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[15.09] The Golden Team- "Honorary
Citizens" of Deva
A nice, warming welcome, from a 2000 people crowd which have
mostly filled the Deva central square.
This was the way people of Deva have showed their enthusiasm
for the Golden Team coming back "home"-at Deva.
The municipal council have awarded to all girls and coaches
the "Honorary Citizen" title and a 200 millions lei cash prize
($6000). The County council have announced also that they
will vote in next first session a cash prize of $28 000 for
the team.
The whole ceremony took place in center of Deva, near a modern
gymnasts statue. Mr. Belu express the team and his own grateful
for the support they get in Deva.
By contrary, Mrs. Bitang did not showed much happiness and
was showing a very skeptical figure, saying to all reporters
(in public, to be heard by local authorities also), that she
wants to have same kind of support not only for a day, when
they return from Olympics with medals, but to have their (moral)
support during all those hard months and years before a major
competition."People have to understand that for such results
to came, we need a full time support and constant encouragements,
not only in one single day".
All the girls have received, from local private
owned companies, gifts like Gold jewels, free trips from a
travel agency, many, many flowers (each girl left with tens
of bunch of flowers, their arms literally filed with flowers).
The team was also promised a new small bus for their trips
to Bucharest and back (until we see them using it, we take
it as a promise, because these days a lot of people made promises...will
see later which one coming true; this is why we do NOT report
here about some things until they really do happen.(Remember
the Government last week Reception? Associated Press, which
use to be a trusted source, at least in sport, has reported
that girls have received checks-they don't , yet!).
This evening, an official reception will be hosted in Deva
by the local officials (having many guests, including almost
all pro-government local politicians, which want to use this
event in their own benefit, due to near elections in November).
[updated 16,00GMT] According to Bucharest last minute reports,
Romanian Antena1 TV station has reported about girls being
welcomed in Deva, but have splitted in half Mrs. Bitang statements,
leaving out the part about local officials (and others) being
helpful only AFTER results, not much help, needed before.
Antena 1 TV station used to be an independent channel,
but due to her owners last week support agreement with the
ruling party (PSD), they try to avoid now any criticism.They
also reported that the money from local county were already
paid (in fact, like we said, they have to vote only next week,
due to their inability and bureaucracy)
Romanian Gymnastics News Archive.
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