Thousands protest in Romania against emergency decrees
Thousand of people marched through the Romanian capital Bucharest and other major cities on Sunday evening to protest planned emergency decrees aimed at granting prison pardons and decriminalise some offences. Critics claim it is a bid by Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu to protect Liviu Dragnea, leader of the governing Social Democratic Party (PSD), who received a suspended two-year jail term for vote-rigging.The plan, including pardons for convicts sentenced to less than five years and reduced sentences for prisoners over 60, would result in the release of at least 2,500 convicts in an attempt ‘to ease’ prison overcrowding. Romanian Justice Minister Florin Iordache is expected to hold public consultations on the issue on Monday.
Protests in Galaţi judiciary
Registrars and others officers working with the Tribunal and the Appeal Court in the Romanian eastern port of Galaţi went on strike for two hours on Monday. Protesters, trade unionists of the Ius-Lex trade union, attended the two-hour strike due to low pay and poor working conditions. Protesters also mention the lack of dialogue with the Justice Ministry in the capital Bucharest. More similar actions are expected unless protesters’ requests are answered. The Ius-Lex trade union includes some 125 members. Similar actions were reported in the northern Romanian town of Botoşani.
Conductor Stelian Olariu dies at 88
Stelian Olariu, the emblematic conductor of the choir ensamble of the Romanian National Opera in the capital Bucharest, has died. He was 88. His career is largely connected to the Romanian Opera where he conducted its choir for 55 years. Born in Parţa, a village near the western Romanian town of Timişoara, Mr. Olariu was a graduate of the local conservatoire and the Music University in Bucharest before becoming conductor of the Children Choir of the Pioneers’ Palace (currentuly, the Presidential Palace of Cotroceni). Stelian Olariu conducted the Romanian Opera Choir since 1962 as he is seen as the world’s musician with the longest conducting career in a single institution.
A romantic night at Romanian Radio’s Concert Hall
Romanian Radio’s Concert Hall in the capital Bucharest will host a romantic night of music on February 3. Conducted by Gheorghe Costin, the National Symphony Orchestra of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation (SRR) will play Weber („Oberon” Ouverture), Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in C major, and Johannes Brahms’ Symphony #1, op. 48 with violinist Cristina Anghelescu as soloist.
Permanent conductor of the Banatul Philarmonic in the Romanian western town of Timişoara, Gheorghe Costin is well known for is appearences abroad, in countries such as Italy, France and Great Britain.
Cristina Anghelescu is a garduate of the Bucharest Music University and the title violinist of the Radio National Orchestra. A prize-winning artist, Ms Angelescu attended violin competitions in Finland (Jan Sibelius in Helsinki), Italy (Alberto Curci in Naples), France (Marguerite Long – Jacques Thibaud in Paris) and others.
Alexandru Danga
