Romania protesters not backing down after decree repeal

About 500,000 demonstrators have rallied across
 Romania, despite the government revoking a controversial decree that fuelled their discontent.

The left-wing government earlier scrapped the decree,
 which would have shielded many politicians from 
prosecution for corruption.

But protesters remain dissatisfied about a revised version 
of the bill which will now be put to parliament.

Some are calling for the government of PM Sorin Grindeanu
 to resign.

Recent days have seen Romania's largest protests since
communism fell in 1989.

The decision to repeal the degree was confirmed at an
emergency government meeting in the capital Bucharest
 onnSunday.

But protesters expressed concerns about the government's plans to redraft the law and send it for debate in parliament, 
where  it could be forced through.

Huge crowds swelled in the capital's Victory Square for a
 sixth day in a row.

A giant laser beamed the words "Do Not Give Up" and
"Resignation" on to the government building housing the
 prime minister's office.

"This government is organised from the high level to the
 low like a mafia, and we don't want something like this,"
 one protester, Profira Popo, told the Associated Press 
news agency.

Sunday night's demonstration in Bucharest was planned 
as the climax of the protest movement.

The government hoped that by scrapping the decree, 
calm would return to the streets of the country - but that hasn't happened yet.

Many in the crowd don't trust the government to keep to
 its word.

They are afraid that new legislation, promised by the prime
minister when he abolished the decree, might contain some 
of the same elements in a different form.

The decree would have decriminalised abuse of power offences where sums of less than €44,000 (£38,000;
 $47,500)  were involved.

Critics saw it as an attempt by the government to let off 
many of its own officials caught in an anti-corruption drive.

The government had argued that the changes were needed 
to reduce prison overcrowding and align certain laws with
 the constitution.

One immediate beneficiary would have been Liviu Dragnea, who leads the governing Social Democratic Party and faces charges of defrauding the state of €24,000.

The decree was originally passed on Tuesday and was due to
come into effect on 10 February.

The constitutional court has still to rule, later this week, on
 the legality of the original decree.