Romanian prosecutors question owner of fire-ravaged club

A few of the protesters have made lists with demands.

On Friday evening, thousands of people protested for a fourth straight day in the capital’s iconic University Square and other cities across the Balkan country, carrying banners saying, “Corruption Kills”. The interior minister, who was already under fire over the death of a police motorcyclist who died in a crash while escorting his auto, also resigned and said he would take no part in a future government. “I assume the moral blame”. The central bank said Thursday that political uncertainty influenced its decision to leave borrowing costs unchanged and complicates monetary-policy making.

Iohannis’ choices for the caretaker PM are limited to the cabinet ministers in the outgoing government, but he is not required to follow Ponta’s suggestion. “The next step is for politicians, who can not ignore this sentiment of revolt”.

After the resignation of the prime minister, he made a decision to consult civil society groups- or what he called “the street” – on who should lead the next government.

The protests, which are demanding lawmakers’ immunity be lifted and health care and education funding boosted, may be benefiting the Social Democrats’ chances if a snap election is called.

Regular parliament elections are scheduled for December 2016.

Witnesses said the fire broke out during a heavy metal concert in the basement club when a spark ignited foam decor, sending people stampeding for the single-door exit. The blaze at the Colectiv rock club on Friday killed 32 people, with 130 still in hospital, half of them in critical condition.

Romania’s National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) accused Ponta of receiving $61,000 from a close ally and former minister Dan Sova, who had been under investigation for his firm’s contracts with two energy companies for more than a year.

I’ve written about the country’s corruption scandals before, but none have had quite the same emotional impact as this one.

Mr. Ponta withstood a vote of no confidence in Parliament on September 29.