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| Protests in Romania |
| (2012-01-18) |
| Last updated: 2012-01-19 13:37 EET |
Dr. Raed Arafat has been reinstated as state undersecretary within the Romanian Health Ministry after having resigned a week earlier, following a public conflict with president Traian Basescu. Infuriated with Arafat’s open criticism of a controversial healthcare bill, the head of state suggested it would be preferable if Arafat stepped down. Which he actually did, never knowing that Romanians would take to the streets and side with a professional who has been dismissed from a position he had every right to hold.
Raed Arafat is the founder of the Mobile Emergency Service for Resuscitation and Extrication, which is short for SMURD. Over the years, SMURD became a rapid and efficient public service that won the public’s sympathy. This very sympathy for SMURD and its founder has now turned into a pointed protest against president Basescu and the Romanian government, as people started to voice their discontent in Bucharest and several other cities.
Started on Friday, the anti-presidential and anti-government protests were on the brink of spiraling into violence on Sunday in the capital city Bucharest. Meanwhile, Dr. Arafat has been reinstated within the Health Ministry, and is confident that his expertise will help reform an underperforming and underfinanced health system. Raed Arafat also expressed his surprise with the support movement that his resignation set off:
Raed Arafat: “Personally, I was shocked with the support and confidence people have bestowed on me, because everything that happened after my resignation has showed people are on my side. People believe not in me as an individual, but in the emergency system I have helped build up together with my colleagues and all the governments that have contributed to the development of this system, particularly in the past six years”.
If the ruling coalition planned for Arafat’s comeback to soothe the disgruntled crowd, then their hopes have remained unfulfilled. Thousands of angry Romanians gather every day in Bucharest and large cities, calling for the resignation of the president and prime minister and for early elections. Arafat’s clash with the president was but the spark that ignited the flame.
Protesters are blaming lawmakers for the austerity measures that pushed them deeper into poverty, after their salaries and pensions were slashed and frozen. Moreover, the crowd is pointing the finger at the government’s corruption and arrogance, condemning authorities for their unwillingness to pursue a meaningful dialogue. “Occupy University Square, occupy Romania”, “What started on Facebook must now continue in the streets”, “Respect and dignity”, “This is not justice” or “Where is our money” are just but some of the slogans that could be heard among the demonstrators.
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