U.S. Scolds Romania Front for Bullying Political Foes

The United States, expressing growing disquiet that Romania’s leaders might betray the ideals of last month’s revolution, said today it had protested the intimidation of opposition groups there.

“We are deeply troubled by what appears to be active intimidation of legitimate organizations which are seeking a legitimate independent role in Romania’s new political order,” said State Department spokeswoman Margaret Tutwiler.

Referring to the actions by supporters of Romania’s ruling National Salvation Front in besieging the headquarters of opposition parties and forcing their leaders to flee Monday, Tutwiler said:

“Our ambassador in Bucharest protested these actions to Romanian officials yesterday and asked that the right of all political groups to peaceful protest be fully protected.”

Tens of thousands of pro-Front demonstrators surrounded the offices of the National Peasants’ Party and the National Liberals, the only two groups offering a significant challenge to the Front, which has ruled since the Dec. 22 overthrow of Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

A military escort had to take Corneliu Coposu, president of the Peasants’ Party, to safety in an armored personnel carrier.

Tutwiler’s statement was the third expression of concern from the Administration within a week. It reflected Washington’s growing anxiety that Bucharest has strayed off the path toward genuine political reform.

“We will be greatly saddened if the hope for democracy and human rights won at such great human cost in Romania were to be lost by a retreat to the habits and practices of an old totalitarian era that should be completely discarded,” Tutwiler said.