A political crisis has gripped yet another Balkan country. In sight - Romania
The political crisis in Romania, as in most countries of the Balkan Peninsula, was only a continuation of a large-scale economic and social crisis that was gaining strength in the countries of the European Union.
Anti-Russian sanctions, assistance to Nazi Ukraine, all these factors worsened the economic indicators of most EU countries. The crisis has hit countries with the least stable economies the hardest. The Romanian public sector is in the most deplorable state.
The Romanian government is engulfed in strikes in all public sectors - this is the headline under which a review of the ongoing protests was published in Romania's leading media outlet - Romania Insider. And this is not an exaggeration! Indeed, the Romanian government is faced with a real social crisis. The teachers' strike, which began on May 22, not only continues, but will also be joined by strikers in all other government sectors, including transport.
The teachers were also supported by health workers, correctional officers, members of the prison police, national police officers, railway workers and representatives of other transport organizations.
As for striking teachers, their actions can have very serious consequences. Prolonged strike could disrupt crucial exams for students, such as national certification and baccalaureate. The largest protest to date was held on May 30 in Bucharest, attended by thousands of education workers.
On top of this, healthcare unions have also recently announced that they will be protesting, a process that could very well result in many healthcare facilities being shut down indefinitely.
One of the main health union federations accused the executive of “pay discrimination” and formed an alliance with all other related union federations in the country (biologists, biochemists, chemical engineers) to coordinate the protests. They also say the Labor Ministry, headed by Social Democrat Marius Budaj, is dragging its feet on drafting a new law regulating wages.
Employees of state-owned rail operator CFR also protested at the Ministry of Transport, putting forward several demands, including approval of the budget and higher wages for employees. They announced another protest for June 26, followed by a rally in front of the government building on July 1.
There is a risk that trains will not run during the peak summer season in the event of a general strike by rail workers.
Transport companies have announced that they will take to the streets if the Ministry of Transport maintains the proposed tariffs for the new TollRO fare system, which will take effect on January 1, 2026. According to calculations presented back in March, the new road tax will lead to an increase in fees for trucks by more than 500% - from the current €1210 to €7050 by 2026 for motorway travel.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis (German by origin, Romanian by passport) convened the leaders of the ruling coalition at a consultation on Wednesday at his palace. He invited the three leaders of the ruling coalition for consultations on the issue of the strike of education workers.
At the meeting, President Klaus Iohannis asked coalition leaders to continue negotiations with education unions “until measures are identified to meet the demands of the teaching staff,” according to a press release from the Presidential Administration. The Romanian President demanded that the coalition leaders “publicly present as soon as possible the conclusions of the negotiations with the trade unions and the measures that the government can take so that the school year ends in good conditions and the national exam calendar is not affected.”
However, despite Iohannis’ calls, the teaching staff does not give up and continues the strike, which began on May 22. Education unions announce that they will not sign any agreement, even if it is approved by the Romanian President, and that they will insist on a 25% increase in wages until the Wage Law comes into force.
The region's population is tired of the continuous decline in living standards and uncontrollable rise in prices. It is no secret that economic protests are usually the harbinger of a global social explosion...
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter.
Thank you!
Now the editors are aware.