Romanian Politics

Where did all the Romanians go?

by Craig Turp February 3, 2012 Romania

 Remember the census carried out by the INS last year? Well, preliminary results were released yesterday. You can browse them at your leisure here. Edited highlights: The population of Romania has fallen by more than two and a half million since the 2002 census. The current population of Romania is now just 19,042,936. It has [...]

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Nastase Seven Houses

by Craig Turp February 1, 2012 Romania

 We assume that even the most ill-informed of visitors to Bucharest Life is aware of the fact that former Romanian prime minister Adrian Nastase was sentenced to two years in prison on Monday for corruption. Nastase remains a free man for the time being, pending an appeal. Here is the Reuters report on the matter. [...]

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Rosia Montana in a nutshell

by Craig Turp January 28, 2012 Romania

 A large number of people from Rosia Montana – the proposed site of a controversial gold mining project – came out onto the streets of their small Transylvanian town on Saturday to protest against what they see as outside interference in their affairs. ‘We want to work,’ ‘We want jobs’ and ‘We’re fed up with [...]

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What does a responsible city guide do about these protests?

by Craig Turp January 21, 2012 Bucharest

  Here’s a problem we have never faced before: What does a responsible city guide do about these protests (a couple of which have ended violently) currently taking place every evening in Bucharest? We have a deadline approaching ahead of the publication of the February – March issue of Bucharest In Your Pocket, and are [...]

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Eastern Approaches on the Bucharest rioting

by Craig Turp January 16, 2012 Bucharest

 UPDATE: As of Tuesday morning, this is now probably the most balanced English-language piece on the protests. Read it online at The Grauniad. — The Economist‘s always excellent Eastern Approaches blog has just published probably the best English-language summary of events so far (although the Battle of Bucharest headline is pushing it a little). Read [...]

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Much ado about nothing

by Craig Turp January 15, 2012 Bucharest

 There was a mini-riot in Bucharest last night. A lot of fuss over nothing. You can read a BBC news report of the events here, and there is video from Reuters here. Anyway, two quick points. 1. If you are not happy with a government, you can choose not to re-elect it at the next [...]

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Francophonies and the race to become mayor of Bucharest

by Craig Turp January 5, 2012 Bucharest

 One of our favourite ever moments of Bucharest Life came in September 2006, while we having dinner at a Bucharest restaurant. A group of French visitors on the next table were trying to order their meals in French, and, after becoming increasingly louder, yet still failing to make themselves understood, they gave up and tried [...]

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