Southeastern Europe continues to be a hotspot for mass protests sparked both by tragedies, such because the Tempi practice crash in Greece or the collapse of the concrete roof of the Novi Unhappy railway station in Serbia, or by political disasters such because the Călin Georgescu’s success within the first spherical of Romania’s presidential election again in November 2024. Regardless of this grim sample, these protests have reminded residents throughout the area why they’re certainly one of democracy’s strongest weapons.
Disasters, a essential wake-up name?
After 4 months of large protests following the tragic collapse of a practice station in Novi Unhappy, Serbia’s anti-corruption motion led to the resignation of Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević on 28 January. During the last month, Serbian newspaper Danas highlighted taxi drivers, actors, public radio presenters and farmers amongst these exhibiting solidarity with the scholars main the protests, who’ve additionally been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Previous to Vučević’s resignation, Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić, chief of the ruling right-wing Serbian Progressive Celebration (SNS), mentioned that he “is not going to be pleased till the final pupil enters the classroom”, as Danas stories. In any case, the information outlet sarcastically asks, “who desires to be pleased when academics are finishing up an unsuccessful color revolution, and kids are waving within the streets?”
A couple of days after the Serbian prime minister’s resignation, the Serbian information media Beta quoted Vučić as saying that Serbia was being attacked from each inside and outside – hinting at an unproven overseas plot to depose him.
Greece follows Serbia’s instance
The resignation of the Serbian PM made headlines around the globe, with the Greek newspaper Efymerida ton Syntakton evaluating the Novi Unhappy accident to the Tempi practice crash that killed 57 individuals virtually precisely two years in the past. Coincidentally or not, a couple of days earlier than Vučević’s resignation, a whole lot of 1000’s of Greeks took to the streets throughout the nation, demanding accountability for the Tempi catastrophe. Efsyn supplied stay protection of the protests, with contributors chanting slogans resembling “I’ve no oxygen” and “No crime with out punishment”.
Like Vučević, Greece’s centre-right prime minister Kyriákos Mitsotákis (New Democracy) was put below strain. For instance, docs accused him of being answerable for the Tempi tragedy when the prime minister visited a hospital the place a nurse whose daughter was burnt alive within the tragedy was additionally current. “You’ve got blood in your palms”, Efsyn quoted the docs as shouting at Mitsotákis.
Romania’s president resigns amid rise of extremists
Klaus Iohannis (PNL, centre proper) turned the primary Romanian president to resign in an effort to keep away from being suspended by parliament. In his announcement, Iohannis insisted that he had not violated the Structure by extending his expired mandate till the brand new president is elected in Might 2025, following the cancelled elections final 12 months. The outgoing president will depart workplace on 12 February. Iohannis determined to resign “to save lots of Romania and Romanian residents from [a political] disaster”, the previous president introduced, as quoted by Cristian Otopeanu within the Libertatea. At the moment, the favorite to win the upcoming presidential elections is Călin Georgescu, who additionally received the primary spherical of the cancelled elections.
A ballot shared by Alexandra Coșlea and David Leonard Bularca for HotNews.ro reveals that Georgescu would get 37% of the vote, adopted by Bucharest’s mayor Nicușor Dan (impartial) on 21% and the pro-EU coalition’s candidate Crin Antonescu amounting on 18%. No surprise Georgescu remains to be doing properly, on condition that he has been very energetic over the previous months. For instance, with the assistance of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), Georgescu urged his supporters on 10 February to boycott large shops in favour of native producers and neighbourhood retailers, accusing retailers of exploiting shoppers and failing to pay taxes.
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“Costs have exploded, salaries are low, Romanian producers are being humiliated, and overseas hypermarkets are making enormous earnings on our backs,” mentioned AUR chief George Simion, as quoted by Oana Ababei in Adevărul. Whereas the affect of the boycott in Romania remains to be unknown, Croatians organised the same one on 24 January.
As Veronika Koprek and Dora Cimić report within the Croatian day by day Jutarnji Listing, main purchasing chains and hypermarkets reported a 50% drop in transactions in comparison with the earlier Friday, indicating that the boycott has had some actual affect. In line with the Croatian information company, residents spent round €20 million lower than earlier than the boycott.
Georgescu and Dodon need elements of Ukraine
Like hyenas lurking round a wounded animal, presidential candidate Călin Georgescu and the chief of Moldova’s Celebration of Socialists, Igor Dodon, each have declared over the previous month that they need part of Ukraine. “Ukraine is a made-up state, it doesn’t exist”, Georgescu mentioned in a latest interview, as quoted by Ștefan Borcea in Adevărul. The extremist candidate is 100% certain that Ukraine’s territory will likely be divided, mentioning that the Ukrainians misplaced the struggle and that he desires Better Romania again.
Like Georgescu, the Russophile former president of Moldova Igor Dodon desires a slice of Ukraine. “Lately, some European politicians have been saying that ‘part of Ukraine is ours, a component is yours’, that they’re choosing their lands. I wish to urge them – it’s essential to not share what is just not yours”, mentioned Dodon as quoted in Moldovan investigative newspaper Ziarul de Gardă. Dodon urged to the present liberal president, Maia Sandu, that any support to Ukraine through Moldova must be banned till these situations are met within the curiosity of Moldovans residing in Ukraine.
In the end, whereas tragedies and political crises proceed to check Southeastern Europe, in addition they present an important wake-up name – one that may both result in stronger democracies or deepen authoritarian tendencies, relying on how residents and leaders reply.
