Romanian anti-austerity demonstrations have now spread across sixty cities, and are now in their eighth day.

Anti-austerity demonstrations in Romania are now into their eighth day. Protests have continued across the country’s biggest cities, with thousands of people demanding the resignation of the President Traian Basescu, and the Prime Minister Emil Boc.

Last night in Bucharest, over fifty people were arrested following violent clashes with the police. Local media have reported that five people required hospital treatment.

The protests started just over a week ago following the government’s attempt to push through unpopular health and social care reforms. The Romanian people saw this as the straw that broke the camel’s back, as they had seen two years of harsh austerity measures such as, 25% pay cuts, increases in income tax, and VAT rises, imposed on them at the demand of the IMF, in order to secure billions in bail-out loans.

"They've done only bad moves, the government does nothing to raise our living standards. Our low pay makes us second-hand Europeans," said 42-year old Daniela Lupu, a public clerk at the demonstrations"

A popular health minister resigned over the reforms, and the people took to the streets. Romanian media has reported that demonstrations and rallies have taken place in over sixty cities, with varying degrees of violence in all of them.

There has been concern expressed by the Romanian media that many journalists have been attacked by the police, or illegally detained.

Despite the protests, the government remain defiant, and have said that they will not be changing their plans.