The order, which caused a wave of discontent, stipulated, among other things, the abolition of criminal penalties for crimes of malpractice (Article 297 of the Criminal Code), if the damage caused by them does not exceed 200,000 Romanian lei (about 2.8 million rubles), as well as the exclusion from the list of criminal offenses of malpractice (Article 298 of the Criminal Code).

The adoption of such a regulation was also condemned by the European Commission, and President Klaus Johannis (a national liberal, in opposition to the new government) took part in the protest movements. Since his election in 2014, he has been actively fighting corruption: over the past two years, more than 2,000 officials, including high-ranking ones, have been tried for corruption offenses.

The decision to repeal the scandalous ordinance (Ordonanţă de Urgenţă nr. 14 din 5 February 2017) was adopted following an urgent meeting with the country's Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu on Sunday, February 5, 2017.

Demonstrations against the initiatives of the new social-democratic government, which won the elections in mid-December 2016, began two weeks before the adoption of EmergencyOrdinance No. 13. Citizens were displeased not only by the attempt to decriminalize certain acts of corruption, but also by the authorities' proposal to pardon those sentenced to imprisonment for certain types of crimes if the term of imprisonment is less than five years. This draft of the emergencyordinance (Proiectul Ordonanței de urgență privind grațierea unor pedepse, available in d format

According to the authorities, the development of this provision was based on the need to stabilize the situation of overcrowded prisons. In addition to granting full pardon to those convicted of certain offences, the Draft Ordinance provides for a ½ sentence reduction for persons over 60 years of age, pregnant women and persons with young children.

The pardon decree, if passed, could include the leader of the Social Democratic Party, Liviu Dragnea, who came to power. After his party won the last election, Dragnea was the main contender for the post of prime minister, but the president refused to approve his candidacy due to allegations of corruption, and his protégé Sorin Grindeanu became the head of the new government. Currently, Liviu Dragnea is under investigation on charges of abuse of power, and the early