Social Democratic Party (PSD) Chairman Marcel Ciolacu said that the protest organised by the Alliance for Romanians’ Union (AUR) on Wednesday before Parliament is an „abuse” of the party’s leader, George Simion, adding that members and supporters of this party „copy” the behavior invented by the Save Romania Union (USR), write Agerpres.
„At all these demonstrations, you have seen, the Romanian flag is used a lot. A serious thing, because we are throwing the Romanian flag into ridicule, we are also putting party symbols on the Romanian flag. It seems to me that there is also a law in Parliament and maybe we should vote on it as soon as possible, so that no one can put any insignia on the Romanian flag. Secondly, they copy what the USR have invented. Remember, these demonstrations were also inside Parliament and in the streets organised by USR. They are copying this behaviour. This behaviour does not lead to anything good. First of all, it is Parliament’s duty to legislate, to vote. There are debates in committees. If you assault the MPs, then the committee meetings will be held online and there is no longer the danger of physical aggression,” Ciolacu said in a Wednesday evening broadcast on Romania TV private television.
The PSD leader believes that the AUR approach was „a manipulation.”
„I think it is a great manipulation. My phone number was sent to me by other people too. ‘Call Ciolacu!’ and I say: ‘If you don’t mind, it’s my number’,” Ciolacu added, reporting that he had spoken to the person who called him and who told him that he had not read the law, but that he had learned from social media that „children would be stolen from us.”
He said that the PSD was involved, through Senator Titus Corlatean, in the recovery of some Romanian children from abroad.
„We will never accept anything like that (taking children away from their families – editor’s note). It’s a milestone in the PNRR, it passed, there have been many amendments, because they always present how the law was. Then the amendments are forgotten by everybody. It’s a political style, some parties work that way, with manipulation and intoxication of some people. (…) We have earned this right, me, you and our children, to go out and demonstrate in the streets and I value this right very much. Up to violence there is a long way,” Ciolacu said.
According to the PSD leader, there were „no major problems” and „no limits were exceeded” at the protest, but he considers those who resort to violence guilty.
Marcel Ciolacu mentioned that he has an institutional communication with the chairman of AUR, but a dialogue with the leader of AUR has not been established.
„In order to establish a dialogue, both parties must want it. (…) What Mr. Simion did today is an abuse. My opinion is that he did not win any votes from this demonstration,” Ciolacu stressed.
He expressed his opposition to Alexandru Muraru’s request to outlaw AUR, but said that everyone has the right to their opinion.
Among the reasons for Wednesday’s AUR protest before Parliament is the draft law on the organisation of activities to prevent the separation of children from their families. The Chamber of Deputies adopted on Wednesday the legislative act which provides, among other things, for the establishment of the National Child Observatory.
