Romania's government will scrap a decree decriminalising some graft offences tomorrow, Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu has said, as some 140,000 demonstrators protested against the law a stone's throw from his office.

"We'll hold an extraordinary meeting on Sunday to repeal the decree, withdrawn, cancel it ... you understand, and find a legal way to make sure it does not take effect," Grindeanu said in televised speech from the cabinet's headquarters.

The order decriminalising some graft offences is seen as the biggest retreat on reforms since Romania joined the European Union in 2007. If enforced, it would decriminalise abuse-of-power offences involving sums below 200,000 lei ($48,000).

They want to take us maybe 50 years back into history.- Andrei, student

Nationwide protests - among the country's biggest since the 1989 fall of communist rule and the execution of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena by firing squad - entered a fifth day today.

More than 30,000 demonstrators, many carrying national flags, whistling and blowing horns, marched peacefully towards parliament and formed a human chain around the sprawling edifice, the world's second-largest administrative building after the Pentagon.

"They want to take us maybe 50 years back into history. We can make a change and we have the power," said Andrei, a Romanian student who lives in Denmark but came to Bucharest to protest.

The protests have rocked the new administration less than a month since it took office on January 5.

Romania's Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu. Photo: Reuters/Stoyan NenovRomania's Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu. Photo: Reuters/Stoyan Nenov

PARTY LEADER'S TRIAL

The could put an end to the ongoing trial of Dragnea, accused of using his political influence to secure state salaries for two people working at his party headquarters between 2006 and 2013.

Dozens of other political figures from all parties stand to benefit from the decree.

Together with long-standing junior ally ALDE, the PSD has an overwhelming majority in parliament.

Grindeanu's government has rejected calls to rescind the decree, though splits in the cabinet emerged on Thursday with the resignation of a minister and a call from a vice-president of the PSD for the measure to be withdrawn.

The PSD leader picked Grindeanu to head the government after Dragnea himself was barred by a previous vote-rigging conviction.

Nine Western powers including Germany and the United States have said they are deeply concerned the decree could undermine Romania's partnerships in the EU and NATO.

Romania, which hosts a US anti-missile system, has struggled to combat endemic graft and remains among the poorest EU states.

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