Thousands of people protested in Bucharest Wednesday against the Romanian government's austerity plans, which will slash public sector salaries and freeze pensions. Carrying whistles, balloons and flags, the protestors - numbering 9,000 according to local police - marched from the Senate to government headquarters, calling for resignations and chanting "Shame on you.
They oppose a draconian austerity plan to cut public sector salaries by 25 percent and impose a 24 percent increase on consumption tax. It will also raise the retirement age to 65 by 2030 and freeze pensions in 2011. "After the elimination of a bonus, my salary has been cut by nearly 40 percent to about 240 euros (322 dollars) a month," said Horia Bracatin, a Bucharest laboratory assistant who has worked for 40 years.
Public roads worker Traian Alinta, 59, said he could barely feed his 15 children. "The rent alone amounts to 360 euros, whereas my salary is about 600 lei (160 euros)," he added. Factory worker Florin Duca said he was protesting "out of solidarity" for public sector workers, but also opposed the pension freeze. The austerity measures are part of reforms concluded with the International Monetary Fund and the EU, in exchange for 20 billion euros in aid to help Romania emerge from the financial crisis.