Protest Announced in Galați: Pensioners Say They Can No Longer Bear the "Humiliations" After 35–40 Years of Work

On Friday, at 10:00 AM, what is being billed as the largest pensioners' protest in Galați is set to take place. People are being called to gather in front of the Prefecture to voice their dissatisfaction with the measures that have made their lives increasingly difficult.

Ilie Popa, the pensioners' representative, will be present at the demonstration. He spoke exclusively to Realitatea PLUS about the situation facing thousands of people, stating that pensioners have reached the end of their tether after decades of work, and criticising the lack of a social policy that adequately addresses current problems.

The protest is taking place in a context where pensioners are demanding pension increases and threatening large-scale demonstrations. Ilie Popa highlighted, among other issues, the unclear situation regarding the minimum pension and minimum wage, arguing that a lack of awareness of these basic figures reflects the severity of the problems in the social sector.

"The problem is that not knowing what the minimum pension or minimum wage is represents a very serious matter, and it shows that he has no social policy in place to resolve the current problems facing the country today," said Ilie Popa. He added: "Pensioners can no longer endure the humiliations we are subjected to after years of work — 35 to 40 years of work."

Friday's meeting at Galați Prefecture

Ilie Popa confirmed that the protest will take place on Friday at 10:00 AM in front of Galați Prefecture, where he hopes to meet directly with pensioners to discuss the issues at hand. Galați's parliamentary representatives have also been invited to the event, on the grounds that it was the pensioners themselves who sent them to Parliament.

"I will be in Galați on Friday regarding these matters. At 10 o'clock, at Galați Prefecture, I am expecting pensioners to join me for a meeting so we can discuss the problems that exist. I am also inviting Galați's MPs, because we are the ones who sent them to Parliament," Ilie Popa added.