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Protests in Romania have resulted in 33 detained in Bucharest, eight criminal cases opened, a spokesman of Romanian Gendarmerie said on Saturday.

The number of victims during the large-scale protests in Bucharest has grown to 440 people, Sputnik reports, citing Agerpres.

After most of the protesters dispersed, law enforcement officers had to use water cannons to extinguish fires lit by the protesters.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis condemned the brutal actions of the gendarmes and demanded explanations from the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

About 60,000 people gathered on the eve of the anti-government action in the Romanian capital, including representatives of the Romanian diaspora, who live and work in different countries, as well as residents of various counties. They demanded that the Parliament be dissolved, that early elections be held, that a government of technocrats be created, within a unicameral Parliament, which would include 300 senators, 100 of which should be representatives of the diaspora.

In total, the protesters have more than 20 requirements. They have expressed dissatisfaction with the tax system and pension reform, as well as the social assistance system, and have insisted on the development of the economy, agriculture and entrepreneurship. At the same time, they have advocated democracy and the development of partnership relations with the EU and NATO and have sought electronic voting.