On March 1st in Romania men give women a token of affection called a "Martisor"

On the 1st of March, it is customary for women in Romania to receive “Mărţişor”, a sort of talisman, which can be a jewel, or just a nickel, glass or plastic figurine tied to a red and white string. Men give offer this little present to women in token of love, appreciation, or just trying to be complaisant with female colleagues at work. This year however, there is a woman in Romania which enjoys the sincere appreciation of a large part of the Romanian people. She is Romania's Minister of Justice and she's received one of the most beautiful Mărţişor a person can get. Iulian Muresan, from Radio Romania International witnessed the gesture...

This is University Square in Bucharest; it's drizzling, but from the loudspeakers, singer and song-writer Ada Milea’s music, wryly proclaims that "It's snowing mud...”. Indeed this could describe very well the outpour of slander Monica Macovei has been subject to since she took office as Minister of Justice in December 2004. Her political opponents and part of the media called her anything from a drunk, to a junkie. Just recently, the opposition parties tabled a simple motion against her which was passed by the Senate. But if she’s not at all popular across the political spectrum, civil society organized a rally to support her, under the slogan, "Mărţişor for Monica Macovei". About 1000 people gathered in University square to express support for her and what civil society thinks she stands for, namely the reform of the judiciary and combating corruption.

“We must take a stand and stop being passive spectators at all this show that's going on around us”, says this middle aged man, who was one of the participants in the 1989 anti-communist revolution. “I have the strange feeling that we’re the same people who were here in University Square back in December 1989. I don’t recognize any face, but I have this strange feeling, we're the same people fighting for the same cause as back in 1989.”

We're supporting the function that she has in the Ministry and also the person.
Why? Because others don’t. She doesn’t have the right people to stand up for her. Do you think that democracy and the values that she stands for, are in danger right now in Romania?
Yeah, that is a fact.

People were cueing up to sign a petition in support of the Minister of Justice. I joined the line, with this young man.

Do you think that this is a crucial time for democracy in Romania; do you think that we can loose something or gain something right now? Yes, because the communist party, like the PSD (Social Democratic Party) or PC (Conservative Party), are coming back and hitting all the foundation of democracy, right now, by blocking all the reforms we need.

I also talked to one of the organizers of the support rally, Monica Pepine from the Romanian Helsinki Committee.

We never ever had a minister like her and she is very, very honest, and this is bothering so many people. What's the danger, what could happen? There can be a reversion of the democratic process? Yes, definitely. We’re not going back to where we were under Iliescu’s regime, hopefully... I pray God for that, but we’re not moving ahead, if Monica Macovei is under this kind of pressure; because it’s a loss for democracy and my understanding once we’re entering in the European Union was that we are learning how to take steps forward and this is definitely a big, huge one backward.

Though the simple motion against the Minister of Justice was passed by the Senate, the prime minister and leader of the National Liberal Party, said, he would keep her. Willy-nilly, one might add, considering that the motion was passed by the Senate with discreet, but decisive help from the very party that should have supported Monica Macovei, that is the National Liberal Party.

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