Radio România Internațional

Tag: December 1

  • Iconic documents of the Great Union

    Iconic documents of the Great Union

     

     

    The union of Transylvania with Romania on December 1, 1918, Romania’s National Day, has been committed to memory in multiple types of documents and sources. Some of them have become, in the over 100 years that have passed since then, standard points of reference for that great moment.

     

    One of the most famous images of the assembly that proclaimed the union of Transylvania with Romania is a must-see on the National Day celebration. It is displayed in all history textbooks, it is featured in documentary films on the event, and it is displayed in museums and public places throughout Romania. It is a photograph that depicts a crowd of people in the area known as “Horea’s Field”. They are mostly peasants, but a few military uniforms can also be seen. In the centre of the image, an elderly man in a peasant costume is holding a red-yellow-blue flag in his left hand, and his right hand is raised at 45 degrees. Around this character, five or six other people are also seen holding the national flag in their hands, with the colours arranged horizontally.

     

    The recurrence of this photograph is explained by the effort of the communist regime before 1989 to show the peasantry as the main decisive factor of the union. The photograph from Câmpul lui Horea overshadowed another photograph featuring the prominent figure of the Greek Catholic bishop Iuliu Hossu, a political prisoner and the one who read the proclamation of the union.

     

    A second image, just as much presented to the public as the one mentioned above, is a photograph of a group of approximately 50 women and men, peasants from the village of Galtiu, Sântimbru commune, Alba County. Several trees stand in the background, and on the left side we can see a man from the group dressed in black and white national costumes holding the national flag. In the middle, above all of them, there is a banner with the text “Galtiu. Long live the union and Greater Romania”.

     

    The author of the two iconic photographs is Samoilă Mârza, nicknamed “the photographer of the Union”. Romanians owe their only photographs of the Great Union events to Mârza, the two mentioned, but also eight lesser-known ones. Born in 1886, in Galtiu, Mârza graduated from high school in Alba Iulia, and was trained by a photographer in Sibiu. He participated in World War I and was assigned to the topographic and photographic service of the Austrian-Hungarian Army.

     

    At the end of the war, Mârza took three photographs that capture the consecration of the first three-colour flag of the Romanian National Military Council, on November 14, 1918. Four days before the meeting in Alba Iulia, Mârza arrived in his native village, took three photos with his fellow citizens before leaving for Alba Iulia. He carried the bellows camera, the tripod and the glass plates on a bicycle. Due to the weight of the devices and the cloudy weather, Samoilă Mârza took five photos of the meeting, three with the crowd and two with the official stands where the union act was read. In early 1919, Samoilă Mârza published his photographs in an album entitled “The great assembly in Alba Iulia in faces”.

     

    While not equally iconic, the audio documents related to that day are no less important. In 1918, the Greek-Catholic priest Gherasim Căpâlna was 24 years old, and in a 1970 interview preserved in the archives of the Oral History Centre of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, he remembered the organisation of the departure to Alba Iulia from the bishopric where he worked:

     

    Gherasim Căpâlna: “The news spread by word of mouth, from village to village, by priests and teachers. It was decided that the meeting should be held on Archangels’ Day, November 8. But the date was changed, and the decision was made, in Arad, that we should go to Alba Iulia on the first day of December. But there, in Alba Iulia, there were so many people that you couldn’t cross to the other side. First, the leaders got organised, and Gheorghe Pop de Băsești was appointed as president of the Assembly. He was the oldest, so he gave orders to every centre, in every county. Vaida-Voevod was the leader for our area, this is where he took shelter. And there was also doctor Theodor Mihali, a Deputy. The main engine, those who organised the assembly, were the priests and the teachers, without them nothing could have been done. They did it, and they did it at the risk of their lives. A special list was put together with the people who wanted to go to Alba Iulia, and we asked for the list so that we could get a train pass for them. The Railways Authority provided us with carriages, we left on Thursday and the meeting was on Sunday. On Friday we were on the road, on Saturday we arrived in Alba Iulia with no less than 100 people. Most of them had nowhere to sleep. They walked around the city and slept leaning against the walls of Alba Iulia.”

     

    The iconic documents of the historic assembly in Alba Iulia on December 1, 1918 also have their own little history, and today we integrate them into the bigger historical picture in order to understand it better. (AMP, LS)

  • December 1, 2024 UPDATE

    December 1, 2024 UPDATE

    Parliamentary elections update – More than 8.2 million Romanians, i.e. almost 46% of the 18 million with the right to vote, had gone to the polls, until 6 p.m. local time, in the parliamentary elections taking place on Sunday. The turnout is significantly higher than the one recorded, at the same hour, at the parliamentary elections 4 years ago. In the diaspora, where Romanians started voting on Saturday,  the number of voters exceeded 603 thousand. The number of urban voters exceeds that of rural voters by more than 1 million. 31 parties and alliances, as well as 19 organizations of national minorities, are registered in today’s elections. Voting is proportional, on lists. We remind you that on June 9, local and European Parliament elections took place in Romania simultaneously.

     

    National Day – Romania’s National Day was celebrated on Sunday, December 1, throughout the country, with parades, military and religious ceremonies and shows. Thousands of people attended the parade in the center of Bucharest, which enjoyed the participation of over 2,500 Romanian soldiers from the army and other law enforcement agencies. Along with the Romanian soldiers, 240 foreign soldiers participated in the parade, as part of detachments from allied countries: Albania, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Spain, the United States and Turkey. President Klaus Iohannis hosted, on Saturday, the last reception dedicated to the National Day in his capacity as head of state. At the end of his 10-year mandate, Iohannis sent a message of unity and solidarity, in order to overcome crises and move forward with dignity. The Romanian Cultural Institute organized abroad events dedicated to the National Day. December 1, 1918 marks the establishment of the Romanian unitary nation state. At the end of the First World War, all the provinces inhabited mostly by Romanians that were, until then, under the authority of the Austro-Hungarian and Tsarist empires: Transylvania, Banat, Bucovina and Bessarabia became part of the Kingdom of Romania.

     

    Message – Representatives of foreign embassies in Bucharest wished Romania, which they consider a friend and reliable partner, ‘Happy National Day’, on December 1. The German ambassador, Peer Gebauer, wrote on the diplomatic mission’s Facebook page that his country and Romania are united by a wonderful friendship. Giles Portman, the British ambassador in Bucharest, described Romania as a close ally. And the ambassador of Israel, Lior Ben Dor, remembered that his parents and grandparents come from Romania. Romania has a rich history, beautiful landscapes and hospitable people. For Israel, Romania will always be a close friend with whom we have a special relationship. I am grateful that I have the chance to contribute to strengthening the relations between our countries’, said Lior Ben Dor. The US Embassy in Bucharest also sent a congratulatory message through the Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who showed that Romania’s commitment to security and democracy in Europe is a model for all nations to follow. The head of American diplomacy stated that his country is proud to collaborate with Romania, to address global challenges and secure the prosperity and wellbeing of our peoples.

     

    Handball – The Romanian women’s national handball team take on the team of Montenegro on Sunday in Debrecen, Hungary, in the second match of group B of the European Championship to be hosted by Austria, Hungary and Switzerland. In the first match, the Romanian players defeated the Czech Republic, and the Montenegrin team defeated Serbia. The teams ranked on the first two places will qualify for the main groups. This is the first continental final tournament with 24 teams at the start.

     

    Ballot recount – The Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE) has informed that all the ballots registered in the polling stations abroad in the first round of the presidential election on November 24 have been sent to the country. The diplomatic missions and consular offices of Romania used, for this purpose, the fastest and safest transport solutions identified, depending on the geographical areas and the time zone, MAE stated. They also said that, on Monday, more than 97% of the ballots cast in the Diaspora will be in Bucharest. On Thursday, the Constitutional Court of Romania asked the Central Electoral Bureau to recount all the validly cast votes and the invalid ones from the first round of the presidential election, following the notification by one of the candidates regarding possible fraud. On Monday, the constitutional judges will decide whether to validate or cancel the election. If they validate it, the second round will take place on Sunday, December 8. (LS)

  • The Great Union of December 1, 1918: a look back at Romania of the year 1918

    The Great Union of December 1, 1918: a look back at Romania of the year 1918

    Earlier in 1918, Romania had been occupied by the Central Powers’ armies and its image was tainted by the separate peace treaty it concluded in March 1918. In the fall of 1918, the balance of power between the Central Powers and the Entente changed dramatically in favor of the latter, so much so that at the end of the war Romania found itself on the winners’ side. The reward was the establishment of Greater Romania, as the provinces of Bessarabia, Bukovina and Transylvania united with the Kingdom of Romania. Yet, that was not easy to achieve. Until 1920, the political elite and society in general had to struggle to have the new state recognized at international level.

     

    The historian Ioan Scurtu explains Romania’s road from ecstasy to agony in the war years, between 1916 and 1918.“In theory, Romania ought to have been prepared, since it entered the war in 1916, two years after the big world conflict had started. That particular time span should have normally been used for getting the army as well as the necessary supplies ready. Sadly, it didn’t. After the frenzy of entering the war, when the troops set off in songs, flowers attached to their guns, and with cheering crowds seeing soldiers off as if they were going to a party, the disaster in Turtucaia took place, only 10 days later. That opened the eyes of Romanian officials to reality. Then in November the troops withdrew from Transylvania and in early December the capital city Bucharest was occupied. The government and court had to flee to Iasi, where, aside from all the hardships triggered by such a numerous presence, cholera broke out, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. And, as if all that were not enough, a railway accident occurred, when more than 1,000 people died as a train went off the rails nearby Iasi.”

     

    1917 however brought its moments of glory, when the Romanian army stopped the advance of German and Austrian-Hungarian troops in Marasesti, Marasti and Oituz. Yet the Bolshevik Revolution triggered Romania’s surrender, which was occupied by the enemies soon after. Despite the fact that it had lost its treasure to Russia, it concluded a separate peace with its opponents and had to cope with the aftershocks of the Bolshevik revolutions in Russia and Hungary, Romania managed to overcome those tremendous difficulties.

     

    All that was possible because of a visionary political elite, the historian Ioan Scurtu believes.“All those obstacles were overcome, due to the fact that Romania had a top-quality political class. And the first name that comes to mind is that of Ion I.C. Bratianu, the president of the National Liberal Party, who played a crucial role in achieving the Great Union. Representatives of Bessarabia, Bukovina and Transylvania came to Iasi, ahead of the Union proclamation, held talks with King Ferdinand and with Ion I. C. Bratianu and other politicians, to find the best way to mobilize everybody for the union. Ion I.C. Bratianu led the Romanian delegation at the Peace Conference in Paris and there he talked to the great politicians of that time, from the US President Wilson to Great Britain’s Prime Minister. Eventually it was a success, and through the peace treaties of 1919-1920 the Chisinau, Cernauti and Alba Iulia union documents were ratified.”

     

    But it was the two Romanian monarchs, Ferdinand I and Marie, who mobilized the nation. Historian Ioan Scurtu: “King Ferdinand was German, he had been an officer in the German army. When, during a Crown Council meeting, he said he was in favor of Romania entering the war against his country, his family, he made a personal sacrifice, but at the same time an act of great importance for Romania. He had an exchange with Petre P. Carp, right after the Council meeting. Carp told him curtly that he had forgotten he was German, and such a decision was improper. The king replied that he was fully aware of being German, but, he added, if the interests of his country would have been in line with Romania’s, he would gladly have taken a different path. However, he considered himself Romanian, too, the king of Romanians, and he acted in the interest of the country he was heading.”

     

    The sacrifice of the nation was also the sacrifice of the royal couple, and strength of character shows in the most difficult moments. Historian Ioan Scurtu:“Queen Marie was right from the start in favor of Romania joining the war on the side of the Allies. She was English, and she played an important role in convincing Ferdinand to make this personal sacrifice in the interest of the Romanian people. Along the way, the king and queen were always close to Romanians, to the army, to the main political leaders. When he heard a proposal to withdraw from Iasi to Odessa, for fear that German troops would take over the whole of Moldavia, King Ferdinand said he would not leave the country. Ion I. C. Bratianu did the same. This mobilized public opinion, including some politicians who had left in a hurry to take residence in Ukraine, in cities far from the front line.”

    Greater Romania was the dream of the early 20th century. It was an aim reached by all who believed in it, by following strong models and principles, by overcoming emotion and hesitation, by the sheer force of will.

     

  • Happening in Romania

    Happening in Romania

    In the lineup today: the significance of Saint Andrew Day, a national holiday, marked every year in Romania on November 30, Romanian wines are presented and promoted in Ireland on Romanias National Day, Christmas markets open across Romania.



  • Romanians celebrated the National Day

    Romanians celebrated the National Day

    For Romanians, both for those in the country and abroad, December 1 was a day of celebration. Romania’s National Day was marked by military parades, floral tributes at the heroes’ monuments, traditional music performances and exhibitions which evoked the Great Union of 104 years ago. In Bucharest, the parade under the Arch of Triumph was attended by 35 thousand people, and in the capital of the Great Union, Alba-Iulia, the story of the events from that time was told throughout the whole day by means of special moments of historical reconstruction, in the presence of thousands of Romanians from all corners of the country. No matter how difficult the tribulations of history were, the Romanian people resisted and developed through unity – said the Liberal Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă, who celebrated the National Day in Alba-Iulia.


    Nicolae Ciucă: It is a very important day for us and, as we have always shown respect and honor for the memory of those who sacrificed themselves in the most difficult moments, for Romania to be as it is today, I believe that from now on as well, in moments perhaps not as difficult as then, we still need unity, solidarity, empathy and I am convinced that, as we have done it every time, we will do it from now on as well, being able to demonstrate that Romania is a truly European country. Many Happy Returns of the Day, Romania! Many Happy Returns of the Day, Romanians!



    In Bucharest, President Klaus Iohannis said that Romania had made remarkable progress in recent years, continued the efforts to modernize the state and to make reforms. At the same time, the head of state urged the authorities to use all instruments to increase the standard of living of Romanians: Citizens naturally have high expectations from the political class, especially in this difficult period. We are already on a path full of changes, reforms, efforts to modernize the state, institutions, public services and infrastructure. It is a lasting process, which I see as irreversible, but Romanians need as tangible and immediate progress as possible to increase their well-being and standard of living. Our country has sufficient funds at its disposal through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan – PNRR and other European programs to produce the necessary changes and I urge the authorities to use all available instruments.



    For me, December 1st is about the certainty that this people will always find the strength to overcome all crisis situations, said the social-democratic leader Marcel Ciolacu, the president of the Chamber of Deputies, who added that: The National Day is the moment when we celebrate the pride, unity, solidarity, strength of character and heroic courage of our forefathers. For me, however, this year, December 1 also represents something else, extremely important in the current turbulent context in which we are living. It is a brilliant example of the way in which the Romanian people have always found, in the most difficult moments of their history, that terrible inner force that made them overcome borderline situations.



    Regardless of doctrines and values, Marcel Ciolacu went on to say, we must believe in the people and always offer direct support to Romania, because that means being a genuine patriot. (LS)

  • November 30, 2020 UPDATE

    November 30, 2020 UPDATE

    National Day — Due to the new coronavirus pandemic, on December 1, Romania’s National Day, a small ceremony will be organized, which will be attended by physicians, other medical staff and foreign ambassadors. Small ceremonies attended only by the local authorities will also be held in other big cities of Romania. The Romanian Foreign Ministry celebrates Romania’s National Day this year through a digital diplomacy project, and also through its diplomatic missions and consular offices. The project is a virtual dialogue and meeting space devoted to Romania’s friends and partners, to the Romanian communities and citizens from abroad and it has a novel form, adapted to the global health situation. The National Day of Romania will be celebrated by the Romanian Cultural Institute through a series of online events aimed at promoting the Romanian culture and civilization. On Romania’s National Day Niagara Falls will be lit up in the colors of the Romanian flag between 9:45 p.m. and 10.00 p.m. local time thanks to an initiative of the Romanian Embassy in Ottawa and to the show “Us Romanians” produced by Raul Dudnicşi from Arad and broadcast all over Canada through the OMNI channel. According to the Romanian Television Corporation, the moment can be watched online at www.cliftonhill.com.



    Covid-19 Romania — Another 3,826 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the past 24 hours in Romania out of 10 thousand tests, which points to a contamination rate of over 33%. Since the onset of the pandemic, the number of contaminations countrywide has exceeded 475 thousand, according to data published on Monday by the Strategic Communication Group. 138 people infected with SARS-CoV-2 have died in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 11,331. Romania reports a record number of Covid-19 patients in ICUs, 1,251. The slight drop in the spread rate of the new coronavirus reported in the past week in Romania is one of the first effects of recent measures taken by the authorities, says President Klaus Iohannis. He urged the population to continue to strictly observe the health protection rules while waiting for the anti-Covid-19 vaccine to arrive. President Iohannis announced that the first immunization phase will include the medical staff and the vulnerable people while mass immunization will most probably take place in spring.



    Meeting – The Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu participates on December 1 and 2 in a video conference of the foreign ministers of the NATO member states. The agenda of the meeting includes such topics as the consolidation of NATO’s political dimension, the relations with Russia and China, the situation in Afghanistan and security in the Black Sea region. Minister Bogdan Aurescu will reiterate, among others, the Black Sea’s strategic importance for Euro-Atlantic security and will highlight the need to carry on with the efforts of consolidating the allied presence in the region as well as of strengthening coherence on the NATO eastern flank. The foreign ministers will participate in 3 working sessions, one in allied format on December 1, and the other two, on December 2, also involving the participation of some of the NATO partner states.



    Saint Andrew — Christians from around the world, including from Romania, celebrated on November 30 the Saint Apostle Andrew. Considered the patron saint of Romania, the apostle of Jesus Christ preached the Christian faith to and baptized the inhabitants of Dobrogea (southeast). Saint Andrew died a martyr in the town of Patras, Greece, crucified on an X-shaped cross. As many as 700 thousand Romanians are named Andrei — the Romanian for Andrew.



    Ceremonies — The Romanian Defense Ministry organized on Monday, on Saint Andrews’ Day, a military and religious ceremony for the re-consecration of the Heroes’ Cross on Caraiman Peak, in the Bucegi Mountains, also known as The Commemorative Cross to the Romanian Heroes of the First World War. The Cross was renovated with Europeans funds. The monument is located at an altitude of almost 2,300 meters and was included in The Guinness Book of Records as the highest cross located on a mountain peak. It is more than 39 meters high, with the length of the horizontal arm of about 15 meters. The cross was erected between 1926 — 1928 upon order of one of the 4 monarchs of Romania — King Ferdinand and his wife, Marie.



    Film — Conrad Mericoffer, the Romanian actor playing the main character in the film Poppy Field directed by Eugen Jebeleanu won the Best Actor Award in the Retueyos official section of the Gijón International Film Festival hosted by Spain. He also won the Best Actor Award granted by the jury of the 38th edition of the Turin Film Festival, from Italy. The drama Poppy Field, the cinematographic debut of director Eugen Jebeleanu, was first presented at the 24th edition of the Tallinn Black Nights International Festival (PÖFF). Made after a script by Ioana Moraru, the film presents a day in the life of Cristi (Conrad Mericoffer), a young gendarme from Bucharest. (tr. L. Simion)

  • December 1, 2019 UPDATE

    December 1, 2019 UPDATE

    National Day — Romania’s national day is the most emotional celebration of the Romanian nation and a symbol of freedom, being equally a celebration of democracy, of our fundamental rights and liberties, said Sunday the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis at the reception organized at the Cotroceni Palace. On December 1 Romania marked 101 years since the creation of the Romanian unitary nation state. As many as 4 thousand military and experts and around 200 vehicles participated in Bucharest in a traditional military parade. The event, which was attended by President Klaus Iohannis, also involved the participation of 500 military from 21 allied countries. Various events took place in other cities of Romania. Another military parade was held Sunday in Alba Iulia, in the center, the place of the Great Union of December 1, 1918, in the presence of the PM Ludovic Orban. The Romanian military on mission in the theaters of operations in Afghanistan, the western Balkans, Mali, Iraq and Poland also participated in military ceremonies to mark the national day.



    Washington — The American president Donald Trump conveyed a message to his Romanian counterpart Klaus Iohannis on the occasion of the 101st anniversary of Romania’s national day. Romania is a precious ally for the US and NATO, shows the message of the White House. Also the American president hailed Romania’s firm commitment in relation to sharing responsibilities and trans-Atlantic security. Donald Trump also expressed appreciation for Romania’s commitment to consolidate the common values of democracy, the rule of law and the free market economy.



    EU – The new European Commission headed by Ursula von der Leyen takes office on December 1. The EU members have decided that the new Commission will have only 27 commissioners, after Great Britain refused to appoint a commissioner in the context of Brexit. The Romanian Adina Valean with the European Peoples Party has been appointed Transport Commissioner. The first official meeting of the College of Commissioners takes place on December 4, when several administrative decisions will be made.



    Albania — Romania on Sunday sent humanitarian aid to Albania, which was hit by a powerful earthquake on Tuesday. Two C-130 Hercules planes of the Romanian Air Forces carried the humanitarian aid and brought back to Romania the 52 firefighters and their equipment, as they participated alongside other countries in the search and rescue operations undertaken there. These operations officially came to an end on Sunday. The Albanian PM Edi Rama announced that 51 people died in the 6.4 magnitude quake, several hundreds were wounded and thousands were left homeless. The most affected cities are Thumane in the north, Durres on the Adriatic Sea coast and the capital Tirana.



    Handball – Romania’s national women’s handball team obtained its first victory at the world championship hosted by Japan, defeating the team of Senegal 29-24 on Sunday, in Kumamoto, in the championship’s Group C. On Saturday, in their first match, the Romanian handballers were defeated by Spain 31-16. In the other matches of the group, Montenegro defeated Kazakhstan 30-21 and Spain defeated Hungary 29-25. Romania’s next match is scheduled for December 3, against Kazakhstan. As of 1957 until 2017 Romania’s women’s team has never missed a world final tournament. They got silver in 2005 in Russia and bronze in 2015 in Denmark.



    Football — Romania’s national football team will play in Group C alongside the Netherlands, Ukraine and Austria, if they manage to qualify to EURO 2020, according to the drawing of lots that took place Saturday in Bucharest. Romania’s capital will host 4 matches of the Euro 2020 final, three in the group stage and one in the round of 16. The Romanian footballers have not managed to pass the preliminary stage but they still have chances to qualify after the Nations League playoffs, following which 4 national teams will go to Euro 2020. Romania will take on Iceland on March 26 and if they wins they will play on March 31 with the winner of the match pitting Bulgaria against Hungary. According to UEFA, the total costs for the organization of the European championship in the summer of 2020 stand at 680 million Euros, while revenues exceed 2 billion Euros. One million tickets will be put up for sale between December 4th and 18th for the supporters of the 20 qualified national teams, the Romanian Football Federation announced. If Romania’s national team qualifies, they will play at least 2 matches in Bucharest. (translation by L. Simion)

  • December 1, 2019

    December 1, 2019

    National Day — On December 1, the National Day of Romania, as many as 4 thousand military and experts with the Defense Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the Romanian Intelligence Service and the National Administration of Penitentiaries and around 200 vehicles participated in Bucharest in a traditional military parade. The event, which was attended by President Klaus Iohannis, also involved the participation of 500 military from 21 allied countries. Various events are taking place in other cities of Romania as well, with the national flag flying at all the military institutions across the country. The great ensign was displayed on sea and river ships. The Romanian military who are on mission in the theaters of operations in Afghanistan, the western Balkans, Mali, Iraq and Poland are participating in military ceremonies to mark the national day. The city of Alba Iulia, in the center, the place of the Great Union of December 1, 1918, will also host a military parade in which 1,400 military will participate, in the presence of the PM Ludovic Orban. Alongside members of his cabinet, the PM has laid a wreath of flowers at the monument of the Great Union.



    Message — On the occasion of the National Day of Romania the Liberal PM Ludovic Orban has conveyed a message to Romanians: ‘Today, 101 years since the Great Union, when Romania had to suffer a lot because of the war, of Communism and even because of recent events, we are celebrating the National Day with the feeling of true liberation and of making a new dream come true’, said the PM. He added that we have the chance to change things for the better, to live in a democratic country in which the state institutions serve the citizens and the law is valid for everyone. The PM went on to say that it was high time we consolidated the European Romania that should guarantee its citizens their fundamental rights and liberties.



    EU – The new European Commission headed by Ursula von der Leyen will take office on December 1. The EU members have decided that the new Commission will have only 27 commissioners, after Great Britain refused to appoint a commissioner in the context of Brexit. The Romanian Adina Valean with the European Peoples Party has been appointed Transport Commissioner. The College of Commissioners will meet on December 4 to make several administrative decisions.



    NATO — London will host the NATO summit on Tuesday and Wednesday, which will mark the Alliance’s 70th anniversary. High on the agenda of talks are issues such as the fight against terrorism, arms control and the relations with Russia and China. Romania will be represented by President Klaus Iohannis. According to the presidential administration, Romania’s head of state will highlight Romania’s contribution within NATO and will underline the need to continue the process of adapting the alliance posture of deterrence and defense on the eastern flank and the Black Sea region.



    Handball – Romania’s national handball team has obtained its first victory at the world championship hosted by Japan defeating the team of Senegal 29-24 on Sunday, in Kumamoto, in the championship’s Group C. On Saturday, in their first match, the Romanian hadnballers were defeated by Spain 31-16. In the other matches of the group, Montenegro defeated Kazakhstan 30-21 and Spain defeated Hungary 29-25. Romania’s next match is scheduled for December 3, against Kazakhstan. (translation by L. Simion)

  • October 12, 2019 UPDATE

    October 12, 2019 UPDATE

    EC — The president of the European Parliament, the Italian David Sassoli, said Saturday that it would be probably impossible for the future European Commission to take on its prerogatives as of November 1 and that the takeover would be postponed for December 1. He explained that Romania, Hungary and France need to propose another 3 commissioners whose candidacies have to be analyzed by Parliament. The confirmation vote of the entire team made up of the German Ursula von der Leyen was scheduled for October 23 in the EP during a plenary session in Strasbourg. The candidates of Romania and Hungary were rejected by the Legal Affairs Committee JURI due to suspicions of possible conflicts of interest. France’s candidate also caused integrity-related suspicions in the context of investigations into alleged fictitious jobs when she served as an MEP.



    Election campaign — Saturday saw the start of the election campaign for the November presidential election in Romania. 14 candidates are running in the presidential race among whom the incumbent president Klaus Iohannis representing the National Liberal Party, the interim prime minister Viorica Dancila from the Social Democratic Party, Dan Barna representing the Alliance Save Romania Union-PLUS, Theodor Paleologu representing the People’s Movement Party, Mircea Diaconu, supported by the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats and Pro Romania party and or Kelemen Hunor from the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania. Running for the presidential seat and representing extra-parliamentary parties are Cătălin Ivan, Ninel Peia, Sebastian-Constantin Popescu, John-Ion Banu, Ramona-Ioana Bruynseels and Viorel Cataramă. Bogdan Stanoevici and Alexandru Cumpănaşu are running as independents. The first round will take place on November 10, and the second round will be held on November 24. Under a government decision, the Romanians abroad will vote in the first round of the election for 3 days, from November 8 to 10, and from November 22 to 24 in the second round.



    Handball – Romania’s national men’s handball team Dinamo Bucharest on Saturday defeated 30-20 (16-10), away from home, Russia’s team Cehovskie Medvedi in a Champions League Group D match. With two wins and a draw in the previous matches, Dinamo Bucharest accumulated 7 points and consolidated their position as group leaders. They managed to obtain 12 consecutive victories in all competitions. (update by L. Simion)

  • Alba Iulia 100 Years Ago

    Alba Iulia 100 Years Ago

    The Romanian National Council, made up of 6 members of the Romanian National Party and 6 Socialist Party members, decided that the future of Romanians in Austria-Hungary was with Romania.



    In Alba Iulia, 1,228 deputies were elected to vote the resolution that united Transylvania with the Kingdom of Romania.



    This moment of national enthusiasm was described, a century after the events, by historian and political science professor Daniel Barbu, with the School of Political and Administrative Science of Bucharest University: “What happened back then was that two forms of sovereignty clashed directly, dramatically. Early Roman law had two notions that it did not see as contradictory, but outright complementary. It saw them engaged in a permanent debate. There was the notion of maiestas, the sovereignty of the people, and imperium, the sovereignty of magistrates, of the state, the Senate, the consuls, the censors, and so forth. In 1918, in early winter in Transylvania, resuscitating this Roman terminology, Transylvania was a stateless province, because the Hungarian crown was stuck, it had no place to move. When I say the Crown, I mean its magistrates, prefects, gendarmes, and everyone who provided public order and sovereignty for the nation of Greater Hungary, exercised as an imperium by Parliament, the king and the delegates of the government in regions and counties. There was no such authority at the time.”



    In all this confusion, Romanians reacted on the lines of self-government. Here is Daniel Barbu: “However, at that time we had an outburst of maiestas, the sovereignty of the people. To the point, Romanian ethnics, who fell mostly with two parties, with relatively equal representation in the Parliament in Budapest, with equal influence, the National Romanian Party and the Romanian wing of the Social Democratic Party in Hungary, organized elections. As far as I know, it was the only election that was not organized by a government or public authority. It was organized, as they say for they last 40 years or so, by civil society. I dont mean to say that it was a very democratic process. Micro-historical data that we have regarding the election of delegates from each locality show that what was used was a Roman type procedure, a sort of acclamation. Normally, three or four notable figures in the village, such as the priest, landowner, if they were Romanian, the notary public, the teacher, or a wealthier peasant, were picked by acclamation, by consensus, and given authority to represent the entire local community. It was a laborious process, it lasted almost a month, and it could have generated a democratic mentality. Where else have you seen a relatively large group of people organize themselves by themselves, with no prefect, gendarmes, no police, no assistance, encouragement, or financing from a public authority, in an electoral process that led to a formative assembly, such as that in Alba Iulia?”



    However, those were troubled times, as the end of WWI had brought to the surface expectations and reactions that had been repressed previously. Daniel Barbu said that democracy could have been built on new foundations then, but it was not to be so: “Without a doubt, the constituent assembly in Alba Iulia, with its unanimous resolution, also passed by acclamation, did not use voting. It was speaking about unity, and accepted the union with the Kingdom of Romania, but under certain conditions. It spoke about instituting a clean, democratic and authentic regime. One question emerges: were the participants in the Assembly in Alba Iulia, at least those who wrote the resolution and submitted it for acclamation, were they democrats? They were clearly Romanian patriots. They were people with a lot of experience in Parliament, they had the practice and the science of politics. My guess is that they were democrats, which they proved in the months to come. On December 6, the Romanian army took over Transylvania. It was instrumental in drawing up the borders, and, more importantly, restored order in the country. We have a very clear testimony, Ion Lapedatu talks about that in his memoir, quoting his diary from those days, where he wrote that the villages are in motion. When we talk about Soviet communes, we think only of Budapest and the Hungary beyond the Tisa, but in fact all of Europe, including England, was stricken by revolutionary fervour. For months on end, cities such as Turin, Munich, Berlin, were led, under a red flag, by soldier and worker associations. Similar things were happening in Transylvania. The villages are in motion, Lapedatu complained. What did that mean? The peasants were divvying up the lands, and that did not always mean that the land owner was Hungarian. Peasants were going to the notary public and burned the ledgers with their debt. There was an entire rural movement that emulated revolution.”



    100 years ago, Alba Iulia was the center of the Romanian movement in Transylvania. That end of year was glorious, but historians say that the events did not flow to a clearly anticipated outcome.

  • The Centenary of the Great Union

    The Centenary of the Great Union

    On 1st December, Romania celebrated 100 years since the creation of the nation state. Around 450 different public events were held around the country to mark this anniversary and the National Day.



    Despite the biting cold, with the lowest temperatures recorded on this day in the last 60 years, hundreds of thousands of people attended the outdoor festivities. In the morning, Bucharest hosted the biggest military parade in recent decades. 4,000 military took part, including more than 500 soldiers from 20 partner and allied countries. More than 200 pieces of military equipment were involved and the capital city’s sky was crossed by almost 50 aircraft.



    The equipment included, for the first time, the Patriot missile defence system and the Piranha 5 armoured vehicles made in Romania starting this year. In the afternoon, all eyes were on Alba Iulia, the city in central Romania where Transylvania’s union with Romania was proclaimed on 1st December 1918. Another military parade was held there, the biggest in the city’s history. Patriarch Daniel, the head of the Romanian Orthodox Church, and Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem held a service in front of the Union Cathedral, and President Klaus Iohannis inaugurated the Union Bridge and the Great Union Memorial. The people who came to Alba Iulia from all corners of the country and abroad also celebrated the Centenary through music, as singers from all historical regions of Romania brought their traditions and costumes to the City of the Union.



    Tens of thousands of portions of food were distributed free of charge among those present in Alba Iulia, which, for one day, became a pedestrian-only city. The day ended with a spectacular firework display. Alba Iulia also played host to the 12th edition of the Congress of Romanian Spirituality whose aim is to consolidate dialogue with the Romanians living abroad.



    1st December was in fact celebrated around the world, with the Romanian Cultural Institute and Romania’s diplomatic missions holding numerous events. President Klaus Iohannis urged all Romanians, whether in Romania or abroad, to build together the Romania of the following century united around values such as democracy, freedom and equality before the law. Prime minister Viorica Dancila expressed her wish that Romanians enter the second century of the existence of Greater Romania by emulating the example of the founding fathers, in order to carry through the strategic projects they wished to accomplish for the country. (Translated by C. Mateescu)

  • December 1, 2018 UPDATE

    December 1, 2018 UPDATE

    National Day — On December 1, Romania marked 100 years since the setting up of the Romanian unitary nation state. On this occasion as many as 450 public events were organized all across the country. Bucharest venued the biggest military parade of the past decades, which was a unique moment both through the number of military that passed under the Arch of Triumph and the military equipment and technology presented. 4 thousand military, of whom more than 500 soldiers from 20 partner and allied states, marched in Bucharest. More than 200 technical equipment items were presented and as many as 50 planes flew over the capital. The fighting equipment included for the first time the Patriot missile air-defense system and the Piranha 5 armored vehicles which, starting this year, are being manufactured in Romania. Another military parade took place in Alba Iulia, the city in the center of the country, where the union of Transylvania with Romania was proclaimed on December 1, 1918. This was also the biggest parade ever organized in the city of the union. A Monument of the Union dedicated to Romania’s Centennial was inaugurated there. Previously, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church Daniel and the Patriarch of Jerusalem Teofil III held a religious service in front of the Cathedral in Alba Iulia. Also in Alba Iulia a new edition of the Congress of the Romanian Spirituality was opened which is being attended by representatives of the Romanian communities from all over the world. The representative offices of the Romanian Cultural Institute from abroad in cooperation with Romania’s diplomatic missions organized cultural events to mark Romania’s National Day.



    Congratulations messages — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis told all Romanians, on the occasion of the National Day and of the 100th anniversary of the Romanian unitary nation state, that the nation needs everybody’s energy and involvement. He said that Romania’s history was full of obstacles but the country managed to have a mature society, with courageous, responsible and more civically- engaged people, who have the power to fight for a better life for themselves and for their children. President Iohannis invited all Romanians in the country and aboard, to build the Romania of the next century together, united by such values as democracy, freedom and equality before the law. In turn, the PM Viorica Dancila expressed confidence that the Romanian society still has enough resources to reach consensus, balance and political wisdom so as to promote its interest as a European nation. Romanians also received congratulations messages from abroad on their national day. The EC wrote on its Facebook page that the EU would not be complete without Romania and posted a short video featuring symbols of Romania. The Moldovan PM Pavel Filip said in turn that Romania was more than a friend and partner for Moldova. Also the American Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a congratulations message to the Romanian people, on behalf of the American administration, posted on the website of the US Department of State that quote: “On this day, we celebrate with all Romanians the 100th anniversary of the creation of modern Romania and we reflect on our friendship and strategic partnership” unquote. Also Pope Francis conveyed cordial congratulations to the Romanian people.



    Bucharest winter lights — On Friday evening the winter lights were turned on in Bucharest, earlier than in the previous years, to mark the Great Union centennial. The city was adorned with 9 million light bulbs, three times more than in the previous years. 40 kms of boulevards and streets were decorated with winter lights. In the center of the capital an installation was set up representing the endless Column which measures 12 meters in height and weighs 110 kilograms. The festive lights dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Romanian unitary nation state were turned on by two eminent students in the Constitution Square, which also hosts a Christmas Fair that will be open until December 26.



    Condolence message – The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Saturday conveyed a message of condolences to his American counterpart Donald Trump, on the death of America’s 41st president, George H.W. Bush. According to Klaus Iohannis, George H.W. Bush was a great leader and a genuine man of state, who left behind a valuable political heritage, including for Eastern Europe. Thanks to his efforts, Romania alongside the other states of the former Soviet bloc, has regained its freedom and started on its way to European and Euro-Atlantic integration. George H.W. Bush also set the basis for what later became a deep and valuable Strategic Partnership between the USA and Romania. George H.W. Bush died on Friday at 94.



    Football — Romania’s national football team will find out, on Sunday, its opponents in the preliminaries of the EURO 2020, after the drawing of lots to be venued by Dublin, one of the 12 hosts of the continental competition, among which Bucharest as well. Romania’s Arena Nationala – National Arena will host 4 matches in 2020: 3 matches of Group C on June 14, 18 and 22, and a match in the eighth finals on June 29. The 55 teams to participate in the drawing of lots for the preliminaries will be divided into 10 groups, 5 groups of 5 teams each, and 5 groups of 6 teams. Qualifying to the EURO 2020 will be the teams ranking 1st and 2nd in each group. The matches in the preliminary round will take place from March through November 2019.



    Paris — The French riot police and protesters clashed in central Paris during a 3rd weekend of nationwide ‘yellow vest’ rallies caused by increased fuel prices. Police fired tear gas, stun grenades and used water cannons against the protesters who were trying to tear down the barricades. Tens of people have been arrested. In a speech on France’s strategy in the energy sector, the French president Emmanuel Macron said he would not abandon the controversial fuel tax that sparked the protests. (translation by L. Simion)

  • December 1, 2018

    December 1, 2018

    National Day — On December 1, Romania marks 100 years since the setting up of the Romanian unitary nation state. On this occasion as many as 450 public events have been scheduled all across the country. Over 550 thousand people are expected to participate despite the very cold weather. Bucharest venued, in the morning, the biggest military parade of the past decades, which was a unique moment both through the big number of military that passed under the Arch of Triumph and the military equipment and technology presented. 4 thousand military marched in Bucharest of whom more than 500 soldiers from 20 partner and allied states. More than 200 technical equipment items were presented and as many as 50 planes have flown over the capital. The fighting equipment included for the first time the Patriot missile air-defense system and the Piranha 5 armored vehicles which starting this year are being manufactured in Romania. Another military parade took place in Alba Iulia, the city in the center of the country where the union of Transylvania with Romania was proclaimed don December 1, 1918. This is also the biggest parade ever organized in the city of the union. Previously, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church Daniel and the Patriarch of Jerusalem Teofil III held a religious service in front of the Cathedral in Alba Iulia. Also in Alba Iulia a new edition of the Congress of the Romanian Spirituality was opened which is being attended by representatives of the Romanian communities from all over the world. The representative offices of the Romanian Cultural Institute from abroad in cooperation with Romania’s diplomatic missions are organizing cultural events to mark Romania’s National Day.



    Congratulations messages — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has told all Romanians, on the occasion of the National Day and of the 100th anniversary of the Romanian unitary nation state, that the nation needs everybody’s energy and involvement. He said that Romania’s history was full of obstacles but the country managed to have a mature society, with courageous, responsible and more civically- engaged people, who have the power to fight for a better life for themselves and for their children. President Iohannis invited all Romanians in the country and aboard, to build the Romania of the next century together, united by such values as democracy, freedom and equality before the law. In turn, the PM Viorica Dancila expressed confidence that the Romanian society still has enough resources to reach consensus, balance and political wisdom so as to promote its interest as a European nation. Romanians also received congratulations messages from abroad on their national day. The EC wrote on its Facebook page that the EU would not be complete without Romania and posted a short video featuring symbols of Romania. The Moldovan PM Pavel Filip said in turn that Romania was more than a friend and partner for Moldova. Also the American Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a congratulations message to the Romanian people, on behalf of the American administration, posted on the website of the US Department of State that quote: “On this day, we celebrate with all Romanians the 100th anniversary of the creation of modern Romania and we reflect on our friendship and strategic partnership” unquote. Also Pope Francis has conveyed cordial congratulations to the Romanian people.



    Bucharest winter lights — On Friday evening the winter lights were turned on in Bucharest, earlier than in the previous years, to mark the Great Union centennial. The city was adorned with 9 million light bulbs, three times more than in the previous years. 40 kms of boulevards and streets have been decorated with winter lights. In the center of the capital an installation was set up representing the endless Column which measures 12 meters in height and weighs 110 kilograms. The festive lights dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Romanian unitary nation state were turned on by two eminent students in the Constitution Square, which also hosts a Christmas Fair that will be open until December 26.



    Condolence message – The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Saturday conveyed a message of condolences to his American counterpart Donald Trump, on the death of America’s 41st president, George H.W. Bush. According to Klaus Iohannis, George H.W. Bush was a great leader and a genuine man of state, who left behind a valuable political heritage, including for Eastern Europe. Thanks to his efforts, Romania alongside the other states of the former Soviet bloc, has regained its freedom and started on its way to European and Euro-Atlantic integration. George H.W. Bush also set the basis for what later became a deep and valuable Strategic Partnership between the USA and Romania. George H.W. Bush died on Friday at 94. (translation by L. Simion)

  • Mini-holiday for the National Day

    Mini-holiday for the National Day

    Over 88,000 Romanian tourists spent their mini-holiday occasioned by the National Day of Romania in hotels and guesthouses across the country, the Romanian Tourism Employers’ Federation has announced, based on estimates released by its members and on the results of a poll conducted among a large number of tour operators.



    The four-day mini-holiday occasioned by the National Day of Romania, December 1, and the Feast of St Andrew, the spiritual protector of the country, celebrated on November 30th, has come to a close. Over 88,000 Romanian tourists spent their days off in hotels and guesthouses across the country, according to estimates made by the Romanian Tourism Employers’ Federation.



    A survey issued by the Federation shows the tourists spent some 9.4 million Euros on accommodation and meals. According to the same source, it was for the first time over the last 27 years that city break packages in Romania sold better than those to major European tourist destinations. Unlike the past years, when Romanian tourists chose to travel to European cities for their December 1 mini-holiday, this year some 39,000 Romanians spent these days off in a city in Romania, the most sought-after city-breaks being those in the Transylvanian cities of Alba Iulia, Sibiu, Braşov and Cluj Napoca.



    As regards costs, promotional packages for December 1 ranged from some 80 Euros to some 175 Euros per person. Traditional mountain resorts on Prahova Valley, in the south, or Poiana Brasov, in the centre, were almost fully booked. Other favourite tourist destinations included the resorts in Bukovina, north-eastern Romania, and spas.



    To enjoy some moments of relaxation, over 20,000 tourists spent their vacation in the mountains, where they enjoyed breathtakingly beautiful winter landscapes, and those of them who chose accommodation in guesthouses enjoyed Romanian traditional dishes, such as “sarmale” (minced meat rolled in cabbage leaves) and “tochitura”, a traditional stew. In another move, the tourists who made their way back home, to return to work on Monday morning, had to face extremely heavy traffic.



    Aerial footage showed traffic jams and bumper-to-bumper traffic, particularly upon exiting the resorts on Prahova Valley. Others took advantage of the extended weekend to visit their parents or relatives residing in a different town. That’s why many chose to make one-day trips or to spend this mini-holiday with their friends and relatives. In the big cities, Romania’s National Day was marked by parades, folk and pop-music concerts, film screenings and various events for children.



    In Bucharest, the highlight of the day was the already traditional military parade. As of Friday, the inhabitants of the capital city can enjoy winter lights along the main boulevards. Over three million lights decorate the capital city this year, and the prevailing patterns are inspired by Romanian traditional motifs. A Christmas Fair has been opened in downtown Bucharest, which includes a “food and drink” area, over 100 huts selling traditional products and a skating rink.

  • December 1, 2017 UPDATE

    December 1, 2017 UPDATE

    Romania’s National Day — As many as 3,500 military and experts with the National Defense Ministry, the Interior Ministry and the Romanian Intelligence Service with more than 350 military equipment, of which 50 airplanes, as well as soldiers from several allied or partner countries participated on December 1 in the military parade held in Bucharest on the occasion of Romania’s National Day. The over 300 foreign military that participated in the parade were from Bulgaria, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Republic of Moldova, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, the US, Turkey and Ukraine. Also in Bucharest, a military and religious ceremony took place, when wreaths of flowers were laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Romania’s national day was also marked in the theaters of operations where Romanian soldiers have been deployed. 15 Romanian soldiers in Afghanistan were promoted to a higher rank, and another 20 received distinctions from their American partners. Romania’s National Day was also celebrated abroad through cultural events organized by the Romanian Cultural Institute representations in cooperation with Romania’s diplomatic missions. December 1 became Romania’s National Day after the December 1989 anti-Communist revolution and it marks the completion, at the end of WWI, in 1918, of the process of creating the Romanian unitary nation state, when all the provinces included in the neighboring multinational empires, with a majority Romanian-speaking population, came under the authority of Bucharest.



    Messages on December 1 — In a video message on Romania’s National Day the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said that, ahead of Romania celebrating 100 years since the great union of 1918, Romanians have the opportunity to think of what their country would look like in the future. Pleading for a Romania led by responsible and incorruptible politicians, he underlined that only together, involved and determined, Romanians would manage to build a strong and respected country in Europe and the world. In turn, PM Mihai Tudose said that the centenary of the Great Union represented Romanians’ commitment to redefining the national values. The speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Liviu Dragnea, said that Romania should have an ideal, that of a sovereign and prosperous country, respected in the world. The speaker of the Senate, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, stated that Romanians managed, through their efforts, to make Romania embrace the euro-Atlantic values and to join NATO and the EU, also expressing his hope that in the future, through their common effort, Romanians would manage to build a better society, with more freedom and more prosperous. On Romania’s National Day, the Royal Family of Romania wished happy anniversary and happiness to the Romanian people, in Romania, the Republic of Moldova or anywhere in the world. The American Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday conveyed a message to Romania, stating that Washington was thankful to Bucharest for their strategic partnership and their cooperation in fulfilling the common goals of prosperity, security and democracy.



    Christmas Fair — December 1, Romania’s National Day, also gives the start for the winter celebrations in most cities across the country. In Bucharest the General City Hall scheduled for Friday evening the opening, in the center of the city, of a Christmas Fair and the switching on of the festive street lighting, whose theme was inspired this year by the Romanian traditions. Over 3 million Christmas lights adorn the capital, the festive lighting system covering 33 kms. The Christmas Fair, to last until December 27, displays Romanian traditional food products in more than 100 stalls, a skating rink and the House of Santa Claus. Many Romanian artists will perform as part of the Christmas Fair celebrations in Bucharest.



    Visa waiver — The European Commission has hailed Canada’s decision to lift visa requirements, as of December 1, for all Romanian and Bulgarian citizens. According to the Commission representatives, this decision is the result of intense diplomatic efforts and of permanent negotiations at political and technical level between the EU, Canada and Romania and Bulgaria. The citizens of the two countries will be able to travel without visas to Canada, as of December 1, for stays of 6 months at the most, for tourist purposes, based on a valid passport. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, those who intend to travel to Canada by plane have to obtain previously, online, an Electronic Travel Authorization, eTA. Those who travel to Canada by sea or land need just a valid passport.



    Handball — Romania’s women’s handball team will take on Saturday the team of Paraguay in their debut match at the World Women’s Handball Championship hosted by Germany until December 17th. Romania will play in Group A alongside France, Spain, Slovenia, Angola and Paraguay. Of the 4 groups, the first 4 teams of each group will go to the eighth finals. In the previous World Championship of 2015 Romania won the bronze medal, being the only team to have participated in all the 22 editions of the championship held so far.



    Fire — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Friday expressed consternation and condemned the incident that occurred in the German city of Bergkamen (northwest) where a building, also inhabited by Romanian citizens, caught fire. 33 people were taken to hospital, according to the Romanian Foreign Ministry. The local authorities do not rule out the idea of arson. According to the Presidential Administration, the Romanian President expects the investigation to urgently shed light on the circumstances of the fire. (translated by Lacramioara Simion)