While Romania's Prime Minister Victor Ponta asked the country's Finance Ministry to double the value of prizes given to athletes who won medals in the Olympics, the Government has cut some of the financing for the program to create sports infrastructure in rural areas. The budget of this program, meant to improve conditions for children doing sports, has been cut by some RON 100 million (around EUR 22 million), according to the latest budget rectification draft.

Romania's Prime Minister Victor Ponta, who will be in London to attend the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games this week-end, recently said financial awards should be doubled for Romania's medal winning athletes.

On Tuesday next week, the Government will reward the performances of athletes who represented the country in the London games. In 2008, the Romanian Olympic committee offered a financial reward of EUR 100,000 for a gold medal, EUR 90,000 for silver medals and EUR 80,000 for bronze medals, which are also valid for this year, according to latest available data.

Romania has nine medals in the Olympics so far, two golds, in shooting and gymnastics, five silvers and two bronze medals. The medals came in in gymnastics, fencing, shooting, judo and weightlifting.

editor@romania-insider.com

(in picture, Alin Moldoveanu after winning gold in the shooting competition. photo source: cosr.ro)