Evaluation Note/Erhan Türbedar, PhD Romanian Government Shaken By Economic Crisis

Romanian cities have recently been the stage for mass demonstrations to protest against the measures the government has taken to safeguard the economy. Romanians' support for the Emil Bok government is steadily waning because of the political measures which made an unfavorable impact on the country's prosperity level. The opposition parties trying to capitalize on this have somewhat been conducting an early election campaign. The opposition is charging the government with undermining both the Romanian economy and the institutions of the state of law.

Having entered the EU on January 1st, 2007 following a long and painstaking process, Romania believed that EU membership would guarantee its social, economic and national security. However, what has recently been observed in Romania is a social crisis engendered by the government's obligation to bring the country in line with the macro-economic criteria laid down by Brussels. In fact, it is the global economic downturn which has tipped the macro-economic indicators out of balance. Although the fallout from the global economic crisis was felt in Romania later than in the other EU countries, it is evident that Romania cannot be free very soon of the troubles the crisis triggered.