Romanian History: 1974-1984 By aandersson21 Mar 28, 1974 Nicolae Ceauşescu becomes first Romanian president Apr 3, 1976 Danube-Black Sea Canal project restarts Jul 17, 1976 Nadia Comăneci, age 14, wins Olympic gold in gymnastics Mar 4, 1977 Vrancea Earthquake: 7.4 on Richter Scale Jul 1, 1977 Nearly half of miners in Jiu Valley go on strike; biggest protest in Communist Romania until 1989 revolution May 16, 1978 Ion Mihai Pacepa, a senior officer in Securitate, defects to the USA May 16, 1980 Construction of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant begins Jul 16, 1980 Fourth communist constitution is ratified Jul 19, 1981 Romania hosts Summer Universiade Jul 28, 1984 Romania is one of the three communist parties to take part in the Olympics (along with China and Yugoslavia)