January 23 (SeeNews) - Some 48,000 people protested on Sunday night in Bucharest and other Romanian cities against government intentions to adopt a massive pardon bill and modify the penal code in order to decriminalize some offences - a plan seen by its critics as an attempt to weaken the fight against corruption.
The protests were announced on Facebook and by 1800 CET on Sunday, some 30,000 people marched through the streets of the Romanian capital, from the central University Square to the government headquarters and then to the headquarters of governing Social Democrat Party (PSD) and their coalition partner Liberal-Democrat Alliance (ALDE).
Protests rallies were held in other several Romanian cities like Cluj, Iasi, Timisoara, Brasov, Sibiu and Constanta. Romanians living abroad also expresses their dissatisfaction with the government's intentions, holding protests in Paris, London and Copenhagen, Romanian media reported.
Last Wednesday, the coalition government led by prime minister Sorin Grindeanu unveiled the drafts of two emergency decrees that aim to pardon people serving sentences of up to five years for non-violent crimes.
Some 3,000 people then protested on the streets of Bucharest, too.
Romania's president Klaus Iohannis stopped voting on the two emergency decrees by showing up at the government meeting on Wednesday. Iohannis was also present at the protests on Sunday, saying that Romanians must stop "several political officials who have judicial issues and want to change legislation and jeopardize the rule of law in Romania".
Romania's attorney general, the supreme court, the chief of the anti-graft department and representatives of the civil society warned that if the decrees pass, some 2,500 people, including elected officials convicted of corruption will be released. Among them will be PSD leader Liviu Dragnea who was prevented from becoming prime minister due to a two-year suspended jail sentence for a referendum fraud in 2012.
Justice Minister Florin Iordache said that the two decreees are meant to help free up some space in the country's overcrowded jails.
These are the most massive protests Romania has seen since November 2015, when thousands marched through the streets after a fire in a night club in Bucharest claimed 64 lives. Back then, former PSD leader Victor Ponta resigned as prime minister under public pressure and was replaced by technocrat Dacian Ciolos.