Romanian Police, Customs Unionists Protest Over Unpaid Rents

The protesters are staying with their backs against the ministry headquarters, to show that the institution has turned its back on them too, as they explained.

The protesters are displeased that their revenues dropped by nearly 20%, after several bonuses were cut.

Unionists ask authorities to apply the Police Officer’s Code as it was negotiated initially.

The protest began at 10 a.m. and is unfolding in Bucharest and ten other towns across the country.

Pro Lex head, Vasile Lincu, said during a press conference Monday that there are 12,000 people in the Romanian police force who won’t receive their rent money, of whom half are living in Bucharest and 800 are working for the Bucharest Police.

Lincu said the financial crisis determined the institution to suspend the hiring of 1,200 police officers and to delay by four months the beginning of the activity of the police academy graduates.

Lincu said the police officers who moved elsewhere in job interest have not received the rent money, which amounts to half of their salary each month, and will be therefore evicted.

Interior Minister Dan Nica said on July 20 that the rents paid to the police officers who work in a locality other than the one they live in amounts to ten wages and employees will thus be given the possibility to work where they live if rents are not paid.

He said there are 1,400 police officers in this situation working in Bucharest.