Cultural personalities mourn Adrian Păunescu"s death.

"Adrian Păunescu was a complex, controversial personality, whose grandiloquent and melodic poetry had a great impact on the public, he was a popular figure of the last decades, Romanian literature has suffered the loss of a remarkable poet and a great pressman," the Writers" Union declared in a press statement, mentioned by Agerpres.

When novelist Fănuş Neagu found out about Adrian Păunescu"s death, he said that Romania lost a great personality.

"A Romanian giant has died, a young rebel," Fănuş Neagu said.

Folk musician Vasile Şeicaru stated for Agerpres agency that poet Adrian Păunescu ‘left this world in disappointment of it, "the best example for this were the poet"s last verses."

"Adrian Păunescu left this world in disappointment of it, he left sad and you can see this in his words in the final stage, when his suffering was visible, but also in his last verses," thought Vasile Şeicaru.

He also mentioned he had been beside the poet during the time he had been hospitalised and saw that he had wished he wouldn"t have "left this world so soon" and this is rendered clearly in his daughter"s letter.

Ducu Bertzi emphasized that poet Adrian Păunescu "has given us much more than we could carry and understand."

Ducu Bertzi remembered the years spent together with the poet during the pinnacle of the Cenaclul Flacăra group, when a lot of the songs that are sung by Romanian people today were released , but also the moment he first sung the national hymn, "Deşteaptă-te române."

"The years I spent with the poet in Cenaclul Flacăra were the most important of all. I felt freedom for the first time in Cenaclul Flacăra," added Ducu Bertzi.

Literary critic, Eugen Simion, former president of the Romanian Academy, said that "Adrian Păunescu is the last great social poet of Romania to leave this Earth."

Eugen Simion added that "Şerban Cioculescu said thirty years ago that, after Arghezi, Adrian Păunescu was the greatest social poet."

The former president of the Romanian Academy said that Adrian Păunescu was "a genuine tribune, a man of action who did a lot of good."

Traian Băsescu: Adrian Păunescu will forever be in the memory of those who appreciated his great works.

"For his entire literary work, poet Adrian Păunescu will forever be in the memory of those who appreciated the greatness of his works," said president Traian Băsescu in a public condolences message to the poet"s family, colleagues and friends.

"It saddened me to hear the news about Adrian Păunescu"s death," stated Traian Băsescu.

Interim president of the Republic of Moldova, Mihai Ghimpu, said that Adrian Păunescu"s death was a great loss for all Romanian people.

Mihai Ghimpu said he knew Adrian Păunescu, even before giving him the "Republic"s Order" on August 30th, the Republic of Moldova"s greatest distinction.

"He is the poet of all Romanians. He is a great man, this is a great loss," declared Mihai Ghimpu, who also sent his condolences to the poet"s family.

Mihai Ghimpu decorated Adrian Păunescu with the "Order of the Republic" on August 30th, "for his remarkable contribution to the Romanian literature, promoting national values and the true history, and reinforcing national conscience and solidarity."
Poet Adrian Păunescu died on Friday, at 7:15 at the Floreasca Hospital.

Adrian Păunescu was hospitalised at the Floreasca Emergency Hospital on October 26th, with cardiac, renal and hepatic issues.

While in hospital his condition aggravated continuously, thus machines were needed to keep vital functions alive.

Translated by: Ciocănel Tudor and Elena Daniela Radu
MA Students, MTTLC, Bucharest University