Renewed talks on Romania’s political stage
Romanian senators and deputies are meeting for their second ordinary session on Tuesday. Debates are expected to focus on such issues as the country’s controversial new Fiscal Code, the law concerning the vote by correspondence, wages of public servants and a law on public acquisitions, according to statements made by party leaders. Similar issues are also under debate at the headquarters of the left-wing governing Social Democratic Party (PSD) where party leaders are also expected to meet on Tuesday.
Bihor miners’ demands under debate
The managing council of the SC Băiţa Bihor SA, a mining company in the north-western Romanian county of Bihor, are expected to discuss recent demands put forward by the company’s miners on Tuesday, according to a statement by Liviu Pop, Romania’s Minister Delegate for Social Dialogue, who met representatives of three mining companies in the region on Monday. Some 55 miners started a sit-in demonstration at Băiţa underground seven days ago while another 15 launched a hunger strike on Monday. They all fear they could lose their jobs as the state-owned company in Băiţa depended on maintenance contracts with two private companies.
New corruption case against a former DIICOT chief
Alina Bica, the former head of Romania’s Directorate for Investigation of Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), appeared before prosecutors of the country’s anti-corruption watchdog (DNA) on Tuesday. Ms. Bica told reporters she was a suspect in another corruption-related case. The former head of ANAF (Romania’s National Agency for Fiscal Administration) appeared before DNA prosecutors for his alleged involvement in the same case. Şerban Pop is allegedly involved in a bribery case in favour of Horia Simu, a well-known businessman. ANAF sources allege that the former ANAF chief received a bribe of 230,000 euros while some of the money went to Ms. Bica.
Famous Romanian baritone Dan Iordăchescu dies at 85
Romania’s hugely-acclaimed baritone Dan Iordăchescu died in Bucharest on Sunday, August 30, after a two-year illness. He was 85. Dan Iordăchescu was born in Vânju Mare, a village in the south-western Romanian county of Mehedinţi, on June 2, 1930. After gradueting the Theatre Institute in the Moldavian north-eastern town of Iassy, Dan Iordăchescu became a student of the Music Conservatoire in the capital Bucharest which he graduated in 1956. An outstanding career took Dan Iordăchescu to the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Staatsoper in Vienna and other celebrated opera theatres around the world. He sang in 61 countries with artists such as Placido Domingo, Monserrat Caballe and Luciano Pavarotti. „Iordăchescu is a phenomenon. His voice is immense, dark in color, resonant … indefatigable.”, „Los Angeles Times” wrote in 1974.
Dan Iordăchescu will be buried on Wednesday in the Bellu Cemetery in Bucharest.
Alexandru Danga
