Romanians Continue Demonstrations Against Austerity Measures Outside Parliament HQ

Demonstrators call on lawmakers to overthrow the democrat liberal Government by voting in favor of the opposition’s no-confidence motion, which is to be read out in plenary Wednesday. Lawmakers are expected to put the motion to the vote next Tuesday.

The Parliament held a plenary meeting Monday, during which Prime Minister Emil Boc sought a confidence vote on behalf of the Government for the two laws which make up the country’s austerity plan, a move the opposition wants to counter with a no-confidence motion.

The motion needs the favorable vote of 236 out of 471 lawmakers for the Government to be overthrown, but opposition social democrats, conservatives and liberals only have 212 seats in Parliament.

The prime minister warned the country risks payment default unless it adopts unpopular wage and pension cuts and continues to receive installments of a EUR20 billion IMF-led loan agreed last year.