Political tensions are ramping up again in Romania, following a government proposal to allow non-violent prisoners out of prison early, according to news reports. Romania won widespread praise in recent years for its crackdown on corruption, but the new initiative has sparked concern that the new regime seems to be backtracking on this progress. Protests erupted last week across the country and the European Commission said Wednesday that the move could undermine the fight against corruption. The government is claiming its goal is to solve the problem of overcrowding in prisons, rejecting accusations that ministers simply want to let their allies out of jail. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis appears to be against commuting sentences early and has called for a referendum to decide the matter.
