Top 12 stories of 2012 for Romania
The stand out story of 2012 had to be the political melodrama that kept the local and the international press enthralled, drew widespread criticism and eventually elicited firm rebukes from the European Commission. Along the way there were three new governments in the space of just a few months, botched privatizations and a referendum to impeach Romania's president Traian Băsescu.
But perhaps some of the biggest stories were about what didn't happen: despite his unpopularity, president Basescu was not impeached, Oltchim wasn't privatized and Romania didn't join the Schengen area.
Elsewhere, there have been plenty sporting highlights with the Olympic games in London and the Europa League finals in Bucharest.
Plenty of corruption cases have hit the headlines in 2012, involving the great, but clearly not so good. The biggest fish of the lot in the anti corruption directorate's catch was former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, who is currently in jail for corruption.
A hot summer and some big concerts and festivals in Romania, with a number of major names from the music world making stops in Romania this year.
Romania-Insider.com chose the most important 12 stories of the year.
Extreme weather
Romania witnessed the year of extreme weather in 2012. It started out with heavy snowfalls, blizzards which took over various regions of the country, including capital Bucharest, and continued with snow melting and threatening to cause flooding.
Roads in South East Romania closed due to heavy snowfall, traffic disrupted in Bucharest
Local authorities ask for state of emergency in two snow-bound counties in Romania
Comment: What went wrong? Why Romania’s people and politicians failed extreme weather test
The summer brought some more of the extreme weather - there was little rain in the summer of 2012, which affected crops across the country, turning 2012 into one of the worste year for agriculture.
Romanian drought pushes up inflation, could affect 2012 GDP
Drought in Romania will result in 15% price rises on poultry by year end
The year seems to end in another wave of cold and blizzard, with meteorologists issuing codes Yellow and Orange for some counties.
Big freeze coming up this week in Romania
Political instability
The political battle took over Romania in 2012 probably more than anytime in the past. POlitical instability was reflected via the frequent Government changes. The year started with a Government change, and then another- a short lived Government, with a third change after the recent elections on December 9.
Romania’s new Cabinet will stand by commitments to IMF and EC, says new PM
New Government gets green light in Romania’s Parliament, already sworn in
It was not only that - plagiarism accusations emerged in case of some Government members which had to be replaced while the issues were being investigated.
Romania’s Education Minister resigns amid plagiarism accusations
A new Government was proposed and will most likely be voted until this Christmas.
Romanian PM oficially announces new government structure
The center piece of this year's political battle in Romania must be the attempt to impeach the president and the referendum organized in July. With the president on the sideline for around two months, campaigning for his return, and the leader of one of the opposition parties taking his seat in the meantime, Romania was seen as adrift during the hot months of the summer of 2012.
Romanian ruling coalition tries to change head of Senate before attempting presidential impeachement
European leaders scolded the country for various irregularities and the whole issue kept everyone busy- media, politicians, commentators - until late autumn.
EC President Barosso: Romania has shaken our trust
The president Traian Basescu survived the referendum, which did not reach its needed threshold to be validated.
Romanian president after surviving impeachment: I am stronger than ever
All these were not enough, and the President and the PM choose to enter a long, almost silly public quarrel, which ended up in more European - level scolding for Romania
Attendance of June 28 European Council meeting stirs quarrel between Romanian PM and President
Comment: Romanian politics and the strange news from another world
Failed privatizations
In times of crisis, Romania tried to get more money to its budget. Selling some of its assets seemed like the best sollution to cash in some money, but things were not that simple.
The first of two major failed privatizations this year was of state company Cupru Min. Dyring the short lived Government led by Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, the state tried to sell the copper mine Cupru Min, and even had a company interested to buy. But the deal somehow slipped through the Government's fingers.
Failed Cupru Min privatization shows Romanian state is powerful, says PM
Roman Copper goes to court against Romania after failed Cupru Min privatization
Former PM and other big names sent to jail
Romanian prosecutors seem to have been busier than ever this year, which kept the media on its toes as well. Some big names ended up in prison, after long years of dragging their cases in the court. The biggest name was the former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, whose imprisonement was not without fuss. On the night when he was supposed to go to jail, he tried to kill himself, but survived and ended up in prison. The whole subject stirred pros and cons from the media and analysts in June 2012.
Former Romanian PM tries to kill himself before being taken into Police custody, rushed into surgery
Former Romanian PM Adrian Nastase to serve two years in jail after Supreme Court rejects appeal
The list of important names sent to jail continued:
Romanian judge sentenced to four years in jail for corruption
Romanian bank owner Carabulea released from jail on parole after working at jail library
Another Romanian businessman goes to jail: Corneliu Iacubov gets 7-year stretch
Romanian media boss Sorin Ovidiu Vantu goes to jail after court rules higher sentence for blackmail
Former agriculture minister is Romania’s latest corruption jailbird
Local and general elections
Romania faces massive political campaigning this year, with local elections held in June, and general ones, in December. In both elections, the Social Liberal Union, which took over power in Romania mid-year, emerged as winners.
Romanian local elections: USL gets more of Romania
After post referendum dip, support for Romania’s governing USL is on the rise
Romania elections 2012: First official figures show an even bigger Social Liberal Union victory
Comment: Five ways to improve Romania (or why the elections don’t really matter)
Hidroelectrica insolvency
Romania's biggest energy company, the state owned hydroelectricity giant caused a stir when it filed for insolvency. The reason appeared to be numerous suspicious contracts under which Hidroelectrica was in effect giving away energy. The insolvency procedures appear to be helping, Hidroelectrica has been allowed to cancel many contracts with the so called 'smart guys,' who were allegedly conning the state out of millions via their dubious contracts with the energy producer.
Largest Romanian energy producer Hidroelectrica files for insolvency
Romania's largest energy producer to keep employees, assets during reorganization
Hidroelectrica administrator accepts claims worth EUR 78 million, rejects EUR 261 million
The London Olympics
It wasn't the country's biggest Olympic medal haul, but there were some memorable performances by Team Romania. The two gold medals came in shooting and gymnastics with Alin Moldoveanu winning the 10m air rifle event and Sandra Izbasa taking gold on the vault in the gymnastics competition. The women's gymnastics team took the bronze medal, helped on their way by Catalina Ponor's final Olympic appearances. She won an individual silver for the floor exercises and with three career Olympic gold medals, a silver and a bronze she has secured her place in Romanian sporting history. Overall, Romania won two golds, five silver and two bronze medals.
In the Paralympics, a tiny Romanian team managed to win two medals. Both were won by cyclist Eduard Novak - one gold and one silver - a fantastic achievement and hopefully an inspiration for greater Romanian involvement in the Paralympics.
Olympic heroes return home with nine medals
London games close: One gold and one silver in the Paralympics for Romania
Catalina Ponor retires after London Olympics with five career medals
Sandra Izbasa takes gold in London
Men's sabre team win silver at London Olympics
Schengen accession
... or not. Despite hopes for Schengen accession in 2012, it wasn't to be. Opposition from a number of countries, the most vociferous of which was probably the Netherlands, has pushed back accession to the open border area back and back. The political crisis didn't help either but throughout the European Commission has repeatedly come out in support of both Romania and Bulgaria's accession.
Romania to join Schengen ASAP, says European Commission, Council to set date
Romanian government spokesman: decision on Schengen tomorrow
Schengen area membership for Romania further delayed
EC VP Viviane Reding raises doubts over Romania's Schengen accession
Norwegian Party wants country out of Schengen over Romania and Bulgaria
Building highways... eventually
Whining about the pace of infrastructure development is a favorite pastime in Romania. Progress, or more often than not lack of it, has been in and out the news all year. There have also been a number of corruption cases involving highways and the theft or misuse of funds, including the recent fall of Romania's Asphalt King amid criminal charges. But there was a sunnier side - The Bucharest to Constata Sun Highway was finished - after more than 30 years.
Bucharest - Constanta highway finalized after 32 years
Highway to hell for the Asphalt King
Five companies to pay EUR 0.6 mln fine for Romania road work bid rigging
Telecom spectra auction
Whether or not it'll prove to be the end of the world, 2012 was already the end of the frequency spectra licenses held by the mobile phone companies. Romania's communications authority ANCOM was charged with organizing the public auction of spectrum rights, in some cases valid for the next 15 years. It was a big deal – big companies Orange and Vodafone, big money – over EUR 680 million raised in the end, and, if things had gone wrong, it would have been a very big embarrassment. Happily, the auction went well and all parties seemed reasonably satisfied with the prices paid for the frequency blocks. And it was all done and dusted pretty much on schedule.
Romanian mobile spectra tender finishes, over EUR 680 million raised by auction
Europa League final in Bucharest
Romania failed to qualify for the EURO 2012 finals in Ukraine and Poland, but the final of the UEFA Europa League was hosted by Bucharest this year. Sadly, all the Romanian teams had been knocked out of the competition and in the end it was an all Spanish affair with Atheltico Madrid taking on Athletic Bilbao in the National Arena. But the event brought tens of thousands of visitors and big boost to local trade. Getting home proved a little difficult for the thousands of Spanish fans and their were complaints over how the capital's airports handled the situation.
Athletico Madrid hammer Bilbao in Europa League final
La cuenta por favor! Europa league final brings EUR 10 million to Romanian tourism
Athletic Madrid files official complaint over Bucharest airport delays
Lady Gaga in Bucharest
It was one of the most eagerly awaited events of the year. One of the hottest acts in popular music arrived in the middle of a summer heatwave to play for 35,000 people in Piata Constitutiei. Lady Gaga encouraged fans to follow her lead dress outrageously for the event and she didn't disappoint - plenty costume changes, weird and wonderful onstage sets and two hours of hits from the petite enfant terrible de pop.
Lady Gaga asks Romanian fans to dress up in their 'most extravagant' costumes for Bucharest concert
