Romania starts gas deliveries to the Republic of Moldova
Romania has started its gas deliveries to the Republic of Moldova on Wednesday, six months after the official opening of a pipeline connecting the Romanian northern town of Iassy to Ungheni in its neighbouring country. The project is aimed at limiting Moldova’s dependence on Russian gas imports. Delivery price hits $255/1000 cubic meters which is significantly lower than the $332 paid to Russia’s Gazprom. Negociations are under way on a potential pipe line extension to reach Moldova’s capital Kishinev, Moldovan Prime Minister Chiril Gaburici told reporters. This project would cost more than 60 million euros including 10 million euros granted by the EU.
CSAŢ meeting
Four Portuguese F-16 fighter jets and 150 Portuguese troops and civilians will head to Romania to participate in NATO aerial policing missions, according to a decision approved at a meeting of the country’s National Defence Council (CSAŢ) chaired by Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday. The agenda of the meeting also included issues concerning recent developments in neighbouring Ukraine and their potential impact on Romania. Participants estimated that a military budget of 2 percent of the GDP in 2017 would allow the army to endorse major restructuring programmes and further develop its military capabilities.
Romanian TV anchor Dan Diaconescu sentenced to jail
A major Romanian TV anchor and politician received a 5 year and 6 month-jail sentence on Wednesday. An Appeal Court in the capital Bucharest ruled that Dan Diaconescu, also the leader of Dan Diaconescu People’s Party (PPDD), should stay in prison for his involvement in a blackmail case. The decision is final. Following an investigation in 2009, prosecutors found that Mr. Diaconescu blackmailed a city mayor during a live TV broadcast while trying to make him pay 200,000 euros. Two of Mr. Diaconescu’s accomplices also received jail terms for their involvement in the case.
Actor George Mottoi dies at 79
Romanian actor George Mottoi (also Motoi) died at 79, according to a Facebook message posted by his daughter on Wednesday. George Mottoi was born in Arman, Caliacra (today Bulgaria) on January 22, 1936. Audiences are expected to pay their respects at the Sf. Vineri Cemetery in Bucharest on Thursday with funerals on Friday, March 6. A graduate of the I.L. Caragiale Theatre and Motion Picture Arts University in 1958, George Mottoi made his stage debut in Piatra Neamţ before joining the National Theatre in Cluj-Napoca after four years on a stage in Bacău, eastern Romania. Veteran stage actor and manager Radu Beligan invited Mr. Motoi to join the I.L. Caragiale National Theatre in Bucharest in 1970. He will be remembered for his stage appearences in the title role of Camus’ „Caligula’, Al. Davilla’s ‘Vlaicu Vodă’ as well as major parts in ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ by Dale Wasserman, William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ and ‘Richard III’, ‘The Name of the Rose’ after Umberto Eco etc.
His film career includes 45 titles such as „The Yellow Rose”, „The Silver Masque”, „Bucharest Mysteries”, „Kira Kiralina” and others. George Mottoi was awarded prizes for his activity in Romania’s theatre and cinema. He was married to actress Cezara Dafinescu for more than 20 years before marrying actress Gigliola Brăileanu.
Alexandru Danga
