Romania marks Day of Mourning as ex-President Iliescu will be buried at Ghencea military cemetery
On Thursday, August 7, Romania observes a national day of mourning in honor of former President Ion Iliescu, with flags flown at half-mast. The Union Hall of the Cotroceni Palace was the resting place for the former head of state’s coffin since Wednesday. A brief religious service and a Guard ceremony will be held there. Following this, the funeral service will take place at the Church within the Cotroceni Palace Complex.
Following the religious ceremony, the Guard of Honor, composed of soldiers from the 30th Guards Brigade "Mihai Viteazul," will pay their final respects at the Marinescu Plateau. The National Anthem will be sung, and the procession will pass in front of the Guard, as reported by Agerpres.
The procession carrying the coffin of the former president of Romania will then proceed to the Ghencea III Military Cemetery. The route will include Gheorghe Marinescu Boulevard, Eroii Sanitari Boulevard, Eroilor Boulevard, Bagdasar Street, Panduri Road, Geniului Boulevard, Răzoare Street, Drumul Sării, Ghencea Boulevard, Prelungirea Ghencea, Drumul Cooperativei, and finally to Ghencea III Cemetery.
Upon arriving at the cemetery, the coffin will be placed on a cannon, and military honors will be performed.
The funeral will be held in a private ceremony attended only by family and close friends.
Ion Iliescu served as the head of state of Romania between 1990 and 1992, again from 1992 to 1996, and then from 2000 to 2004.
The first president of post-communist Romania passed away on Tuesday, August 5, at the "Agrippa Ionescu" Hospital in the capital. Ion Iliescu was 95 years old.
