Protesters who gathered in freezing temperatures for a fifth day of demonstrations chanted “Freedom!” and held banners saying “Hunger and poverty have gripped Romania!” They waved flags with the center ripped out, a symbol of the 1989 uprising against former Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. A car parked in the vicinity was set on fire but firefighters put out the blaze.

There were no reports of injuries. There were smaller protests in another dozen Romanians cities, but it was not clear how many people had gathered around the country. On Sunday, police clashed with a small contingent of around 1,000 protesters in the capital. Tear gas and flares were used to repel demonstrators hurling stones and firebombs.

Interior minister Traian Igas said Monday that around 8,700 people attended weekend demonstrations, but only in Bucharest did the protests turn violent, when — according to interior ministry officials — fans of football clubs infiltrated the demonstrations and wreaked havoc in the city.

In an interview on the B1 television channel, Traian Basescu said as Michael was head of state during the pro-fascist regime of dictator Marshal Ion Antonescu — prime minister from 1940 to 1944, during World War II — he should also be considered responsible for the death of some 280,000 Jews and 11,000 Gypsies.

In 1944, when Romania was allied with Hitler’s fascists, Michael staged a coup against Antonescu, and Romania switched sides to the Allies.

Basescu called Michael “a Russian lackey” in the interview, adding that his abdication — forced by Soviet-backed Communists in Dec. 1947 — was “an act of treason.”  (more here)

President Basescu will not attend the summit organized by C.E.S. in Poland.  Romania’s absence from the Central European Summit organized in Poland will not be well received in Washington, the New York Times comments Romania, Serbia  and Slovakia’s decision to boycott the summit. The three presidents of the countries announced that they will not attend the summit where US President Barack Obama is expected after Poland, convinced by the US invited Kosovo leader Atifete Jahjaga.  Kosovo has not been acknowledged as a state by Serbia, Slovakia and Romania.

The American daily considers that Romania’s absence from the summit will not be seen in good eyes in Washington considering that security relations between the two countries are very close. New York Times reminds its readers the agreement between Romania and the US on the anti missile shield placement, part of the NATO shield.

Romanian President Basescu declared that Romania’s refusal to the Central European Summit will not affect bilateral relations with the US. He said Romania has a predictable position and would risk, if it accepts such proposals, to meet the leader of the self proclaimed republic of Transnister (Moldova, a Romanian land) in another event.  Romania did not acknowledge Kosovo as an independent state, Basescu said, a neo-communist from the ’90s and a corrupted ex-Securitate officer…

read more on:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/world/europe/27iht-east27.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=basescu&st=cse

Due to the overwhelming popularity of this event, tickets are completely SOLD OUT. But you can join me for free for this special event online at:

http://amnestyusa.org/dalailama

When: May 4, 2011, 9:45 a.m. PST

Or here replay:
http://livestre.am/AGr6