Bucharest Mayor

All welcome Dr. Sorin Oprescu, the new mayor of Bucharest, and the first independent mayor (isn't affiliated with any political party, although Oprescu broke from the SDP)
Here are some of his statements, translated into English:

"Inainte de orice fel de discurs doresc sa le multumesc bucurestenilor. Aceasta zi de Rusalii, duminica 15 iunie, va ramane in istoria Bucurestiului si in nistoria Romaniei ca una dintre cele mai frumoase zile ale democratiei. Sunt primul primar independent din istoria recenta a Capitalei noastre"
Translation: Before any speech I would like to thank my fellow citizens. This holy day (15th of June is, according to the orthodox church, the day of the Rusalii, a holy celebration) will remain in the history of Bucharest and Romania as one of democracy's best. I am the first independent mayor of Bucharest.

"Nu eu am fost cel care a facut istoria, votul vostru a scris astazi istoria. Votul dumneavoastra a fost mai puternic decat interesele lor. S-a terminat cu bordurile"
Translation: I am not the one that made history today, but you, the voters. Your votes have made history. Your vote was stronger than their interests. Gone with the street side campaign (referring to former mayor Videanu's campaign (more info here)

"Ceea ce am trait eu in aceste ultime saptamani nu a fost o telenovela. Cei care vor repeta mereu ca sunt produsul unei telenonovele ma jignesc. Am rezistat la nenumarate tentatii, am primit numai lovituri, dar am rezistat numai cu ajutorul dumneavosatra, pentru ca stiam ca astazi 15 iunie am o intalnire cu dumneavoastra, de la care nu pot sa lipsesc"
Translation: What I lived these days wasn't a soap-opera. The people that tell me that are offending me. I rejected many temptations, got many kicks, but resisted on belahf of your help, because I knew that today, 15th of June, I have to honor a meeting with you, the voters, and I cannot run away.

"Cand puterea ni se urca la cap, cetatenii o iau inapoi. [...] Sunt in seara aceasta fericit pentru ca voi m-ati facut fericit. Votul dumneavoastra a fost mai puternic decat interesele lor. De maine, la munca, ca avem treaba. Promit ca nu o sa va dezamagesc"
Translation: When we have too much power, the citizens take it away from us. [...] I am happy tonight because you made me happy. Your vote has been stronger that their interests. The work will start tomorrow, because there is work to be done. I won't dissapoint you

"N-am de reprosat nimic PSD-ului pentru ca nu m-a desemnat candidat. Tot ce a fost rau a fost din cauza mea, tot ce a fost bun a fost datorita bucurestenilor. [...] Presedintelui ii urez numai bine".
Translation: I don't have anything to object the SDP because they didn't want me to run for mayor (that's why Oprescu left the SDP and became independent). What went wrong was my fault, the good things happened courtesy of the citizens of Bucharest [...] I don't have anything to object to Mr. Traian Basescu, the president of Romania.

Source: http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-politic-3271012-sorin-oprescu-sunt-primul-primar-independent-capitalei-15-iunie-ramane-istorie-una-dintre-cele-mai-frumoase-zile-ale-democratiei.htm

Illiterat gypsys of Sintesti

In the small, rural settlement of Sintesti, mayoral elections in the second scrutiny are going bad. That's because Sintesti has a procentage of illiteracy in Romania, many being registered gypsys. The problem is that they can't read the vote paper, so they gotta enter the election booth with another person that reads the paper and asks the voter what does he want to vote. This is, in my oppinion, a strict violation of the secrecy of the vote, but is a required compromise. The law says that romanian citizens over 18 years old have the right to vote, and doesn't say anything about literacy. This process is clogging up the election system, generating riots town-wide. In other news, 40 Sintesti citizens didn't found themselves on the electoral lists and had to use the complimentary lists, courtesy of the vote commission, slowing the democratic process even more.

Source: http://www.realitatea.net/romii-analfabeti-din-sintesti-au-intrat-la-vot-insotiti_299322.html