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What Isărescu answered when he was asked about a new mandate at the BNR
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Simona Halep: It was a special tournament, the first in Romania, and I’m glad from the bottom of my heart that I was able to win it. I came here with great love, even though I was tired, I’m glad you supported me…
In 2014, Simona Halep won the first edition of the Bucharest Open. It was the last speech given by our champion in the central arena of the Platani Park. In the following years, due to the increasing degradation of the structure, sports competitions were no longer organized here. The BNR arenas are considered the cradle of Romanian tennis. Much of the history of this sport in Romania was written here.
Ion Țiriac: This base was and is the home of Romanian tennis, there we have done everything we could do, for 60 years.
George Cosac, president of the Romanian Tennis Federation: We have reached the laughter of Europe and the world, because the performances are far ahead of the infrastructure.
The place, guarded more like a secret military unit
The images you see are from 2017. We requested the National Bank of Romania to allow us to film the central tennis arena and the football stadium to see their current state. We were refused, without any explanation. So, we went to the streets of the neighborhood to film what can be seen from there. The place is guarded more like a secret military unit. A gendarme approaches and asks us to stop the camera. The argument is… hallucinatory. He says the operator got too close to the gate bars.
Gendarme: Come on, turn off the camera, you’re not allowed to film.
Reporter: Well, we’re on… we’re off…
Gendarme: Well, yes, but your colleague put the camera inside. Can you give me a newsletter too please?
Reporter: Room inside, what do you mean inside?
Gendarme: You put her on the… fence.
Reporter: Passed? I did not see it pass.
Gendarme: Can you also give me a bulletin so I can see who I’m dealing with?
Reporter: Are they on public space?
Gendarme: Come on, please…
Reporter: With love, but answer me if I’m on public space or not?!
Gendarme: You are on public space, but I would like you to give me a bulletin too.
Reporter: And then what are you legitimizing me for?
Gendarme: So that I know who I’m talking to.
We hand the identity card to the gendarme. After he writes down our data, we ask him again what law we are breaking if we film from a public street.
Gendarme: Thank you very much. Are you still in the area?
Reporter: We’re staying, yes. But can you tell me what law I’m breaking if I shoot from here?
Gendarme: So I told you. We have a… this… and these are our consensuses?
Reporter: A? what do you have Excuse me, what do you have?
Gendarme: It’s our private record.
Reporter: On the public street? Their private record.
For years, they are no longer used by athletes, but only by BNR employees, when they want to exercise or relax
All the sports fields here are owned by the BNR. For years, they are no longer used by athletes, but only by the employees of this institution, when they want to exercise or relax. The President of the Romanian Tennis Federation draws attention to the fact that the National Bank has started to destroy part of the courts and turn them into parking lots.
George Cosac, president of the Romanian Tennis Federation: Today, in 2024, two of the tennis courts have been turned into parking lots if I’m not mistaken, this is information I received these days from a friend who lives in the area.
Not being allowed to enter, we filmed the new car park over the fence. The spokesperson of the BNR says that there are eight plots of land left and he believes that they are enough.
Dan Suciu, BNR spokesperson: For us, it is not a tennis base, but, first of all, a training center, secondary headquarters of maximum security and location for two directions of the bank. In addition, there are some tennis courts and other sports facilities.
For years the stands of the two arenas, for tennis and football, have been left to deteriorate without anyone lifting a finger. It is already a risk for spectators and sports competitions are no longer organized. BNR officials say the law does not allow them to invest in the two arenas.
Dan Suciu, BNR spokesperson: We cannot invest in tribunes for very simple reasons, there is a constraint that the National Bank has not to invest in buildings that have no purpose, which can be interpreted as useful for the operation of the bank.
George Cosac, president of the Romanian Tennis Federation: Day by day, the arena degrades, until alone and unforced by anyone it will fall, it will become a ruin, a former arena.
Eight years ago, a dialogue began between the Government and the BNR, so that the land would be taken over by the state, rehabilitated and returned to the sports circuit. However, things are moving forward. No government and no sports minister has been able to find a solution. After several rounds of negotiations, the option of a land exchange between the National Bank and the Executive was reached. In 2018 there was even a legislative initiative for land transfer. However, it was blocked in the Chamber of Deputies on the grounds that it violates other laws.
“It isit is very difficult for the Government of Romania to be able to satisfy the requirements of the BNR”
Dan Suciu, BNR spokesperson: I talked to different governments, at one point the project was quite advanced, I don’t know why that project didn’t continue, probably because there is a financial constraint.
In 2017, the Minister of Sport was the social democrat Marius Dunca. We asked him for an interview, but he told us that he no longer knows exactly what happened during his tenure and that he would call us later. He didn’t look for us anymore. At the end of 2018, another PSD member came to the ministry: Bogdan Matei.
Bogdan Matei, former Minister of Sports: Unfortunately, it was not completed at that time, and I don’t think it will be completed in the near future, because it is very difficult for the Romanian Government, with the properties it currently has, to be able to satisfy the requirements of the BNR.
Another government followed, and obviously another minister: the liberal Ionuț Stroe. I called him to see what he did concretely to take over the lands. He promised us an interview, then didn’t respond to messages at all. In June 2020, the liberal hands over the ministry to his colleague from UDMR, Eduard Novak. And now comes the surprise. He says that he has never heard that there was any project in the Ministry of Sports to take over the land from the BNR.
Eduard Novak, former Minister of Youth and Sports: “I have not seen any official paper, I mean this has never been on my table ever, a request, or to resume talks. Officially, we were supposed to make an official move, but nothing was ever done.
Reporter: That’s what I’m asking you…
Eduard Novak: Even before me, I have not seen any official act, that any minister has started something official in this case.
They will continue to degrade until the heads of institutions in the Romanian state find that they must be demolished
And everything died here. For four years, any discussion and negotiation for the takeover of the two arenas have been stopped. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Youth and Sports transformed into the National Agency for Sports. The boss is Elisabeta Lipă. At the moment, the subject practically does not exist on the agenda of the institution’s management.
Elisabeta Lipă, president of the National Sports Agency: If the BNR cannot invest, surely some solutions should be found for that land to pass where this investment can be made.
Reporter: Where?
Elisabeta Lipa: Where? I don’t know how to tell you, if I don’t have any request, no paper from someone or from the NBR that says – madam president, we are not interested in investing, we can’t, we don’t have legislation at hand
Reporter: Well, shouldn’t the Romanian state, madam, the Government, through you, make this request, should the NBR also request to give it to you?
Elisabeta Lipa: Well, the Romanian Government cannot take it by force.
Reporter: BNR said it gives it.
Elisabeta Lipa: Well, let him give it in writing, under what conditions does he give it?
Now, nobody knows what will happen in the future with the two arenas. They will probably continue to degrade until the heads of institutions in the Romanian state will find that, right?!, nothing can be done and… they must be demolished.
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