This is the end of democracy in Romania if Deep State is allowed to win. And it puts the rest of Europe on notice that 'resistance is futile!'
Tens of thousands rally in support of NATO-skeptic Romanian politician
Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in Bucharest on Saturday to demand that the second round of the annulled Romanian presidential election take place rather than a new vote be held. The protests come after in December Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled the results of the first round, which saw right-wing candidate Calin Georgescu win with 23% of the vote.
In January, Romania's ruling coalition approved a rerun of the presidential election, the first round of which is scheduled for May 4. If no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote, a runoff will follow on May 18.
The Romanian authorities cited supposed “irregularities” in Georgescu’s campaign, claiming without proof that Russia had covertly supported him. The politician is known as a critic of NATO and the EU and a staunch opponent of aiding Ukraine.
Saturday’s rally, organized by the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party, drew participants from across the country to Bucharest’s Victory Square. AUR leader George Simion and Georgescu were in attendance. Organizers claimed that nearly a million people turned out, although several media outlets reported lower figures.
The demonstrators in front of the government’s headquarters chanted “Down with the Government,” with placards demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. According to media reports, there were several isolated altercations between protesters and police, which had a large presence in the Romanian capital.
Simon proclaimed that the protest on Saturday was pursuing the goals of “returning to democracy, supporting free elections and expressing protest against the government.”
He warned that similar rallies would follow until the authorities paid heed to the dissatisfaction felt by large sections of the Romanian population.
Georgescu stated that “Romanians are fed up with corruption and state security forces.” He urged the demonstrators to “repossess our country.”
On Wednesday, police briefly detained the politician and conducted dozens of raids on his supporters. After being questioned by the Prosecutor General’s Office, Georgescu was released, but barred from leaving the country, making social media posts, or appearing on TV. He faces a total of six charges, including “anti-constitutional acts” and misreporting finances, the authorities said in a statement.
The politician claims that he has fallen prey to the Romanian “deep state.”
Earlier this week, he asked US President Donald Trump for help against what he described as a political persecution campaign against him.
Georgescu’s arrest drew condemnation from Trump-appointed government efficiency tsar Elon Musk, who described the Romanian government’s actions as “messed up.”
US Vice President J.D. Vance similarly hit out at the government in Bucharest while speaking at the Munich Security Conference in February.
EU wants another year of war – Rubio
Some EU countries would favor the conflict between Russia and Ukraine dragging on longer with the idea of weakening Moscow, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has charged, stressing that Washington’s goal is to end the hostilities.
Rubio's comments came after a heated meeting between President Donald Trump and Vladimir Zelensky on Friday, which triggered accusations from American officials that the Ukrainian leader showed “disrespect” and ingratitude towards the US.
In an interview with CNN on Friday, Rubio emphasized that Washington is seeking peace for Ukraine, adding that if there’s even a 1% chance of that happening, it “needs to be explored.” He also suggested that some of his EU counterparts are not exactly on board with this approach.
He cited an unnamed European foreign minister as saying that the EU’s plan is to allow “the war go… on for another year and at that point Russia will feel so weakened that they’ll beg for peace.” Rubio criticized this approach, stating, “That’s another year of killing, another year of dying, another year of destruction, and by the way, not a very realistic plan in my point of view.”
Rubio has also called on Zelensky to apologize for what he called an “antagonistic” approach during the meeting, rebuking him for his stance on an agreement granting the US rights to Ukraine’s natural resources, which was set to be signed at the White House but ended up in limbo due to the spat that ensued.
While Zelensky – who urged the US to continue military support for Ukraine while warning that the failure to do so would backfire – was heavily criticized by Trump administration officials and Republicans, many EU leaders rallied to his support.
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the EU Commission, praised Zelensky’s “dignity” and reassured him that he is “never alone.” Friedrich Merz, Germany’s presumed future chancellor, said that “we must never confuse aggressor and victim in this terrible war.”
It's too late, you've been confused for 3 years now. The aggressor has always been NATO (read America) in this proxy war. The only one benefitting from it is the Western War Industry which is filthy rich and getting filthier every day.
Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, went even further, issuing a not-so-veiled rebuke to Trump. “We stand by Ukraine. We will step up our support to Ukraine so that they can continue to fight back the aggressor… Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge.”
You need to stand up to NATO, the War Industry's storefront, not Russia.
Whereas Russia has praised the Trump administration for its willingness to find ways to resolve the Ukraine conflict, including examining its root causes, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has denounced the EU for what he described as a desire to further escalate the hostilities.
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More consequences of NATO's proxy war with Russia. Expensive American LNG is not working in the German industrial world. The country is headed for its third straight year of recession for the first time since WWII.
German engineering giant announces more job cuts – media
Bosch, the world’s biggest automotive supplier by revenue, is planning additional job cuts at several locations amid stagnating global sales and deepening downturn in the German economy, Stuttgarter Zeitung has reported.
While the exact number of layoffs has yet to be announced, the reported move will add to a series of workforce reductions by the company. In November, the Stuttgart-based group announced plans to slash 5,500 jobs over the next several years.
Bosch CEO Stefan Hartung attributed the decision to sluggish global economy, the stagnating automotive sector, as well as increasing competition from China, and consumer uncertainty. The industry is also reckoning with a slower-than-expected transition to electric vehicles.
“We will not be able to avoid further job cuts,” he told the outlet on Sunday.
Hartung also cited the shift from combustion to electric engines, highlighting that it will inevitably result in significant job losses.
The slower-than-expected adoption of e-mobility could also allow the existing combustion engine production to continue operating at full capacity for longer than expected, Hartung noted. Many employees will reach retirement before their positions are phased out due to the transition, he added.
Over the past two years Bosch has repeatedly announced plans to cut jobs, warning last year that up to 10,000 positions could be at risk.
Preliminary estimates showed that the company’s earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) fell by a third to €3.2 billion last year, the outlet said.
The company’s planned cutbacks are the latest sign of the growing strain on the German car industry.
Germany’s ailing automotive sector has raised concerns about the stability of the EU’s largest manufacturing economy. Rising costs have led to shutdowns and bankruptcies, including major players like Volkswagen.
Earlier this year, Handelsblatt Research Institute (HRI) warned that the German economy is on course for its longest post-war recession, with a third consecutive year of contraction projected for 2025.
