Romanian PM Renounces Police Protection – Union Leader

President Traian Basescu has also requested that Interior Ministry personnel be relieved of providing his security, as of Friday 5 p.m., after ministry employees took part in an unauthorized march on the presidential palace, said the President’s spokesman, Valeriu Turcan.

The Interior Ministry services charged with the President’s security are the Gendarmerie, Police and Emergency Situations Inspectorate (ISU), but all three were coordinated in this task by the Protection and Guard Service (SPP), which might take over their duties, in light of the President’s decision.

Nearly 8,000 people, including thousands of police officers and prison guards, gathered outside the presidential palace in Bucharest on Friday. They had started their demonstration at the Government’s headquarters but left after two hours for the presidential palace, in an unauthorized march, where they threw bottles, candles and police hats and demanded the president come out and solve their claims.

The demonstration ended without incident (or the President’s participation) a few hours later, after union leaders asked the protesters to go home and return for a new round of protests on October 7, when an ample rally is organized to mark Decent Labor Day.