The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) and Marcel Pavel, the singer who performed the Romanian national anthem at the Romania-France football match on Tuesday evening will be fined with EUR 1,100 (RON 5,000) for changing the anthems lyrics, according to Bucharest's Prefect, Mihai Cristian Atanasoaei, quoted by Mediafax newswire.

The Romanian singer switched the last two lyrics of the second verse with the last two lyrics of the first verse when playing the Romanian anthem. He said that it was his choice and that the FRF agreed with it.

It is illegal to sing the Romanian national anthem with different lines or on a different beat that the original and the fine is between EUR 590 (RON 2,500) and EUR 1,100 (RON 5,000).

49,000 people watched the game from the tribunes, of which 300 french fans, according to Romanian media.

20 football matches will take place on the newly-opened stadium in Bucharest until December this year. English football team Machester United will come to Bucharest to play against Romanian side Otelul Galati on October 18 in the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Sxc.hu)