Romania calls crisis meeting over violence

16 Jan 2012, 9:26 am   -   Source: AAP
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Romania's government has called an emergency meeting to decide how to deal with violent protests against austerity measures.

Romania's government called an emergency meeting late on Sunday to discuss violent protests that show no sign of abating.

Demonstrators, angry about austerity measures and the resignation of a health official, have hurled stones and firebombs at police, who used teargas and flares. At least 13 people have been injured.

Interior Minister Traian Igas called an emergency meeting to deal with the crisis.

The protests, in their fourth day, are the most serious since President Traian Basescu, 60, came to power in 2004.

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 violence. Antena 3 TV reported that shops in the vicinity of the protest were vandalised.

"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.

Protests began on Thursday in support of a health official who resigned because he opposed planned government health care reforms. Basescu withdrew the reforms on Friday, but protests continued.

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