Representatives of the gendarmerie defend themselves against the accusations of the protesters from Constanta that the gendarmes set a “trap” for them and sent them in the opposite direction, the institution claims that this was “an exclusive decision of theirs, which is not the result of the instruction of law enforcement authorities.”

Protesters accused on social media that the gendarmes directed them to drive in the opposite direction, onto the emergency lane of the A4 motorway (Constanța ring road), and were then stopped by the police and fined.

The gendarmerie claim that on Tuesday, a convoy of 47 protestors drove along the A4 highway from the DN39 side, accompanied by a special gendarme vehicle towards the port.

• “As the access to the port was blocked by the column of guns, the gendarme crew and the transport of the protestors had to park as a result of this blockade.
• Given the fact that at that time there were other rubble in front of gates 7 and 9 of the port, the gendarme crew received a new task, redirecting to these areas.
• Since the road to the port was blocked, the gendarmerie special car turned in the opposite direction, onto the emergency lane with the traffic lights on, for emergency traffic in the area of ​​gates 7 and 9,” the gendarmerie said.

The department claims that before performing this maneuver, a gendarme got out of the special car, who noticed that some of the cars intended to take him in the opposite direction, and reminded the drivers that they should park in the place where they were.

• “It should be noted that not a single representative of the gendarme crew made signs in the direction of the protesters’ column to follow them.
• The movement of the vehicles that were part of the protestors’ convoy in the opposite direction was solely their decision, but was not the result of the order of the law enforcement authorities,” said the press release of the Romanian Gendarmerie sent on Wednesday.

On Tuesday evening, cars and trucks belonging to farmers and transporters blocked access to gates 7, 9 and 10 Bis of the Port of Constanta. Police in the province of Constanta said on Wednesday that 30 protesters were left without their driving licenses after a convoy of vehicles entered the A4 motorway in the opposite direction, “putting road safety in the area at serious risk”.