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Protesters evacuate an injured person during clashes with Romanian riot police in University Square in Bucharest, Romania, early Sunday morning, Jan. 15 Octav Ganea/AP/Press Association Images

Nine injured in Bucharest anti-austerity protest

Thousands have taken to the streets in Romania to protest against austerity measures for a third consecutive day.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE have taken to the streets of Bucharest, and at least people have been injured, as anti-austerity protests in the city enter their third consecutive day.

The protests began as a mark of solidarity with a health official, Raed Arafat, who resigned in protest against health care reforms in the country, Reuters reports. However, the demonstrations now reflect more general concerns about austerity measures and have also spread to other cities in Romania.

Police fired tear gas at protesters today as they marched towards Bucharest’s University Square, the BBC reports.

In 2009, Romania took a two-year €20 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, the EU and the World Bank, as its economy shrank by 7.1 per cent. Romania imposed harsh austerity measures under the agreement, reducing public wages by 25 per cent and increasing taxes.

It was a day of discontent in other parts of Central and Eastern Europe, with thousands taking to the streets in Croatia to rally against the country joining the EU, and in neighboring Hungary, where a far-right party called for a referendum on the nation’s EU membership.

Additional reporting by the AP

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43 Comments
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    Mute On the Dole
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    Jan 15th 2012, 4:50 PM

    Revolution is coming except in Ireland ….

    48
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    Mute David Stephan
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    Jan 15th 2012, 4:53 PM

    You won’t see anyone in the health service resigning here in Ireland, fat cats still (earn) squander too much money and have no principles. We must be the only f&@€ing sods in Europe with no backbone and a complete willingness to be abused with no retaliation. We are truly institutionalised, really!

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    Mute Cormac Flanagan
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    Jan 15th 2012, 5:24 PM

    Wouldn say that just all the separate groups are too against each other to organize a mass protest. Public sector unions had a protest and everyone just scoffed at them and gave reasons why they shouldn be protesting. #occupy movement had a protest and the same results.

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    Mute Thomas Mc Grory
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    Jan 15th 2012, 10:38 PM

    Sheep we are

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    Mute John Murphy
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    Jan 15th 2012, 11:18 PM

    Public sector unions can f*** right off when it comes to any kind of protest against government measures as far as I’m concerned. How could anyone be so stupid as to listen to overpaid officials like SIPTUs Jack O’Connor, Matt Merrigan, Jack Kelly etc. spew their insincere waffle from the back of a lorry at the GPO. while they hide from the PAC inquiry in case they might be asked a few embarrassing questions. Who in their right mind would want to walk behind a SIPTU banner in protest against government actions while questions remain unanswered about the HSE internal audit that found over €2m from partnership and training initiatives was used to fund over 31 foreign trips to destinations including the US, Australia and Hong Kong.
    Any kind of protest that would carry any shred of sincerity for it’s cause should demand to know about the shady deals that went on in the murky depths of ‘partenership’ with the last FF government.

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    Mute David
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    Jan 15th 2012, 11:29 PM

    Agreed john. The unions have a hell of alot to answer for.

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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Jan 15th 2012, 5:28 PM

    This is exactly what we as a nation should be doing….out on the streets. It’s the only way we can show FG/Lab that we’ve had enough.

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    Mute Teo O'Keefe
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    Jan 15th 2012, 5:36 PM

    Good on you, Croats! For having the spine to protest your corrupt government and saying NO to EU membership. Your independence is far too young to surrender. Keep marching, keep protesting.

    27
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    Mute Colm Mooney
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    Jan 15th 2012, 7:59 PM

    yes keep marching keep protesting and what will come of this constant whinging and whining…

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    Mute Adrian Arsene
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    Jan 16th 2012, 9:27 PM

    Romanians not croats, but thanks

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    Mute Gary Keegan
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    Jan 15th 2012, 6:34 PM

    And we still sit on our hands doing nothing :(
    Sad state of affairs.

    16
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    Mute john g mcgrath
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    Jan 15th 2012, 6:46 PM

    300000 public servants will say nothing to up set the best pension system in Ireland

    8
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    Mute Colm Mooney
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    Jan 15th 2012, 7:57 PM

    john..we PAY towards our pensions fyi..always have..stop believing sunday indo crap and research..30 years of shift work ready to help my fellow citizens..do I not deserve a pension or am I just a slave is it…sick of the anti public service ranters

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    Mute Richard Keogh
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    Jan 15th 2012, 8:07 PM

    The problem Colm is that the sum public servants pay is minuscule compared to the size of pension they get. No one in the private sector could ever dream of getting such pensions, yet we are paying the majority of the value of them through our taxes.

    9
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    Mute Colm Mooney
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    Jan 15th 2012, 8:10 PM

    Richard..we pay taxes too and will be subject to tax in retirement. average AGS pension is in.region of €30k pa..far from gold plated

    8
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    Mute Cormac Flanagan
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    Jan 15th 2012, 8:34 PM

    Colm I wouldn bother. People actually believe what they read in the sindo. Funny tho that all contributors on here go on bout how we should be rioting like Greece or protesting like Croatia. In both cases it was public service workers who were protesting. Yet when one was organized here no one turned up. Instead they came on here to whing.

    11
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    Mute Colm Mooney
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    Jan 15th 2012, 8:35 PM

    also Richard Ive paid prsi at a lower rate but for which I have never qualifued for any benefits so taxation on the double

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    Mute Colm Mooney
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    Jan 15th 2012, 8:42 PM

    spot on cormac

    6
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    Mute Dermot Purcell
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    Jan 15th 2012, 10:21 PM

    John its nothing to do with ordinary civil servants its the big wigs and those fuckers in the dail that we need to sort out no more divide and conquer

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    Mute Réada Quinn
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    Jan 15th 2012, 10:53 PM

    It’s bloody unbelievable the division in this country. Its long past time to stand together. Sick of the divisive language used so often. Public sector V private sector, employed V unemployed, renters V mortgage holders, etc, etc.

    Btw the moaners could have applied for your jobs if they wanted to but they took their chances on earning more in the private sector.

    The “divide and conquer” mantra is so annoying. Would those that engage in it ever decide to aim higher up the social ladder if they want to find someone to blame for the state we’re in. I think you’ll find most of them are private sector. Very flucking private.

    11
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    Mute Colm Mooney
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    Jan 15th 2012, 10:56 PM

    again Reada you speak the truth

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    Mute David
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    Jan 15th 2012, 11:19 PM

    30,000 euro gold plated pension. How much would a self employed or private sector worker have invest for that. And since when do the private sector get paid better than the public sector. That was the case last generation to take account of the public sector perks but not anymore. And as for getting a job in the public sector, the last I checked it was mostly a

    4
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    Mute David
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    Jan 15th 2012, 11:21 PM

    …closed shop for friends and relatives. Health sector excepted

    3
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    Mute Colm Mooney
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    Jan 15th 2012, 11:24 PM

    one word David…Bull! closed shoo for family and friends…you really should get out more and stop reading Brendan OConnor & sindo should really have a health warning before reading

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    Mute David
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    Jan 15th 2012, 11:33 PM

    @colm. Never read the Sunday indo in my life. am basing my comment on personal experience. Local authorities are the worst offenders and the least accountable

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    Mute Colm Mooney
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    Jan 15th 2012, 11:37 PM

    so in.light of your clarification why tar ALL public service (except health sector..your original statement) with same brush. we all pay taxes..

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    Mute John Murphy
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    Jan 15th 2012, 11:44 PM

    David is right.
    A little squeeze by your local aspiring gombeen Local Authority Councillor and you home and dry.

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    Mute David
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    Jan 15th 2012, 11:44 PM

    Well there is so many unqualified, underworked and overpaid people in the public sector but I couldn’t count nurses, midwives, ambulance workers amongst them. Now administrators are another matter altogether

    3
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    Mute Réada Quinn
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    Jan 15th 2012, 11:50 PM

    David. You’ve got to keep your eye on the ball man. The vast majority employed in the public sector are not going to be drawing huge pensions. They’ll be lucky to have any pension, as will we all, thanks to the way the Markets ie Wall Street continue to have governments worldwide by the balls.

    Why don’t you be more specific David and aim at the tiny amount in the civil service at the very top that are the unelected overpaid rulers here?

    5
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    Mute John Murphy
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    Jan 15th 2012, 11:54 PM

    Reada. You’re right too.
    Problem is that unfortunate public sector workers are dependent upon corrupt, discredited Unions (SIPTU for instance) to argue their case. Guilty by association, trapped into channeling their cause through unions that have as much credibility as FF. Trapped into paying union dues that make part payment into the coffers of one of our worst offenders in government – LABOUR!!

    3
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    Mute Réada Quinn
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    Jan 16th 2012, 1:08 AM

    John being a member of a union isn’t restricted to public sector. I’ve noticed you’ve got a serious union phobia. :-)

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    Mute John Murphy
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    Jan 16th 2012, 1:34 AM

    I’m afraid Reada trade union membership for the country is over 60% public service. And your right, I am somewhat disillusioned with unions. I believe when they got into bed with FF under the ‘partnership’ deal they were bought. The senior executive became as corrupt and as greedy as any in the FF cabinet, the upper strata of the civil service and the banks etc. Their underhand dealings with right wing elements and underhand dealings with government members and officials in the resolution of disputes to the detriment of their membership is a disgrace and has in many instances gone unreported because of pressure exerted upon unionized media staff.

    3
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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Jan 16th 2012, 6:41 PM

    I’ve often heard public sector workers say ”But I pay tax as well ” ; you don’t really; the state keeps back some of your wage and tells you you’re paying tax. Every cent you get is from the tax paid by private sector workers and industry ; money generated by making and selling something .

    Don’t get me wrong; I want public services; but you have to wake up to where your money comes from and accept wages went up in the good times and have to come down in the bad times.

    2
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    Mute Eugene Farrell
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    Jan 15th 2012, 8:52 PM

    We Irish really need to take note of how the English, the Icelandics, the Spanish and the Romanians are prepared to stop bending over…. I’d say it’s less sore to stand up!!!!

    15
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    Mute Claudiu Ceia
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    Jan 15th 2012, 5:49 PM

    Video from the Romanian protests: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wJKJnIJShW0

    Tonight will be more massive I think.

    9
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    Mute Colm Mooney
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    Jan 15th 2012, 9:44 PM

    the people with no principles are those in higher mid to too management and their mentors in political life. its common knowledge that there are too many middle managers but when it comes to streamlining its always at service delivery level where axe falls. beurocracy is overpowering and stifling..and if reports required sure its outside “private sector” experts who charge a kings ransom..in house experuse generally overlooked…imo there is NO reason for spin doctorscand “special advisors”..that is precisely why the civil.& public service is there..to advise the government of tge day but since the 90s the public service has been diluted by these extras at huge cost. cost of government in.ireland is horrendously high..needlessly so but we need politicians with a sense of purpose to genuinely reform public service..which incidentally is what public & civil servants WANT!

    7
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    Mute Theivycafe Johnstown
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    Jan 15th 2012, 7:30 PM

    We riot in the ballot box…wow

    4
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    Mute john g mcgrath
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    Jan 15th 2012, 8:32 PM

    @Colm Colm I think the problem is that no matter what happens to world stock markets public service pensions are paid form current expenditure not from a capital sum and the contribution paid by the public servants would not come to near 20 % of the actual pension paid
    if contributed to a fund.
    That is the problem no matter what happens to other pension funds the retiring public servant knows what his or her pension is.
    To purchase a pension of say 20000 index linked with survivor benefits one would have had to contributed over 30% of salary minimum over the period and then the pension figure depends on the value of the fund from which an annuity is purchased.
    So I suggest that you might check this with an actuarial pension advisor.

    3
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    Mute Colm Mooney
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    Jan 15th 2012, 8:40 PM

    john..im.well aware of the details of pensions both private and public…what do you suggest..govt renege on contractual obligations

    5
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    Mute Silent P
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    Jan 15th 2012, 11:25 PM

    John. We know all this. Build a big bridge and get over it. You are boring the pants of me here.

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    Mute Réada Quinn
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    Jan 15th 2012, 11:48 PM

    Me too Silent. John I just can’t believe you managed to make a comment without mentioning Gilmore and North Korea. :)

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    Mute john g mcgrath
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    Jan 15th 2012, 9:33 PM

    @Colm This is not a case of keeping contracts in place as the government parties have already torn up election pledges indeed today Ms Burton started making the noises about Croke park however this discussion may prove futile as time is against us with no growth this year and 1st and 2 nd quarter revenue targets will be missed and by the end of year the deficit target will be missed unless more austerity in summer budget.
    We don’t really form our budgets we only submit drafts for consideration to E U/I M F/E C B who will then decide what happens.
    It will not be long before they turn their attention to public service pay and pensions.
    By the way what the public service pays in tax prsi usc only just covers what’s paid in public service pensions
    I can supply source for these figures if you require

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    Mute Cormac Flanagan
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    Jan 15th 2012, 9:43 PM

    So your saying our prsi, income tax and USC and our pension contribution just pays for our pension. Yes I would like some links to this.

    4
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