of these were to stop a law that whould send some of the emergency services into the private sector with funds from the state. This was bad because knowing the big shots in my country they whould profit from this and give almost no service at all.

After the first day of protests the president held a press release where he said that the law was not passed.

But now we are in the third day of protests and the objectives of the protesters changed to taking down the president, a change that came overnight,

So i am asking you, is this a sign that these protests are spreading to Europe or at least Eastern Europe?

(I am watching a live feed right now and the violence has started just now in the capital, throwing pirotechnics, rocks and incendiary bottles at the police)

It would be safe to say it is heading to Europe... especially with the recent credit downgrades of several euro countries and what seems to be the failure of the euro (currency).

What exactly is going on in romania, seems like a bit of a media blackout. All i have heard was that riot police had been deployed. Any chance of a link to the live stream? And what are estimates of people out protesting?

I know that Berlin had a pretty big "Occupy" movement, but no idea if they're even still around.

I haven't heard of anything in particular, though, that would make me assume protests or riots are about to happen.

Then again, with (apparently) the Euro going down this year...

reply to post by InsideYourMind


live.stirileprotv.ro...

Live stream from the capital.

Europe is harder to turn... we don't have the same amount of really poor people like in many of the Arab Spring countries. In Denmark fx. we have unemployment security, so you won't go hungry even though you lose you job.

That makes people more content, and will keep us in check until the # really hits the fan.

Looking past Spain and Italy, I think Germany might be a nice breeding ground for discontent.

I would have wished though that OWC, having seen how weak an effect they have, would have turned militant and really stirred up things. I don't want to condone rebellion and murder, but if I'm honest to myself I know what it takes to get some results that will create a better world for people, and trust me... we are way past politics.

People need to wake up and realize that EU is not a democracy but a dictatorship camouflaged as a democracy. You have no real say in what goes on, your vote does NOT count. And it will stay like this until those in "power" are completely removed from their seats.

This is a video from yesterday made by one of the protesters.

Interesting. This is over austerity cuts as well? Is this like the stuff in Hungary, where the protesters seemed to be protesting that Hungary was hanging back from the new treaty?

Romania and Hungary have been particularly recalcitrant about accepting the social policies of the EU.


BTW, the EU's information on Romania stinks.

reply to post by Aeons


It started from a reform in the health system but after that law was thrown away the protesters moved away from that to bringing down the president.

Ok i am not a big fan of our president but it sparked just like that, in 2 days it changed 180 degrees and it sparked a bit of doubt in my mind.

I've looking over some maps keeping in mind some of the issues happening around the caucus and the middle east, particularly with Iran.

There is a need to assure that trade routes and pipelines from Russia out to its market in Europe are in the control the the right people. Or that there is not effective leadership locally to get in the way. Particularly with this instability and that Russia has entered into deals to take Iran's petroleum under the circumstance that they are sanctioned in a way that doesn't allow them to sell their's.

Both the EU and Russia can benefit from removal of the current regimes and creation of rapprochement. Instability drives their social and economic agendas, regardless of which way these countries swing.

(what is it with all the above ground pipelines????)

I came across this stream, not sure if it's' broadcasting the same street/town as the link you provided above.

webtv.realitatea.net...

However it's getting pretty intense on there; tear gas has just been shot at a few people and they are getting pelted with pretty huge rocks.

Just as i wrote the above, the riot police are charging a huge group of people. Still haven't seen any reports coming out from the news stations about this in the UK.

reply to post by Aeons


I have a theory about this but it involves Russians and US interests in Eastern Europe.

It goes like this:

Most of Eastern Europe and parts of the West take natural gas from Russia but Romania is going to build a terminal at the Black Sea that extends to Western Europe thus gaining independence from the Russian gas for which they set their prices. (Russia increases the price during winter by quite a lot)

But this is just my conspiracy mind kicking in.

Put enough people in the area, and the reason no longer matters as to why. You only need to inject a few small groups to pump up the action. A few professionals to set the tone, and off you go.

Thank you for the lessons boys. I see the pattern. I see the pattern in the crowds.

Now start convincing me that you're vision has any merit.

reply to post by InsideYourMind


Its the same place at the University Square, from what i've heard some groups of students joined the protesters and they are planing to call even more students.

Some of the violent protesters are football fans that like violence.

www.ctv.ca...

But Romanians have become disenchanted with the president, particularly with the economy in a downturn.

Critics say he is too outspoken, makes statements that should be the government's responsibility and has grown increasingly argumentative which is inappropriate for his office.

In recent months, he has publicly expressed dislike for journalists, former King Michael and the highly respected public health official Raed Arafat, whose resignation prompted the protests which started on Thursday.

So the President's key problems are that he's too outspoken and he doesn't like the media.

Yep. That doesn't at all seem like the sort of qualities of a useful idiot. Speaks up, and doesn't like the tools of the elitists of Europe.

I'll have to look closer. But on first blush, seems about right as someone you'd like to bump out of the way.

Protests do not happen without reason.

Furthermore when one protest's objectives are met, as in your case over the services incident, because there are and will always be 2 sides to a coin. Satisfy one and the other will become dissatisfied.

Thus, most critical is that:-

1. NO VIOLENCE must ever be allowed. Protests are meant only as a voicing out measure to be heard. Any within the protest movement that uses violence must be apprehended and brought to justice with a fair trial. That's what's meant by peaceful protest.

At the end of day, the power of the people lays in the vote, not just one, but the majority. Sink or swim for the next few years, the majority's voice must be respected, and even then, protests must still be allowed, so that legislators whom may had erred from campaign promises, will seriously look into the greviences or they get the boot when the next election comes or earlier, if widespread protests are held over grevious national errors.

Thus the responsibility of avoiding protests lay in the hands of the elected legislatives, to ensure that whatever measure they wish to pass or approve, had been fully consulted and agreed upon by their own electorate, and not on a whim and fancy by themselves.

To ensure, it is by getting to know his constituents better, by himself or by honest grassroots movement, so that he gets a better grasp of the picture and will not be manipulated by anyone, to convince, or be convinced to act.

Such is democracy.

2. For Romania's case, there are many more issues that the gov needs to adress urgently. Top of the list is economic performance and next- discrimination of the races. It is only a matter of seeking the truth, and selecting the best and fastest way to improve the economy sustainably through the years through circulating of wealth, giving confidence, motivation and pride back to ALL ethnic groups in the nation.

It calls for leadership now. May good men in Romania stand up in this worldwide financial crisis era now.

Good luck!

reply to post by SeekerofTruth101


We have absolutely no problem with ethnic groups. Because we have some of the gypsies that are extremely poor doesn't meen we are racist. Just look at the luxury gypsies that aren't even taxed (yes, 90% of them don't pay taxes).

The main problem is that since communism fell here 22 years ago, it all went downhill. We don't have an industry not to mention agriculture. Frankly communism was better because then everyone had a job and i mean everyone and everyone had food and a place to live which was quite good for the orice paid.

Another problem is the constant rising in prices to all kinds of things from food to gas.

reply to post by AlexIR


Communism or democracy or religious state are only as good as it can provide for the people. Communism of the past, with its loss of revenue to the big russian bear and its reign of terror will never be forgotten. Bringing back communism, or worshipping Putin today to be brought back into russian hegeomony, will not get you anywhere too, unless you have oil underground.

After communism, Romania was known as an economic tiger and managed to solved its social woes. Too bad that recession struck and struck again, a case of ineptitude and worse-corruption practiced by the leaders.

It needs more honest, attentive, capable and communicative leadership, which Romania does not lack, if only they are given the chance, instead of looking longingly to Putin, who will be soon in a mafia russia of woes. .

www.canadianbusiness.com...

Protesters yelled "The Mafioso government stole everything we had!" and "Get out you miserable dog!" — a popular expression of contempt used to refer to Basescu. Protesters roamed through the centre of the capital, and Mayor Sorin Oprescu called on them to refrain from acts of violence. Antena 3 TV reported that shops in the vicinity of the protest were vandalized.
"We are here to protest, we cannot face it any more, we have no money to survive, our pensions are so small, the expenses are more than we can afford. It's no way to live," said a protester who would only identify himself as Sorin.

www.neurope.eu...

Romania is getting 6 Billion Euros (7.6 Bil USD or so) from the EU cohesion fund and agriculture for this year? I'm vaguely familiar with farm subsidies, but the EUs programs seem really odd. What is it that they are trying to accomplish?

Boc said the main priorities for 2012 include maintaining jobs and investments and increased absorption of EU funds, which are essential for “maintaining the 2.1% economic growth forecast for 2012”.

Economic growth based on influx of money from outside sources with any tie to actual trade value isn't economic growth. Am I missing something?

reply to post by Aeons


Our current leaders have no idea what economy is.

They systematically destroyed the country's economics by taking loans from the IMF and spending the money on black holes such as salaries for the state employes instead of investing them.

They lowered salaries and pensions to a level that if you work like 50 years of your life you get something of about 200 euros and being old and taxes being high also due to these scumbags, you have 50 euros to live on for a month if you are lucky.

I'm sorry but, Have you been off the planet for the last few years? Protests have been going on in parts of Europe for the last 3 years. Europeans are nothing like Americans. If you take their stuff away they'll burn down the neighborhood. We just sit around and whine.