Protesting students have brought to the Constitutional Court three decisions of the Council of Ministers, which, according to them, limit the right of citizens to assemble and protest. The youth representatives have filed appeals requesting not only their priority consideration, but also the suspension of the implementation of the contested provisions until a final decision is made.
In a statement to the media, the students stated that the three acts, although different, convey the same message: those who dare to oppose the government should fear the consequences. According to them, despite the government presenting the package as a mechanism for protecting peaceful protests and personal responsibility, in practice it risks punishing even citizens who have not used violence.
"Three different acts, with a common message, whoever raises their voice against the government should fear the consequences. The government says that with this package 'peaceful protest is protected' and that 'responsibility is always personal', the 'anti-violence' package punishes even those who have not used violence," declared one of the students.
Another protest representative stressed that the right to protest cannot be treated as a violation and that citizens who oppose the government should not be considered enemies. She demanded that the Constitutional Court give priority to the review of the appeals and suspend the implementation of the contested provisions until the final decision.
The students also explained that the complaints do not lose their object even if the Assembly approves the normative acts, as they have asked the Constitutional Court to extend its control over the approving law.
"We do not want to grow up learning that opposing the government is a crime and that participating in a protest is a reason to be treated as an enemy," the student said, adding that an entire generation is facing a state that, instead of guaranteeing young people space for debate, opposition and democratic participation, according to them, is responding with violence and fear.
With this step, the clash between students and the government over the new package of measures against protests is also being moved to the Constitutional Court, where it is expected to review whether the contested provisions violate the constitutional rights and freedoms of citizens.
