* The protest began in a stormy manner and concluded with the "Dance of the Penguin" and breakdancing
Tens of thousands of unionists yesterday filled the Victoriei Square in Bucharest to protest the austerity measures announced by the government to fight the crisis.
The slogan of the meeting was "THEIR verdict: live if you can", and was organized by the five major unions - Cartel ALFA, BNS, CSDR, CNSLR Frăţia and Meridian. The protesters were unhappy with the wage and pension cuts announced by president Traian Băsescu and by the Boc Cabinet (25% and 15% respectively).
Ever since the first hours of the morning, buses from all over the country began arriving in Bucharest, as the streets adjacent to the Victoriei Square began filling up with protesters. According to Police estimates, 30,000 protesters attended the meeting, instead of the 60,000 that were expected.
Equipped with t-shirts, baseball caps, whistles, flags, and trumpets, the tens of thousands of unionists all requested the resignation of the Boc government and of president Traian Băsescu. Protesters warned that they would go on general strike, if the executive did not go back on its planned austerity measures.
* "We will give you 25% of our salaries if you go away"
Doctors, teachers, policemen, public clerks, railway workers and miners expressed their anger at the 25% cut of their salaries and at their inadequate work conditions.
One of their banners had the message: "We will give you 25% of our wages if you go away!". Accompanied by the drums of the unionists of Piteşti, protesters yelled "Down with the government" and "Down with Băsescu".
* "Boc, Boc, Boc, the Police is knocking on your door!"
Another slogan that seemed to be among the favorites of the protesters, in particular of the Policemen, was " Boc, Boc, Boc, the Police is knocki
