Romania’s capital mayor
FOR the first half of the 20th century, its wide boulevards and stylish villas, built by a francophile middle class, earned Bucharest a reputation as the Little Paris of the East. Till recently, it has been better known for its litter and the world's largest stray-dog problem. And the troubles did not stop there. The roads were pot-holed; hundreds of illegal pedlars clogged the uneven pavements; heating and water services were breaking down. The Dambovita river that runs through the city was filthy and stank. Now, apparently, there is hope: a new mayor, Traian Basescu, elected to sort out this mess.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Romania’s capital mayor”
From the September 9th 2000 edition
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