Senate's Tariceanu: Romania, in permanent state of political tension

Senate Chairman Calin Popescu-Tariceanu said on Sunday evening that he respects the right of any citizen to protest, but some of them are professional protesters, adding that some people "are alarmed by statements of the opposition that some misfortunes would happen."

"Romania is in a permanent state of political tension. I am wondering how many ordinary people are more worried of and concerned about politics and less concerned about their everyday life, which is surely guided by some markers such as income levels, personal wages or pensions, the possibilities to live as pleasant and as good as possible, that is to say the quality of life, including the level of public services offered to citizens, infrastructure quality, those who are so preoccupied with these things, controversial issues, as is normal in a democratic society. Of course, it would probably be better for these tensions that are exacerbated - and I find them much exaggerated lately - to be at a lower level so that people do not live with this feeling that sometimes they are alarmed by some statements from the opposition alleging to misfortunes that would happen," Tariceanu told Romania TV private broadcaster.

According to Tariceanu, none of the misfortunes predicted by the opposition and the president of the country have happened for two years.

"Is it normal, is it responsible to act like this only to make a political platform? Of course I am addressing mainly the opposition parties and the president. My answer is 'no,' my answer is' let us all try and be responsible and rational and well-balanced,'" added Tariceanu.

The national leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), minor at rule, also said protesters "have a problem with anything."

"These protesters have a problem with everything. First of all, as a man who is convinced that there is no better political organisation than democracy and, in this case, parliamentary democracy, I cannot but respect the right of every citizen to express his or her point of view and, obviously, to protest; we surely part ways when some of them do not understand to make it civilized and use all sorts of innuendos or resort to violence. So, I respect the right of any citizen to protest, to express their dissatisfaction, but some of them are professional protesters, today they do not like the ordinance, tomorrow, they will not like something else; we have seen enough over the last years," said Tariceanu. AGERPRES (RO - author: Alina Novaceanu, editor: Irina Poenaru; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colcer