Three Romanian Police Officers Carrying Weapons During Recent Rallies Identified

According to the sources, video recordings of the unsanctioned march to the Presidential Palace were analyzed by experts with the Bucharest Gendarmerie and were subsequently sent to the Interior Ministry.

They said preliminary documents needed to start investigations into the case of the three police officers have been already drawn up and will be sent to prosecutors.

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Monday, at the swearing-in ceremony of the country's new Interior Minister Traian Igas, that he expects the Government's report regarding the unauthorized protest march of police workers. Basescu stressed that Vasile Blaga's decision to resign from the position of interior minister substitutes similar decisions that should have been made by those responsible for the events last Friday. The president said the Government's report will be presented Thursday, at the meeting of the Supreme Defense Council.

Romanian Police chief Petre Toba said Monday that the report demanded by the head of state will be ready in a few days, adding it will also include video footage of the march and protest.

Union leader Marian Gruia told MEDIAFAX Tuesday that the Interior Ministry must determine whether the three police officers who were carrying arms during protests Friday were on duty, adding it is likely they were not protesters.

He said police unionists will sent a report presenting the situation to the European Parliament, adding the head of state is acting irresponsibly by attacking Romanian police officers. The union leader said the president was bothered by protesters' slogans. Gruia highlighted that the ministry demanded lists of demonstrators on September 24 and added he called for a meeting with the new interior minister to present him with the situation.

"We must present our standpoint. Moreover, those images might be counterfeit," said Gruia.

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.

Following the protest, Basescu and Prime Minister Emil Boc announced they no longer wish to be escorted by ministry personnel. The president said police officers undermined the state's authority and its institutions, and highlighted that the only protesters who breached the law during rallies staged last week were Interior Ministry employees. He also said gendarmes who were supposed to apply the law, negotiated the it with demonstrators.

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