Romanians Pay Final Tribute to Former President Ion Iliescu

Dozens of people, many of them elderly, gathered on Wednesday at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace in Bucharest to pay their last respects to former Romanian President Ion Iliescu. It marked Romania’s first state funeral since 1989, CE Report quotes AGERPRES

Those attending spoke warmly of Iliescu’s legacy. "He was a president of great honour," said a woman in line. Others described him as a symbol of humanity, respect, and professionalism. A man from Iași, who traveled by train and brought flowers, called Iliescu "the best president Romania ever had."

Younger visitors came to witness what they described as a historic moment. A history graduate, preparing to become a teacher, noted the significance of attending the country’s first state funeral in over three decades, though he also acknowledged Iliescu’s unresolved court cases as a blemish on the Romanian justice system.

One elderly woman from Bucharest recalled Iliescu's reforms, including a pension law that allowed her to retire early. "He was a good man," she said. "History should remember him that way."