1998 in Romania

Events from the year 1998 in Romania.

Incumbents

President of Romania: Emil Constantinescu Prime Minister of Romania: until 30 March: Victor Ciorbea 30 March–17 April: Gavril Dejeu (interim) starting 17 April: Radu Vasile

Events January 18 January – Baia de Arieș is granted town status.Website of the Baia de Arieș town hall (in Romanian)

March 3 March – Mariana Cetiner, possibly the last person imprisoned in Romania for her sexual orientation, is released from prison by Presidential decree. She had been adopted by Amnesty International as a "prisoner of conscience" after being sentenced to three years' imprisonment solely because of her homosexuality.Amnesty International, 5 March 1998, INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT, 1 EASTON STREET, LONDON WC1X 8DJ, UNITED KINGDOM, ROMANIA: MARIANA CETINERPRISONER OF CONSCIENCE, p. 1 30 March Victor Ciorbea resigns from being prime minister. Gavril Dejeu replaces him as acting prime minister. Radu Dinulescu, "the Eichmann of Romania", is rehabilitated by the Romanian Supreme Court.Alexandru Florian, Indiana University Press, Jan 24, 2018, Holocaust Public Memory in Postcommunist Romania, pp. 73 and 102Alexandru Florian, Memoria publică și capacanele actului de justiţie. Schiţă pentru o teorie a spaţiului public în tranziţie (in Romanian)

April 2 April – President Emil Constantinescu appoints Radu Vasile to be the new prime minister. 15 April – The Parliament grants the investiture vote to the Radu Vasile Cabinet with 317 votes in favour and 124 against. 17 April – The Vasile Cabinet takes its oath of office. 23 April – The snacks maker Aprilia is founded in Târgu Jiu.APRILIA SRL at termene.ro

May In May 1998, UNESCO issued a technical report on the Endless Column, part of the Sculptural Ensemble of Constantin Brâncuși at Târgu Jiu, which is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This document is stated to have represented a milestone in the history of the Endless Column. On its provisions, the Romanian Government commissioned new tests on the Column's spine, which revealed that it was more suitable to preserve it than to replace it.Giovanni Solari, Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, 2013, Brancusi Endless Column: A Masterpiece of Art and Engineering in International Journal of High-Rise Buildings, Volume 2, Number 3, p. 200

July 16 July – The Development regions of Romania are established by Law no. 151/1998.Cătălin-Silviu Săraru, ADJURIS – International Academic Publisher, 23 Dec 2019, Administrative law in Romania, p. 163

October In October 1998, Romania imposed a 6% surcharge on all imports. Though this would be reduced to 4% starting from January 1999, then to 2% in January 2000, before being completely abolished by January 2001.OECD, OECD Publishing, 29 Sept 2000, OECD Review of Agricultural Policies: Romania 2000, p. 122 26 October – The Romanian Supreme Court rehabilitates a member of Ion Antonescu's World War II-era Axis government, Toma Ghițulescu.Henry F. Carey, Lexington Books, 2004, Romania Since 1989: Politics, Economics, and Society, p. 75

December 30 December - Moldova begins a reorganization of its territory that closely follows the Romanian model, adopting Romania's Județ (county) as its primary administrative division.ANALYTICAL STUDY ON OPTIMAL ADMINISTRATIVE-TERRITORIAL STRUCTURE FOR REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA, 2010, p. 50Emilia Kandeva, Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative, 2001, Stabilization of Local Governments, p. 296

Undated Euroinstal company is founded in Timișoara.

Births 2 October – Robert Asăvoaei, footballer.

Deaths 9 January – Lia Manoliu, discus thrower and Olympian (b. 1932). 1 July – Dumitru Berciu, historian and archaeologist (b. 1907). 31 July – Ioan Ploscaru, bishop of the Greek-Catholic Church (b. 1911). 1 October – Gabriel Sandu, football player (b. 1952). 8 October – Anatol Vieru, music theoretician, pedagogue, and composer (b. 1926). 14 October – Leopoldina Bălănuță actress (b. 1934). 23 October – Silviu Stănculescu, actor (b. 1932). 13 November – Ilie Văduva, communist politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1985 to 1986 (b. 1934). 2 December – Cleopa Ilie abbot (b. 1912).

International Sports 1998 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup final: Romania wins 3 Gold (2 by Simona Amânar and 1 by Marius Urzică) and 2 Silver + 1 Bronze (all three by Gina Gogean). 1998 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships: Romania wins 2 Silver (C-2 1000 m, C-4 500 m) and 1 Bronze (K-2 200 m). 15–16 May – 1998 Aerobic Gymnastics World Championships: Romania wins 1 Silver (Trio), and 2 bronze (Mixed Pair + Izabela Lăcătuș at Women's Individual). 10–30 June – 1998 FIFA World Cup: Romania tops Group G (notably besting England) and makes it to the Round of 16, where it loses to Croatia on 30 June. This remains Romania's last showing to the FIFA World Cup to date. 19 July-2 August – 1998 Goodwill Games: Romania wins 1 Gold, 3 Silver and 5 Bronze. 27–30 August – 1998 World Wrestling Championships (Greco-Roman): Romania wins 1 Silver (Marian Sandu at 54 kg) 9–18 September – 1998 World Rowing Championships: Romania wins 1 Gold (Women's W8+) and 3 Bronze (Men's M8+, Women's W2x and Women's LW2x). 27 September – 1998 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships: Romania wins 1 Silver (Women Team) and 1 Bronze (Lidia Șimon at Women's Individual). 6–11 October – 1998 World Fencing Championships: Romania wins 1 Silver (Women's Team Foil).

Economic data for 1998 Romania's 1998 nominal GDP was the country's largest throughout the 1990s, and the only one in the decade to exceed $40 billion.OECD Publishing, Sep 29, 2000, OECD Review of Agricultural Policies: Romania 2000, p. 33 1998 was the first year in Romania's post-Communist history when the country's external debt decreased, down to $9.7 billion from $10.4 billion in 1997. The latter was greater than the Ceaușescu-era peak of $10.2 billion in 1981.Gertrude Enderle-Burcel, Piotr Franaszek, Dieter Stiefel, Alice Teichova, Wydawnictwo UJ, 2009, Gaps in the Iron Curtain: Economic Relation between neutral and Socialist States in Cold War Europe, p. 111 The country's net external debt was lower still, given that Romania itself was owed $2.27 billion as of 30 June 1998. The top 5 debtor countries to Romania in 1998 were: Iraq ($1.73 billion), Sudan ($171 million), Syria ($150 million), Mozambique ($107 million) and Libya ($44 million).Economist Intelligence Unit (Great Britain), 1999, Country Report: Romania, p. 27 In 1998, Romania sold the $15 million debt owed to it by Zambia to a vulture fund, Donegal International Ltd, for $3.3 million. This came after repeated Zambian defaults.Carlos Espósito, Yuefen Li, Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, Oxford University Press, 3 Oct 2013, Sovereign Financing and International Law, p. 278Devi Sookun, Commonwealth Secretariat, 2010, Stop Vulture Fund Lawsuits: A Handbook, p. 42 Debtor states to Romania in 1998 CountryDebt to Romania(in billions of USD)Economist Intelligence Unit (Great Britain), 1999, Country Report: Romania, p. 271998 GDP(in billions of USD)Meghan L. O'Sullivan, Rowman & Littlefield, 13 May 2004, Shrewd Sanctions: Statecraft and State Sponsors of Terrorism, p. 124D. Stephenson, E.M. Shemang, T.R. Chaoka, Taylor & Francis, 15 Aug 2004, Water Resources of Arid Areas, p. 636Debt to Romania(as percentage of 1998 GDP)Iraq 1.73 4.6 37.6% Syria 0.15 14.4 1.04% Mozambique 0.1 3.87 2.58% 1998 was the last year in which the state had a majority share in any of Romania's main economic sectors: industrial output (54%), exports (51.1%), imports (51.7%) and investment (59.5%).OECD Publishing, Oct 29, 2002, OECD Economic Surveys: Romania 2002, p. 66 In 1998, more than 98% of the tractors used in Romania were Romanian-made.OECD, OECD Publishing, 29 Sept 2000, OECD Review of Agricultural Policies: Romania 2000, p. 50 UTB Braşov produced 9,436 tractors in 1998, though the vast majority of these were for export.Gerard Turley, Routledge, 30 Nov 2017, Transition, Taxation and the State, p. 87 In 1998, the state accounted for 61.3% of Romania's fresh meat output. This was the only branch of the food processing sector still dominated by the state in 1998.OECD, OECD Publishing, 29 Sept 2000, OECD Review of Agricultural Policies: Romania 2000, p. 91 Romanian automotive production in 1998 by brand:Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, 2002, The Motor Industry of Great Britain, p. 36

BrandCars producedCommercial vehicles (CVs) produced ARO 1,342 1,064Dacia 85,862 20,139 Daewoo (Rodae) 16,727 289Rocar - 405Roman - 1,076Total 103,931 22,973

Structure of the Romanian mineral industry in 1998United States. Bureau of Mines, 2001, Minerals Yearbook 1998, Volume 3, pp. 387-388 Aluminum: total yearly capacity - 920 thousand metric tons (Oradea - 250, Tulcea - 400, Slatina - 270) Barite: Roșia Montană Mine - yearly capacity: 100 thousand metric tons Bauxite: Oradea mining complex - yearly capacity: 350 thousand metric tons Cement: Cimentul SA Turda in Turda - yearly capacity: 1.36 million metric tons of cement and 850 thousand metric tons of clinker Cimentul SA Cimus in Câmpulung - yearly capacity: 2.2 million metric tons of cement and 1.36 million metric tons of clinker Moldocim SA Bicaz in Bicaz - yearly capacity: 3.1 million metric tons of cement and 1.52 million metric tons of clinker Romcim SA Fieni in Fieni - yearly capacity: 1.6 million metric tons of cement and 960 thousand metric tons of clinker Romcim SA Aleșd in Aleșd - yearly capacity: 3.5 million metric tons of cement and 2.12 million metric tons of clinker Romcim SA Hoghiz in Hoghiz - yearly capacity: 2.2 million metric tons of cement and 1.52 million metric tons of clinker Romcim SA Medgidia in Medgidia - yearly capacity: 3.5 million metric tons of cement and 1.98 million metric tons of clinker Romcim SA Bârsești in Târgu Jiu - yearly capacity: 3.0 million metric tons of cement and 2.045 million metric tons of clinker Coal: Valea Jiului Mining Complex in Hunedoara County - yearly capacity: 10.4 million metric tons (bituminous) Oltenia Mining Complex (including the mining enterprise at Rovinari) - yearly capacity: 20.3 million metric tons (lignite) Ploiești Mining Complex in Ploiești - yearly capacity: 8.7 million metric tons (lignite) Copper: Ore (concentrate) at the Baia Mare, Baia Sprie, Cavnic, Roșia Montană, Borșa, Bălan, Roșia Poieni and Moldova Nouă mines - yearly capacity: 180 thousand metric tons Refined into metal at Baia Mare using an Outokumpu copper smelter - yearly capacity: 35 thousand metric tons; and at the Zlatna smelter and refinery - yearly capacity: 13 thousand metric tons Ferroalloys: Ferom-Joint Stock Co. at Tulcea - yearly capacity: 280 thousand metric tons Iron ore: Hunedoara mining complex (yearly capacity: 1.32 million metric tons), Reșița mining complex (yearly capacity: 660 thousand metric tons) and Cluj-Napoca mining complex (yearly capacity: 990 thousand metric tons) Lead: Ore - Baia Mare mine (yearly capacity: 24 thousand metric tons) and Bălan mine (yearly capacity: 10 thousand metric tons) Metal - Copșa Mică smelter - yearly capacity: 42 thousand metric tons Natural gas: Târgu Mureș Field (yearly capacity: 996 billion cubic feet) and Ploiești Field (yearly capacity: 249 billion cubic feet) Petroleum: Crude - Ploiești, Pitești, Târgoviște, Bacău and Târgu Jiu fields - yearly capacity: 250 million metric tons Refined - Refineries at Brazi, Pitești, Onești, Braşov, Câmpina, Dărmănești, Oradea, Ploiești and Năvodari - yearly capacity: 664 million metric tons Steel: total yearly capacity: 17.335 million metric tons (Oțelu Roșu - 0.4, Câmpia Turzii - 0.3, Galați - 10, Călan - 2.135, Reșița - 1.2, Călărași - 2.2 and Târgoviște - 1.1 ) Zinc: Ore - Baia Mare mine - yearly capacity: 60 thousand metric tons Metal - Copșa Mică smelter - yearly capacity: 66 thousand metric tons