Monday, November 3rd
Romanian presidential elections’ preliminary results according to BEC
Romania’s governing coalition candidate Victor Ponta and his Opposition rival Klaus Iohannis of the Christian Liberal Alliance remain the frontrunners among contenders for the first round of the country’s presidential elections on Sunday, according to Marian Muhuleţ, spokesman of the Central Election Bureau (BEC), who made the statement after 98 percent of the votes were counted on Monday at 11:00 AM (local time). „Here are the partial results: Victor Viorel Ponta – 40.33%, Klaus Werner Iohannis – 30.44%, Călin Constantin Anton Popescu Tăriceanu – 5.40%, Elena Gabriela Udrea – 5.18%, Monica Luisa Macovei – 4.46%, Cristian Dan Diaconescu – 3.99%, Corneliu Vadim Tudor – 3.66%, Hunor Kelemen – 3.50%”, Mr. Muhuleţ said while pointing out that further counting was still expected in the counties of Bacău, Bihor, Constanţa, Olt, Tulcea and Vrancea.
Some 300 complaints of alleged election irregularities
Almost 300 complaints of alleged election irregularities were reported following the presidential elections on Sunday, five times fewer as compared with the presidential runoff in 2009, Romanian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Monica Dajbog said in a statement on Monday while pointing out that half of them were not confirmed. However, 57 people are under investigation for alleged corruption over the vote or multiple voting. At the same time, no attempts were reported of moving people from one constituency to another for multiple voting, Ms. Dajbog added.
Teachers involved in the „bribe for the bac” case
A mathematics inspector in the Romanian eastern town of Brăila was sent to court by the country’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) for her alleged involvement in the „bribe for the bac” case. (The baccalaureat, often known in Romania colloquially as the „bac” is a qualification taken at the end of the high school, ed. n.). Manuela Mirela Diaconescu is under house arrest while being accused of alleged fraud as she facilitated RON 2,500 in bribes for two teachers who were expected to help a graduate score a promotion mark in maths, DNA said on Monday. The teachers are also under investigation.
„Blinding”: Romanian writer Mircea Cărtărescu on tour in Austria
Romanian writer Mircea Cărtărescu is starting a tour aimed at promoting his widely acclaimed trilogy „Die Flügel” („Orbitor”/”Blinding”) in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The tour is organised by Paul Zsolnay, an Austrian publishing house, with the support of the Romanian Cultural Institute and includes events in Berlin, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Basel, Passau, Graz and Vienna. The trilogy’s complete translation belongs to Gerhardt Csejka and Ferdinand Leopold. The first books, „Die Wissenden” („Aripa stângă”/”The Left Wing”, translated by Gerhardt Csejka) and „Der Körper” („Corpul”/”The Body”, translated by both Mr. Csejka and Ferdinand Leopold) were published by the Paul Zsolnay Publishing House between 2007 and 2011. Their work for „Der Körper” and Mr. Cărtărescu were awarded the Haus der Kulturen der Welt Prize in Berlin. The head of the Literaturhaus in Berlin, translator Ernest Wichner, is expected to join Mr. Cărtărescu in his Austrian tour.
Alexandru Danga
