The mayor of a Romanian village with less than 200 inhabitants, which has no drinking water and sewage, goes to work in a helicopter worth $ 800,000, reported TV Digi 24 and the news site Hotnews, quoted by BTA.
In total, the 166 residents of the village of Brebu Nou in Caras-Severin County have neither drinking water nor sewage. However, its mayor uses a helicopter for official purposes, bought for $ 800,000 from Austria in the name of a company that he and his father own, Digi 24 indicates.
Journalists from the website Kontekst, who spoke with the mayor Gabriel Bordia, tell about the situation. He revealed to the publication that the aircraft is his property, that he is keen on aerobatics and has a driving license. However, the sites where he lands are illegal and not officially authorized, the media noted.
Digi 24 points out that the village of Brebu Nou, where 166 people live, is one of the smallest settlements in Romania and is not connected to the water supply and sewage network.
The Hotnews website reminds that Gabriel Bordia is a representative of the Social Democratic Party, which is part of the ruling four-party coalition. He was elected in the local elections in June 2024, and this is his second term. He also headed the city hall in the period 2012-2016, and then for eight years he was a councilor.
The mayor uses a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter, whose market price is about $ 800,000. He tells the website Kontekst that he often flies on the Timisoara-Gerana route. Reporters on the site caught Bordia at a time when he was piloting the aircraft and landing in the yard of his own house.
Bordia emphasizes that he flies legally. "I am a private pilot, I have a license, I have undergone training. I like flying and travel by helicopter for pleasure", says the mayor.
The problem, however, is landing, notes Hotnews. The yard of Bordia's house, where journalists saw him land, is not an approved helipad and is not listed in official records.
"You can't have an airport at home, you can't land wherever you want. There are strict rules that stem from international and European legislation," said Silviu Gogu, spokesman for the National Civil Aviation Authority.