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EU suspends funding for Bulgaria
The European Commission has suspended EU aid to Bulgaria worth hundreds of millions of euros because of concerns about corruption and organised crime. Commission spokesman Johannes Laitenberger said the EU was also withdrawing the right of two Bulgarian agencies to manage EU funds. Bulgaria's PM admitted his country had not done enough to meet EU standards.
Romania was also criticised for shortcomings in its judiciary, including politicisation of cases. Romania will escape penalties for now, but its report says the reforms remain "fragile".
About 500m euros (£400m; $800m) of aid to Bulgaria is being frozen by the commission. "The truth is Bulgaria is learning how to manage EU funds," Bulgaria's Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said in reaction to the reports. He acknowledged that "there is a discrepancy between the political will, which is a fact, and the achievement of concrete results".
Both countries have been under close supervision since they joined the European Union in January 2007.
In Bulgaria, "the fight against high-level corruption and organised crime is not producing enough results," Mr Laitenberger said, presenting the reports on Wednesday.
Read more... The European Commission has suspended EU aid to Bulgaria worth hundreds of millions of euros because of concerns about corruption and ... more -
Man's penis accidentally cut off, gets paid $795,000
Romanian Penis Worth 795 Thousand Dollars
Surgeon Ciomu made a mistake while operating on testicles and cut off the patient’s penis instead of making an incision to the testicles.
A Romanian court managed to estimate the value of a penis. The court sentenced a surgeon who bungled around a patient’s genitals while operating his testicles to pay damages for 795 thousand dollars, MSNBC wrote.
In July, 2004, Surgeon Naum Ciomu made a mistake while operating on testicles and cut off the patient’s penis instead of making an incision to the testicles.
The victim transplanted a piece of muscle from his arm
The court of Bucharest decided that Ciomu performed the surgery superficially, and sentenced him to pay a 795 thousand dollar fine and a conditioned prison sentence, to which he has right to appeal.
The victim was transplanted a piece of muscle from his arm in the place where his penis should be, but only as aesthetic function.
The victim’s lawyers stated that you do not need to be an expert to say that the 33-year-old victims does not feel wonderfully.
Romanian Penis Worth 795 Thousand Dollars ... more -
Romanians' Right to Bad News
The Romanian government recently tried to bring in legislation making it law that all news programs must report an equal amount of good and bad news. The move was deemed 'unconstitutional' and blocked by the Romanian constitutional court today, despite the government's claims that excessive bad news can be damaging and that they were aiming to "improve the general climate and to offer to the public the chance to have balanced perceptions on daily life, mentally and emotionally".
Should news be balanced with equal amounts of good/bad? Or would such reporting infringe freedom of expression and cheapen reports on large tragic or catastrophic events? The Romanian government recently tried to bring in legislation making it law that all news programs must report an equal amount of goo... more -
Surgeon Ordered to Pay $795G for Cutting Off Man's Penis
A court has ordered a Romanian surgeon to pay $795,000 in compensation to a patient whose penis he accidentally severed during an operation. A court has ordered a Romanian surgeon to pay $795,000 in compensation to a patient whose penis he accidentally severed during an oper... more
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Troppe "hard news" in Romania.
Emendamento alle legge sull'informazione radiofonica e televisiva in Romania per un'offerta bilanciata tra notizie positive e negative. Il Senato ha votato all'unanimità l'emendamento che risponde - secondo i promotori - all'esigenza di "restituire al paese un clima più disteso" a dispetto dell'informazione attuale incentrata principalmente sui problemi e le tragedie del paese.
I giornalisti sono insorti ed hanno chiesto al presidente romeno Traian Basescu di cancellare l'emendamento in nome della libertà d'espressione ed i informazione. Emendamento alle legge sull'informazione radiofonica e televisiva in Romania per un'offerta bilanciata tra notizie positive e negative... more -
World's Most Expensive Newspaper Copy
Romania-- The "Auroch and the Eagle" ("Zimbrulu and Vulturulu"), bought for 830 000 Euros by Joseph Hackmey. sets the world record for the most expensive newspaper copy in the world.
For More Information about records and video
http://www.worldamazingrecords.com/ Romania-- The "Auroch and the Eagle" ("Zimbrulu and Vulturulu"), bought for 830 000 Euros by Joseph Hackmey. sets the world record for... more -
Romanian village elects dead mayor
The Romanian village of Voinesti re-elected their mayor of eighteen years, Neculai Ivascu, this week despite knowing that he had died of liver disease shortly after polls opened. "I know he died but I don't want change," one citizen told reporters. The day was bittersweet for Ivascu's living opponent Gheorghe Dobrescu, who was given the post but must still face the fact that he lost to a dead man. The Romanian village of Voinesti re-elected their mayor of eighteen years, Neculai Ivascu, this week despite knowing that he had died ... more
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Man complains after beer makes him drunk
"A Romanian man has lodged an official complaint with the local trading standards agency after he got drunk on a single can of beer."
In what way is that a bad thing? Think of all the money you could save! One beer get's the job done! "A Romanian man has lodged an official complaint with the local trading standards agency after he got drunk on a single can of beer." ... more -
Ghosts blamed in vandalism case...wait, huh?
Just when you thought you had heard every excuse from the police, Romanian law enforcement have closed a vandalism investigation that left local houses in ruins by concluding ghosts were to blame.
Families living in Lilieci reported windows broken, bicycles flying through the air, objects moving on tables and candles blown out when there is no wind. When they complained they were being hounded by evil spirits to police they were laughed at. But after officers saw the evidence with their own eyes they filed a report saying that ghosts were to blame.
Just when you thought you had heard every excuse from the police, Romanian law enforcement have closed a vandalism investigation that ... more -
Secret CIA prison in Romania
At least according to a high ranking Romanian official and veteran who spoke anonymously to the AP.
"CIA chief spokesman Mark Mansfield said the agency had no comment about the black bus scenario, but he defended renditions as both legal and effective."
Moving people around to countries that permit abuses (or at least look the other way) in order to torture them? WTF?! At least according to a high ranking Romanian official and veteran who spoke anonymously to the AP. ... more -
Police raid on Romanian child trafficking gang in London
Twenty-five people were arrested in dawn raids yesterday as police tried to shut down a gang which trafficked children from Romania and forced them to steal and rob on the streets of London.
Police say that since Romania joined the EU in 2007 there has been a sharp rise in children being brought to London by modern-day "Fagin's gangs". Up to 200 Romanian children have been forced into crime in London and can generate up to £20m a year for gangs controlling them.
The 10 children taken into care yesterday included one less than a year old. They were all found in overcrowded conditions, with 25 people crammed into a four-bed house. But after medical tests yesterday they were found to be in good health. Twenty-five people were arrested in dawn raids yesterday as police tried to shut down a gang which trafficked children from Romania an... more -
The Whipping Boy
In the list of stars vaulted into fame during the seventies, he is an unlikely candidate. His lank black hair, unkempt eyebrows, overgrown mustache and stern dark green eyes hardly fit in with the feathered blonds dominating the silver screen.
But along with the bouncy beauty of Farah Fawcet and dreamy teen-idol, David Cassidy, the seventies also propelled a forgotten 15th century Romanian prince into international stardom. In the list of stars vaulted into fame during the seventies, he is an unlikely candidate. His lank black hair, unkempt eyebrows, overg... more -
Airport Security Tighter Than Ever?
Apparently not after 2 Romanian journalists flaunted the security at a Romanian airport whilst wearing '"Al Qaeda Airlines" uniforms.
Not satisfied that they had parked in a 'secured' car park unchallenged, they also planted fake bombs on planes and gained easy access to the Military section of Baneasa Airport in Bucharest.
Refreshing to know everyone's got security covered... Apparently not after 2 Romanian journalists flaunted the security at a Romanian airport whilst wearing '"Al Qaeda Airlines" uniforms. ... more -
Worlds Best Gadunk Gadunk (booty) Award
Two winners are awarded the hotly-contested title of the "world's most beautiful bottom".
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Best Bottoms from Balkans!!!
So, the world's nicest boohootays come from Bulgaria and Romania apparently.. Who knew? And how does one get to be a judge for such a competition?
"A Bulgarian woman and a Romanian man have the world's best-looking bottoms, according to the jury of a backside beauty contest sponsored by a lingerie firm, a company spokeswoman said Thursday.
Beyond a 10,000-euro (14,400-dollar) cash prize, Kristina Dimitrova, 19, and 24-year-old Andrei Andrei each won a modeling contract for the company's next international advertising campaign as well as a year-long insurance policy for their rear ends in case of injury."
Insurance for the booty? AWESOME! So, the world's nicest boohootays come from Bulgaria and Romania apparently.. Who knew? And how does one get to be a judge for such a... more -
21st Century Vampire Killers
A lively, very well-written and witty account of real-life killings of possible real-life vampires (at least, in the minds of the perpetrators) in rural Romania. A fascinating and slightly ghoulish, colourful essay which evokes ancient but still living traditions and beliefs in the heart of Bram Stoker's Transylvania. A lively, very well-written and witty account of real-life killings of possible real-life vampires (at least, in the minds of the perp... more
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The Cannes-winning film that you'll probably never see
It's a fact that year by year, Americans are able to see less and less foreign-language films in theaters outside of major cities, I suspect that many Americans have never seen a foreign-language film. It's a shame that cinema, in some ways a universal language of the world, is so narrowly casted for so many. It's a fact that year by year, Americans are able to see less and less foreign-language films in theaters outside of major cities, I... more
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