January 17, 2005

Romanians donate €395,000 to tsunami victims

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) _ President Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu led dozens of Romanian celebrities in a telethon to raise money for tsunami victims, the television station said Monday.

The 10-hour Sunday telethon on private television station Realitatea TV raised 15 billion lei, which is worth about €395,000, said Nicoleta Dragusin , a spokeswoman for the station.

"It was a big success," said Dragusin by telephone. "That is a lot of money for a private television station to raise ." It was the first time Romania has staged a public event of the kind to raise money for a global catastrophe.

Two Romanians have been declared missing in the Dec. 26 tsunami which has claimed nearly 170,000 lives.

Among the celebrities who took part in Sunday's telethon were Romanian goalkeeper Bogdan Stelea , fashion designers Catinca Roman and Mihai Albu , former Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana , and Romanian soprano Mariana Nicolesco .

The stars were filmed live picking up calls from ordinary Romanians who rang up to donate money. the 10-hour TV program was interspersed with footage of the December disaster and the aftermath and live reports from a correspondent.

Last week, Romania 's government said it would send tents, water and drugs to the tsunami-stricken regions. The aid is worth about €150,000.