Celebrations Held In Several Romanian Cities On National Holiday

Bucharest's military parade, held in the Arcul de Triumf Square, began at 11 a.m. local time and was attended by President Traian Basescu, former presidents Ion Iliescu and Emil Constantinescu, other political leaders, and around 10,000 citizens.

Also in attendance were Bucharest Mayor Sorin Oprescu, Prime Minister-designate Liviu Negoita, members of the Government, ambassadors to Bucharest and heads of secret services.

Bucharest parade organizers said that because of the foggy weather, helicopters would not be able to fly overhead, however MiG and Hercules airplanes might do a flypast.

Around 500 people, including party representatives and local officials, took part Tuesday morning in the Union Day celebration in the Transylvanian city of Alba Iulia.

The festivities began at 9.30 a.m. local time, with the crowd laying wreaths before the statues of former prime ministers Ion I.C. Bratianu and Iuliu Maniu in the city's center. The parade will proceed to Alba Iulia's fortress, to lay wreaths before the statue of the medieval prince Michael the Brave.

A religious service is scheduled for 12 p.m., led by Andrei, the archbishop of Alba Iulia, and joined by other Romanian Orthodox Church leaders.

Thousands of people are expected to take part in the festivities held at the Tropaeum Traiani monument in the southeastern commune of Adamclisi, Constanta County. Traditional and popular musicians will hold a concert.

A military ceremony was held at 10 a.m. in Constanta's central cemetery, laying wreaths before the Monument to Heroes fallen in World War I. The service was attended by Defense Ministry and Interior Ministry commanders, local authority officials, diplomatic officials, war veterans, revolutionaries and former political prisoners.

In the northwestern Transylvanian city of Cluj-Napoca, festivities began with a religious service held in the Metropolitan Cathedral. Afterwards, wreaths were laid before the statue of 1848 revolutionary leader Avram Iancu. The celebrations ended with a march of the honor guard.

In the central city of Brasov, around 200 people took part in a military and religious ceremony honoring fallen heroes. This was followed by a parade of military, Police, Gendarmerie and Emergency Situations Inspectorate personnel.

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