417 polling stations were opened in six counties.
Nearly half a million Romanians were expected yesterday to vote in several counties, for the new mayors or presidents of county councils (CJ). 417 polling stations stayed open from 7am to 9pm in Olt, Covasna, Harghita, Bihor, Neamt and Botosani. The electoral campaign lasted 15 days, starting January 20, 2013 and ended on February 2, Mediafax informs.Eight candidates were running for president of County Council in Teleorman, after the position remained vacant following the election of Liviu Dragnea in the Senate. As for the municipalities in the county, 46 candidates were enrolled in elections for mayor of Turnu Magurele and Bujoru commune. In another commune, Calmatuiu, the ballot was organised for the membership of the City Council, which could not operate because several members refused to attend the Council’s meetings since last summer. Elsewhere, in the city of Turnu Magurele, where former Mayor Nicholas Mohanu (USL) was elected Senator, five contenders were running for the Mayor: Danut Cuclea (USL), George Paunescu (PDL), Catalin Mitra (PPDD) George Turcu (PRM) and Cristian Gae Felix (PER). In Bujoru commune, where the former Mayor Dian Chiran died last December, four candidates were enlisted in the elections.Nine people ran for mayor of Slatina. The position was left vacant after Valcov Darius was elected Senator. Some 2,000 voters were expected to go to the polls yesterday in Slatina where some 48 polling stations had been opened. Among the candidates there is the current Deputy Mayor of Slatina Minel Prina (USL). After the December 9 legislative elections, Prina took over the powers of the former mayor. He was appointed by USL to run, although in December last year he was sentenced to prison for corruption, without jail term. Minel Prina was the Technical Director of Slatina Municipality, and Marian Diaconu, former Deputy Slatina were indicted in November 2009 by anti-corruption prosecutors on charges of abuse of office against the public interest. Prina’s main rival is Ana Anghel current local councillor and chairman of the PDL Slatina. She took over the party branch last year, after the former mayor Darius Valcov defected to PSD.Police representatives have announced that for Sunday partial local elections more than a thousand policemen have been deployed. Thus, more than 330 police officers were out in the streets to watch over public order in order to prevent electoral incidents. Also, the Police provided security and protection to 183 of the 417 polling stations set up. “The measures taken by the Romanian Police is seeking proper conduct of the electoral process and a fair and balanced way of police action,” reads a statement.In a separate development, the new prefect of Covasna, Dumitru Marinescu, former mayor of Valcele commune was officially invested on Sunday. The event was attended by Minister for Energy, Constantin Nita, directors and mayors from various decentralized institutions, while the Covasna County Council was represented by the two vice presidents, Henning László and Nagy-János József.
