Romanian Government Backs Down on Graft Decree Amid Protests
- Premier says cabinet to repeal disputed decree on Sunday
- Protests around Romania largest since fall of Communism
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Romania’s one-month-old cabinet bowed to pressure from the largest protests since the collapse of Communism and vowed to scrap disputed changes to criminal legislation that sparked concerns they would roll back anti-corruption efforts.
With more than 150,000 people protesting in front of Victoria Palace in Bucharest for a fifth consecutive evening on Saturday, Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu called an emergency government meeting for Sunday to repeal the changes approved on Jan. 31. Still, the move may not be enough to end the protests as many participants have called for the government to resign, citing a lack of trust in the administration.