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Bogdan Stamatin / EPA
A public television employee, Adrian Sobaru, prepares to jump from a balcony in the Romanian parliament building, in Bucharest, Romania, on Thursday, Dec. 23.
Bogdan Stamatin / EPA
Adrian Sobaru jumps from a balcony during a speech by Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc (not shown) in the Romanian parliament building on Thursday, Dec. 23. He sustained injuries but was reported to be conscious after the fall.
Reuters
Paramedics attend to Adrian Sobaru after he jumped off the Parliament hall's balcony to protest the government's austerity drive, including wage cuts and tax hikes during a vote over wage reforms in Bucharest, Romaina on Thursday, Dec. 23. The Associated Press says the father of two jumped from aroudn 23 feet and landed on benches. No one else was injured.
The AP reports: Romania's government survived a no-confidence motion in Parliament on Thursday in a session overshadowed by a man who flung himself from the chamber's balcony, apparently in protest over the government austerity measures.
His injuries were not life-threatening. A loud thud reverberated in the chamber after the man, Adrian Sobaru — identified by the country's public television station as one of its engineers — jumped from a height of about 7 meters (23 feet).
He hit the benches shortly after Prime Minister Emil
Boc looked startled and rushed over to Sobaru, along with other lawmakers, before Speaker Mircea Geoana briefly postponed the session.
Boc called the incident "a tragedy that shocked me," and appealed for calm "in these tough times."
You can read the full story HERE.
Leave a Comment:
Oh man, that has just got to smart!! Ultimately what has he accomplished? His daring but fool hardy statement of discontent also probably fell on deaf ears if his ruling parties are as dense as ours are to the pleas of common citizens!
Wow this is sad and selfish that a human being would foolishly put himself through this, in hopes of changing the course of the discussion.... it won't happen. It's sad because he was willing to break bones and bust up his internal organs to try to prove his point, but selfish because he has family and loved ones to watch him suffer as he tries to heal.
Besides.... if he were serious and REALLY wanted to prove a point, he would have found a much, much higher building with some cement sidewalks of which to 'splatter' his message.
Just sayin...
If he really wanted to make a statement, He woulda landed on his head.
Majority rules in this country, and common pleas were also loud under Republican rule, and not only were the pleas from common folks but from professionals as well. Nonetheless both "common folk" and the professionals were ignored by the Republicans in favor of their own personal agendas over and above what would have been best for the country.
What's even worse is if it's a government health care system like many European countries, he's causing even more taxes for himself and others to pay for his ensuing medical bills. Idiot.
I was thinking of his kids and the holidays, even though Romanian Christmas isn't until January. Still.
Reminds me of just how bad it is in many European countries, and it's spreading. If I were to pull a stunt like that, I'd make sure that I landed right on Pelosi.
Romanian Christmas in January?!? What do you think we r? Russians?
Tasteless headline, and you appear to be running the story as lead because you have photos. Classy journalism, all around.
Can we get some of our lawmakers to protest like this?
Please let Steve King protest the dream act by doing the same. I'm from Iowa, he must be from Mars.
What a dolt! And he has a family with two children. What did that stupidity prove and solve? Nothing. Instead of realizing that the World has changed drastically and trying to make things better for his family he's just made things a lot harder for them and himself.
why? if you're going to jump, make sure it will kill you. this guy is going to be on disability for the rest of his life.
Now that's CONVICTION! Now if we could get our elected officials who support tax cuts for the rich to demostrate their conviction with the same zest, we'd make much progress.
Problem with your logic is that it is backward to the circumstances. The US lawmakers favoring tax cuts for the rich are the ones controlling the Congress and ignoring the wishes of the majority of the public.
On the actions of this protester, the commentary here shows how generally self centered we have become. The fact that people are so egocentric and selfish that no true collective protest seems possible leads to extravagant individual actions to gain attention to serious issues. There should have been a group of hundreds joining this man so storm the assembly hall to obtain recognition of their protest. But it appears that it took the courage of convictions of this man going it alone to make the point. T many of those commentators here, there is nothing of principle that would be important enough to cause them to suffer some personal sacrifice or even inconvenience. Pity that.
I would not demean his family either by assuming that they are not proud of the husband and father for taking actions in support of his beliefs. Yes they will suffer along with him, but they may well honor him too.
The sad part is that the Romanian leaders needed to witness harm and suffering first hand to be "shocked" at the potential impact of his decisions. It suggests how out of touch modern leaders have become.
Thanks for the laugh you dumb @$$
He was auditioning for the Broadway show 'Spider Man'
I thought "lawn darts" were outlawed?
too funny....lol.
This entire story is just a fabrication. This guy jumped because he was caught wearing cargo pants.
Tony-2543364 said:
Now, now, mMaybe he was wearing cargo pants because he brought his own medical supplies in the pockets (bandages, gauge, peroxide, sutures, etc) just in case no one stopped the meeting to pay him any attention or call an ambulance when he jumped - from what a 5 ft high balcony. LMAO!
i wonder if Sarah Palin can fly??
Probably not Hugh. You know Sarah does have that big high bumpit up top her head, which probably has a parachute planted under it with auto-sensors, that opens if it senses a "high jump" (something she saw on Mission Impossible) - paid for from her SarahPac funds.
LMAO
Yes, calls for calm during these tough times... more like calling for calm while the bankers rape everyone. Pretty soon, people are going to get tired and stand up to these governments once and for all just like the United States founding fathers did.
The rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof our flag was still there. But my question is are we still a land of the free and home of the brave? Or a land of the complacent and meek.
May God bless this country and may God be heavy handed on the politicians and bankers they are in bed together once and for all!
9.5
7.0 from the Russians.
Moron. Nuff said.
Reminds me of the accident a few days ago of the Spiderman ( Broadway play) who didn't have the rope tied and jumped down..this guy is just plain NUTS..no rope!
I wonder what that other group of paramedics is doing...
@ wildcorndog. It appears they were not able to assist with the emergency rescue, on the count of them laughing so hard, that they were not able to perform their paramedic duties.
And yet here you are, Julie, reading and even taking the time to comment. I think MSNBC knows what it is doing.
Yes, MSNBC clearly knows what it's doing. That's why I can find such incisive, timely reporting on Lindsay Lohan and the weather at any given moment. Most people are quite happy with pedestrian crap journalism.
who cares?
I guess government health care will put him back together and government disability will provide for him. It's pathetic that our world governments have created this unbelievable reliance on government and amazing how many countries have turned their back on capitalism and free enterprise. I see so many people complaining about greedy corporations and the same fools are willing to give all the power to the government which ultimately doesn't create anything, doesn't concern itself with profits and efficiency. Competition, supply and demand and free enterprise are the only proven methods of governing. Freedom isn't cheap, you have to work for it.
well said steveO
Pat the Splat = fail
The Romanian press just released an announcement that this guy had a troubled past....tried out for the Romanian gymnastics team but didn't make the team....never could quite land a jump on his feet....
I BELIEVE I CAN.........SPLAT!!!!
The house of parliament is NOT a mosh pit! Those old buggars didn't realize they were supposed to catch him!
what a beautiful building
LMAO @ Jim-1437469. And just think, the nerve of this guy for trying to "mar" that beautiful building with his blood, bones and guts - and especially with all of that paramedic work going on - it just takes away some of the building's 'ambience'. Some people just make me sick.
Could this be a new XTreme sport...?????
Gnarly, dude......
Oh I see, you mean the newest in Xtreme sports... jumping from sorta high places, with just your arms to flap like wings.. and a lot of hope that the flapping will help one fly like the mighty Eagle? LMAO!