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Thousands protest Romania's tax, justice laws

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BUCHAREST: Thousands have protested in Romania's capital against planned changes to the justice system they say will allow high-level corruption to go unpunished and a tax overhaul that could lead to lower wages.

Protesters briefly scuffled with mounted police in Bucharest, and they blew whistles Sunday and called the ruling Social Democratic Party "the red plague." Prosecutors recently froze party leader Liviu Dragnea's assets amid a probe into misuse of European Union funds.

It was the latest protest over government plans to revamp the justice system. Demonstrators also oppose a law that will shift social security taxes to the employee. The government says it will boost revenues.

Vasile Grigore, a 42-year-old doctor said: "We don't want our country to be run by people who are being prosecuted, incompetent and uneducated."

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