Radio România Internațional

Tag: Easter

April 16, 2023

Easter. In Romania, Orthodox (majority) and Greek-Catholic Christians celebrate today the Resurrection of Jesus, the biggest holiday in the Christian calendar. On Saturday, at midnight, belivers received the holy light from the priests and listened to the evangelical account of the Resurrection in front of churches. In his sermon, Patriarch Daniel of the Orthodox Church explained how the Resurrection of the Lord gave a new orientation to the Christians life and a new meaning to death. “The source of joy and peace in a Christians life is their connection with the Crucified and Resurrected Christ, that is why on Easter we should not be sad, but rejoice”, said Patriarch Daniel.

Protests. Thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv again on Saturday evening to protest against the justice reform desired by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which the demonstrators consider an attack on democracy, FP reports. Smaller demonstrations also took place in other Israeli cities. Since the announcement of the controversial reform project in early January, tens of thousands of Israelis have gathered every week to protest it. Prime Minister Netanyahu announced on March 27 a break to give a chance to dialogue, after the start of a general strike and the emergence of tensions within the government majority. The government claims that the reform aims, among other things, to rebalance the powers by reducing the prerogatives of the Supreme Court, which the executive considers politicized, for the benefit of Parliament. Critics of the reform believe, on the contrary, that it risks opening the way to an authoritarian drift, AFP also reports.

Electricity. Romanians consumed less electricity in the first two months of this year compared to the same period in 2022, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics. The decrease was more than 18%. Businesses also consumed less, by 3%, and public lighting was reduced by more than a quarter. INS reports that in January and February the production in hydropower plants increased by almost a third compared to the beginning of last year. Wind energy production increased, but the production of nuclear energy slightly decreased.

G7. The G7 Energy and Environment Ministers set on Sunday the goal of reducing the C02 emissions of motor vehicles by at least 50% by 2035, compared to the levels of 2000. The goal appears in a Joint Declaration adopted at the end of the two-day meeting that took place in Sapporo (northern Japan), and which focused on accelerating efforts to combat climate change. The measure is part of the global goal of reaching net zero emissions in the automotive sector by 2050. This will require key industry actions in all countries, including measures already implemented by the G7 members to achieve 100% electric vehicle sales by 2035.

Tennis. In Koper, in Slovenia, the doubles match between the womens tennis teams of Romania and Slovenia is taking place today, interrupted on Saturday due to rain. It is the decisive match for the qualification for the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup competition. After the singles matches, the score is equal, 2-2. The doubles match between the pairs Irina Bara/Monica Niculescu and Kaja Juvan/Tamara Zidansek was interrupted at the score of 3-3. The only direct match between the two teams took place in 2000 and was won by Slovenia 3-0, in Spain, in Group I of the Europe/Africa zone.

Weightlifting. On Saturday evening, Romanian athlete Mihaela Cambei won three gold medals in the 49 kg. category at the European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan (Armenia). Cambei won in the snatch with 92 kg, in the throw with 106 kg, and in total with 198 kg. She also set two new European records, in snatch and total. Romania aims to win four medals at the European Games in Yerevan, which are qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Weather. The Romanian National Meteorological Administration has issued an information of quantitatively moderate rains and wind intensifications, valid in almost all of Romania, from Sunday noon to Monday morning. In this interval, rains, especially in the form of showers, accompanied in some places by thunder storms, will be expanding from the south to most of the country. ANM reports that for most of next week there will be periods of showers in most areas. The highs of the day range between 13 and 22 degrees centigrade, with a 17 degree reading in Bucharest at noon. (MI)

16 April 2023
April 15, 2023 UPDATE

Easter. Orthodox Christians, the majority in Romania, and Greek Catholics, celebrate, on Sunday, Easter or the Resurrection of Jesus, the biggest celebration of Christianity. Easter takes its name from the Hebrew word “Pesah” of the ancient Jews, which means “passing”. First, the word designated the bringing of the world by God from non-being into being, and then, the passing of the Israeli people from Egyptian slavery to full freedom. “Let the Easter holiday inspire us, let us be with a good thought and a gesture of solidarity closer to our fellow people in suffering, hit by war or misfortunes, affected by the loss of loved ones or the burden of loneliness” – president Klaus Iohannis said in a message conveyed on this occasion. He wished health, peace and prosperity to all Orthodox, Greek-Catholic, Armenian and Neo-Protestant Romanians in the country and abroad. In turn, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, made an appeal to peace, joy and good thoughts and deeds for the sick, the poor, the lonely or the estranged.

Safety. In Romania, more than 24,000 policemen, gendarmes and firefighters are ensuring order and safety measures during the free days of the Easter holidays. During this period, high traffic is expected on the roads, as well as approximately 800,000 believers attending the religious services. Every day, over 2,700 gendarmes will be present at all the religious and cultural-artistic events taking place during this period, so that crowding or other incidents are avoided.

Art. On World Art Day, celebrated on April 15, the Romanian Minister of Culture, Lucian Romaşcanu, stated that art remains an expression of freedom and urged people to honor artists and enjoy their creations. “This year, World Art Day takes place on Holy Saturday, an extremely important day for the Orthodox believers who await the Resurrection of the Lord, another occasion in which we take care to feed our souls”, said the Minister of Culture, Lucian Romaşcanu. World Art Day was established by the International Art Association at its 17th General Assembly in Guadalajara, Mexico. Celebrated for the first time in 2012, the date was symbolically chosen to honor the memory of sculptor, painter, architect and inventor Leonardo da Vinci, born on April 15, 571 years ago.

Visit. Between April 18-26, Romanias president Klaus Iohannis, will pay formal visits to Brazil, Chile and Argentina. According to the Presidential Administration, these visits are aimed at relaunching high-level dialogue with Latin American states and boosting bilateral interactions at the political-diplomatic level. They are intended to open up new opportunities for collaboration in areas of increased interest, including those regarding the common response to a series of challenges at global level. One of the main goals of these visits is the promotion of sectoral contacts and the development of concrete bilateral projects in the fields of economy, trade, research, environmental protection and climate change, agriculture, education, culture, civil protection.

IMF. The European economy has done reasonably well in recent weeks, but growth is now slowing and faces multiple risks, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned. The inflation rate remains at a high level and exceeds 10% in most countries in emerging Europe and in some advanced economies. According to the institution, a drop in inflation is expected following the drop in energy prices and the improvement of the situation in the supply chains, even if household expenses continue to go up. The IMF expects an average inflation rate of around 5.6% this year in advanced European economies, and 11.7% in emerging Europe. According to estimates, in Romania the annual inflation rate will probably accelerate its decrease in the next period. The Central Bank specified that the annual inflation rate decreased to 15.52% in February, from 16.37% in December 2022, which is relatively in line with forecasts.

Rating. Fitch Ratings confirmed on Friday, the BBB minus ratings for the long-term debt in foreign currency and local currency of the municipality of Bucharest and improved the outlook from negative to stable. Last month, Fitch reconfirmed Romanias government debt rating at BBB-/F3 for long- and short-term foreign currency debt and revised the countrys outlook from negative to stable. Fitch also revised the individual credit profile of the Romanian capital from BBB plus to A, reflecting the revision of the risk profile from low medium level to medium level, the solid operational performance and the ambitious investment plan . Bucharest is responsible for more than 30% of the countrys economy, and the local level of wealth is more than four times higher than the national average, the release states. The citys capital expenditures are expected to remain high during 2023-2025, leading to an average deficit of 3% of total revenues, Fitch estimates. (MI)

15 April 2023
April 15, 2023

Holy Saturday. For Orthodox Christians, the majority in Romania, and Greek Catholics, today is Holy Saturday, the last day until the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The holy light will be brought from Jerusalem, this evening, and will be offered to the delegations of the dioceses present at Henri Coandă International Airport (near Bucharest). The light will then be distributed to all parishes in Romania. The Holy Light is the most obvious miracle that takes place, year after year, at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, on the Saturday before Easter. In a message sent on the occasion, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, urges people to offer light, peace and joy to those around them, especially to the poor, the sick, the lonely or the refugees.

Easter. In Romania, more than 24,000 policemen, gendarmes and firefighters are ensuring order and safety measures during the free days of the Easter holidays. During this period, high traffic is expected on the roads, as well as approximately 800,000 believers attending the religious services. Every day, over 2,700 gendarmes will be present at all the religious and cultural-artistic events taking place during this period, so that crowding or other incidents are avoided.

Art. On World Art Day, celebrated today, the Romanian Minister of Culture, Lucian Romaşcanu, has stated that art remains an expression of freedom and urged people to honor artists and enjoy their creations. “This year, World Art Day takes place on Holy Saturday, an extremely important day for the Orthodox believers who await the Resurrection of the Lord, another occasion in which we take care to feed our souls”, said the Minister of Culture, Lucian Romaşcanu. World Art Day, an initiative of the International Art Association at its 17th General Assembly in Guadalajara, Mexico, is celebrated on April 15. Celebrated for the first time in 2012, the date was symbolically chosen to honor the memory of Leonardo da Vinci, a complex sculptor, painter, architect and inventor, born on April 15, 571 years ago.

Visit. Between April 18-26, Romanias president Klaus Iohannis, will pay formal visits to Brazil, Chile and Argentina. According to the Presidential Administration, these visits are aimed at relaunching high-level dialogue with Latin American states and boosting bilateral interactions at the political-diplomatic level. They are intended to open up new opportunities for collaboration in areas of increased interest, including those regarding the common response to a series of challenges at global level. One of the main goals of these visits is the promotion of sectoral contacts and the development of concrete bilateral projects in the fields of economy, trade, research, environmental protection and climate change, agriculture, education, culture, civil protection.

Rating. Fitch Ratings confirmed on Friday, the BBB minus ratings for the long-term debt in foreign currency and local currency of the municipality of Bucharest and improved the outlook from negative to stable. Last month, Fitch reconfirmed Romanias government debt rating at BBB-/F3 for long- and short-term foreign currency debt and revised the countrys outlook from negative to stable. Fitch also revised the individual credit profile of the Romanian capital from BBB plus to A, reflecting the revision of the risk profile from low medium level to medium level, the solid operational performance and the ambitious investment plan . Bucharest is responsible for more than 30% of the countrys economy, and the local level of wealth is more than four times higher than the national average, the release states. The citys capital expenditures are expected to remain high during 2023-2025, leading to an average deficit of 3% of total revenues, Fitch estimates.

Tennnis. Romanias womens tennis team leads Slovenia 2-0 after Jaqueline Cristian (180 WTA) defeated Tamara Zidansek (102 WTA) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 on Friday , in Koper, in the qualifications for the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup competition. In the first singles match, Ana Bogdan (58 WTA) dramatically defeated the Slovenian Kaja Juvan (121 WTA), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Today, the first singles match is due between Ana Bogdan and Tamara Zidansek. The last singles match pits Jaqueline Cristian against Kaja Juvan. In the doubles match, the pair Irina Bara/Monica Niculescu will play against Pia Lovric/Nina Potocnik . (MI)

15 April 2023
Lamb dishes

At this time of the year Romanian Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter, the week beginning with the Christian feasts of Easter and culminating with Easter Sunday. On this occasion households are filled with the smell of painted eggs, freshly baked pound cake and most of all lamb-based dishes.

Alongside lamb dishes and pound cake, the “Pasca”, a sweet cheese Easter cake is a ubiquitous dessert at the Easter table, once Eastern Lent is broken and eating cheese and eggs is once again allowed by the faithful. For most Romanians it is the smell and taste of Easter.

There are various traditional recipes for cooking lamb, whether with tarragon and lemon in the Caransebes region, with rosemary and tomato sauce in Bihor, seasoned with thyme in Cluj, baked with cheese gravy like in Mehedinti county, or wrapped in pastry as in Cisnadie. Other Romanian householders choose to cook sour lamb soup with vegetables, spring onion lamb stew or minced lamb pie and entrails.

For our lamb recipe today, we picked, however, a dish from Eastern Romania: lamb in yogurt sauce. Aside from lamb, you will need half a kilo of full-fat yogurt, one tablespoon of flour, 80 g of butter, one bunch of fresh cut dill, salt and pepper. Wash the lamb chops or fillets and portion them. Brown them in butter until they gain a deep golden brown crust. Add hot water or meat stock and let it simmer over low heat until the meat is nearly cooked. Meanwhile, expand the flour in yogurt and stir briskly, adding some of the melted fat from the pot and an extra two tablespoons of stock as an option. Add the dill, season with salt and pepper and pour the resulting mix over the lamb chops. Leave it to boil until the sauce reduces to the desired thickness. Serve with homemade bread, lettuce, radishes, spring onion or spring garlic. Enjoy! Poftă bună!

12 April 2023
April 10, 2023 UPDATE

DEFENCE The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis has convened a
meeting of the country’s Higher Defence Council on Tuesday. The security
situation at the Black Sea, triggered by Russia’s aggression on Ukraine and the
foreign interference in Moldova’s democratic process are on the agenda. The
development of the Romanian military aviation will also be discussed.

CEREMONY We will always rely on the Romanian Army, on our
servicemen who, together with our allies, will ensure the defence of Romania
and of NATO’s eastern flank, PM Nicolae Ciucă said in the eastern Romanian
town of Focsani on Monday. He attended a ceremony celebrating 140 years since
the Union of Principalities 282 Brigade was set up. The PM reiterated that
near Romania’s borders, a long-term war of attrition is taking place, which is
a challenge for the free world, for democracy, for a rule-based world. The 282
Brigade carries forward the military traditions of the 6th Infantry
Division established on April 1, 1883, and stationed in Focşani. Throughout its
existence, the 6th Infantry Division took part in the Balkan War and
the 2 world wars, while in recent times structures within the brigade
participated in many operations in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan.

DIASPORA Romanian PM Nicolae Ciuca Monday took part in the opening ceremony
of the conference Smart Diaspora 2023 – Diaspora in higher education, science,
innovation and entrepreneurship, held in Timisoara, western Romania. Around
400 participants from the Diaspora, 550 from Romania and 300 from the member
universities of Timisoara University Alliance are expected to attend the 38
workshops held for 4 days on topics such as education, psychology, global
economy, governance, smart cities, intercultural communication and many others.
The guests from the Diaspora come from more than 30 countries, most of them in
the EU, but also from the US, Britain, Moldova, Japan, Singapore and Australia. President Klaus Iohannis has
sent a message saying education is the key to Romania’s sustainable
development.

EDUCATION The new education bills have reached the Chamber of
Deputies for review. In the case of undergraduate education, new mandatory Language
and communication and Math and sciences exams have been introduced for 2nd, 4th
and 6th grade students, while the bill on higher education provides for an
extension of doctoral studies from 3 to 4 years. The leaders of the ruling
coalition have promised to pass the new legislation by the end of Parliament’s current
session.

HOLY WEEK Orthodox and Greek Catholic believers all over the world,
including Romania, a mostly Orthodox country, have entered the Holy Week, the
last week before Easter. Holy Week services are attended by large crowds.
Romanian pilgrims have already arrived at the holy places in Jerusalem,
Nazareth and Bethlehem, for the religious service on Easter Sunday, according
to RRI’s correspondent in Israel. This year, Catholic and Protestant Christians
celebrated Easter a week before the Orthodox and Greek Catholics. On Sunday,
during his traditional Easter address before the large crowds gathered in St.
Peter’s Square of the Vatican, Pope Francis condemned the numerous obstacles in
the way of world peace and called on the international community to put an end
to the conflict in Ukraine and to all other conflicts in the world.

CUSTOMS The customs authorities in Romania and the neighbouring
Republic of Moldova have approved a Common Action Plan designed to help
streamline cross-border travel during the Easter holidays, more precisely
between 7 April and 7 May 2023. According to the Romanian Customs Authority, in
order to handle the surge in traveller numbers, the two authorities will increase
the number of customs workers and identify and earmark separate lanes to
redirect and speed up passenger travel. (AMP)

10 April 2023
Easter traditions observed by Romania’s Catholic community

Catholics worldwide observe Easter on April 9,
2023. The consecrated days for Christianity’s greatest feast, for those of Orthodox
and Catholic persuasion, do not always coincide. In 2023, the two persuasions’ observation
of Easter falls one week apart. How can we explain that?

After the Great Schism of the Cristian Church, in
1054, more often than not, the Easter is observed one week apart. The weeklong
lag is explained through the fact that, beginning 1582, The Orthodox Church
uses the Julian Calendar, while the Catholics divide the year according to the
Gregorian calendar. Therefore, the catholic Easter date is calculated according
to the ecclesiastical fool Moon, in keeping with the ecclesiastical tables, as
against the astronomic event of the Spring Equinox.

The director of the Constantin Brăiloiu Ethnography and Folklore Institute
in Bucharest, Sabina Ispas, will be giving us the details:

Talks were held, focusing on
resumption, while afterwards the ecumenic councils decided the calculation of
the Easter date. It is a floating date since it is calculated according to the
phases of the Moon. Thus, the old calculation system is preserved, of the old
feast of the Judaic Easter, a timeframe when, historically speaking, the events
occurred, or so it seems. That is why Palm Sunday, but also Easter
have a volatile date. They do have a limit, as a rule. What we’re interested in
is the maximum limit it as to the day it may fall on, this year being in early May.

In certain regions across Romania, mostly in Ardeal
and Banat, the Roman-Catholic Easter is observed by the Hungarian and German
communities according to a century-old tradition. Apart from the all too familiar
dishes, red-painted eggs, mutton, pound cake and red wine, the Roman-Catholics
in Transylvania observe specific traditions.

An ethnologist with the North University
in Baia Mare, Delia Suiogan will now be speaking about the significance of the
festive dinner on the Resurrection Day.

We have the candlelight, the Light we
receive at midnight, on the night of Saturday to Sunday. We have the lamb as
supreme sacrifice, which embodies Jesus. This ritual gesture in fact signifies
the rebirth of man and his right to resurrection. Likewise, Jesus Christ’s
tomb. Through its symbolic capacity of signifying the primeval food and seed,
the egg reminds of man’s right to start a new cycle all over again, to participate
in recosmicization.

The Catholic Christians in Transylvania observe the
tradition of adorning fir-trees at the gates of the unwed girls, sprinkling them
with water and perfume, just like on the pre-Christian times. In Mures County,
the groups of those sprinkling the girls roam the villages, yet Easter gains
its austere touch during the religious feast proper:

Delia Suiogan:

In Catholic Easter, sprinkling is enacted, a ritual the Orthodox
in Transylvania have borrowed. And, since the cultural layers always have their
own impact on the progress of any civilization, a beautiful encounter occurred,
to that end. All Catholic Christians
in the traditional communities observe this custom that entered via Germanic
connection. On the first and second day of Easter they sprinkle one another. In
the beginning, they sprinkled each other with water, as a sign of purification.
This sprinkling hails from the pre-Christian times, obviously, originating in a
ritual imposed by Ostera, the goddess of fertility and rebirth. On those feast
days, all had to sprinkle each other with water, mutually, as a purification
ritual, but also as a fertility one. Today, Catholic Christians sprinkle each
other with perfume, as an extension of fertility towards spiritual rebirth, the
fragrance of the perfume having that effect of redressing, of annihilating the
evil, the rottenness, as well as an effect of instating a state of order,
through the rebalancing of the cosmic states.

It was also the Roman-Catholics who
introduced, in the tradition, the chocolate figurines representing Easter symbols.
The chocolate bunny or the chocolate egg are equally allegories of fertility,
being offered to children on Easter day. Also, the Easter sweets have been
borrowed in the orthodox space. Today, the window frames of all cafeterias are
replete with chocolate bunnies, with chocolate eggs the bunny brings children. Again, via Germanic connection, we submit to
the cult of the same goddess, Ostera. Legend has it that the goddess, as she
was roaming the plains, ran into a bird with broken wings. A divine voice tells
Ostera that, should she succeed to turn the bird into an animal that doesn’t need
to fly, then the bird will survive, so the goddess turns the bird into a rabbit
that can nonetheless lay eggs. So once a year, the bird turned she-rabbit gives
the goddess the painted eggs, as a sign of rebirth in a different way. The colored
eggs are, therefore, a reward of kindness.

8 April 2023
Heavy traffic at Easter

On the occasion of the Orthodox Easter holidays, the inbound traffic this year at the Romanian borders was heavy again, but the number of Romanians who went abroad to celebrate Easter, or to just join their families after the pandemic restrictions were lifted was also very high. Adding to those were people who returned after travelling abroad for Catholic Easter, which this year was celebrated a week earlier than the Orthodox one.The Border Police has announced that traffic at the Romanian borders increased by 150% compared to last year. According to a communiqué, between April 22-24, over 500,000 people, Romanian and foreign citizens, and approximately 120,000 vehicles went through the regular border check procedures, both upon entering and existing the country.

The Border Police has also informed that during this period they ordered measures to streamline traffic, as well as to strengthen the surveillance of the state borders, so as to avoid any special events. About 4,200 border guards were on duty on a daily basis carrying out border surveillance and control missions. The capacity of the border crossing points was also used to the maximum, and depending on the traffic, checkpoints on the way in or out of the country were supplemented.

According to the Border Police, the supplied mobile control equipment was used where the situation required it. This year, the busiest border was the air border where, between April 22 and 24, about 200,000 people completed the necessary procedures, as well as the land border with Hungary, with over 140,000 people and 54,000 vehicles crossing it over the same period. Less crowded was the border at the Iron Gates in southwestern Romania, which was used by those who traveled through Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia. Authorities recommended this border to those who came from Western Europe heading for southern Romania. In fact, as every year, the authorities recommended that participants in cross-border traffic use all crossing points and check waiting times on the online traffic application, which can still be accessed on the website of the border police.

In the context of the war started by Russia in the neighbouring country, according to the authorities, several thousand Ukrainians kept entering Romania every day, both through the common customs and via the Republic of Moldova. Since the beginning of the conflict, more than two months ago, a total of almost 800 thousand Ukrainian citizens have entered our country. Most are on their way to Western Europe, but there have also been several thousand who have sought asylum in Romania. (MI)

26 April 2022
April 25, 2022

EASTER – Orthodox Christians, who are the majority in Romania, and Greek Catholics celebrate today the second day of Easter. Easter is the most important holiday of the Christian world, celebrated along three days. On the second day of Easter, priests hold the same mass as in the Resurrection Night and the Holy Liturgy. They are dressed in while and hold the candle with which they shared the Holy Fire to believers on the Easter Night. Everything this week stands under the sign of light, the symbol of Christ’s Resurrection. Believers greet each other with the words “Christ is risen!”

RESULTS — European leaders have hailed the victory of Emmanuel Macron in the presidential election. The European Council President, Charles Michel said Europe can count on France for another five years. Together we will make France and Europe progress, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in turn. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was the first to congratulate Macron, over the phone, on his re-election. This is great news for Europe, Italian PM Mario Draghi has said. In Bucharest, President Klaus Iohannis and PM Nicolae Ciuca said “they hail the vote of the French people for a strong and united Europe”. Macron won the elections with 58.55% of the votes, while his contender, Marine Le Pen got 41.45%.

STUDY — A recent European study shows that only one quarter of the patients infected with Covid-19 and hospitalized fully recover a year after discharge. Women and overweight people run the highest risk of long-term health problems, just like patients who used ventilators. ‘Long Covid’ has symptoms like fatigue, muscle ache, shortness of breath and insomnia. The study has been presented recently at the European Congress of clinical microbiology and infectious diseases in Lisbon. The data was collected from adult patients from 39 British hospitals, between March 2020 and April 2021.

CELEBRATION – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has today conveyed a message on the occasion of the Land Forces Day. The Romanian Land Forces will continue to have a significant role in consolidating Romania’s strategic profile, including by taking part in international missions, Iohannis said. Having taken part, in the last 30 years, in numerous international missions in theatres of operations on various continents under NATO, UN and EU command, alongside military from the world’s most advanced armies, the Romanian Land Forces’ military, from soldiers to generals, have proven to be, through their results, the most valuable resource of this category of troops, Romanian Defence Minister, Vasile Dincu has said. In turn, PM Nicolae Ciuca conveyed a congratulation message on the day when St. George, the protector of the Romanian land Forces is also celebrated.

HANDBALL – The Romanian national women’s handball team qualified on Sunday to the 2022 European Championship after defeating Austria 38-29 at home, in the last match of the 2nd group preliminaries. Cristina Neagu was the best player of the match, having scored 12 goals. Denmark is first in the group with 12 points, followed by Romania with 7, Austria with 5 and the Faeroe Islands. The first two ranked qualified to Euro 2022 held in November in Slovenia, North Macedonia and Montenegro. (EE)

25 April 2022
April 24, 2022 UPDATE

Easter. Orthodox Christians, who are the majority in Romania, and Greek Catholics celebrated the first day of Easter on Sunday. On Saturday night, more than 1 million people attended Resurrection services held all across the country, after two years of restrictions because of the pandemic. In his Easter message, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, urges believers to pray for an end to the war in Ukraine and to continue to help refugees and all those in need. He also makes an appeal for brotherly love for all Romanians, around the countrys borders and in the diaspora. High officials in Bucharest, have also sent messages of peace and solidarity with the Ukrainian people on the occasion of the Easter holidays.

Ukraine. In a message occasioned by Orthodox Easter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that the “evil” will not be able to destroy Ukraine and prays for a good and happy life for all Ukrainian children, Reuters reports. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak stated that Russian forces kept bombarding the port city of Mariupol and urged Moscow to accept a “real Easter truce”. He also proposed a “special negotiating session to exchange soldiers” , a proposal ignored by Moscow. The United Nations also called for an “immediate” ceasefire in Mariupol on Sunday, to allow the evacuation of about 100,000 civilians still stranded in the Russian port city controlled almost entirely by the Russian military, FP reports. The city at the Azov Sea has been besieged by the Russian army since early March, and especially the Azovstal steelworks, as the last stronghold of resistance for the Ukrainian fighters.

Refugees. Some 5,100 Ukrainian citizens entered Romania in the past 24 hours, 24% less than on the previous day. Most refugees crossed the borders with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Since the start of the war in the neighboring country, some 800 thousand Ukrainians crossed Romanias borders.

Bookfair. Between April 22 and 24, Romania participated in the Paris Book Fair, one of the most important events of this kind in the world. The show was held in the form of a festival, after two editions canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Romania was present with its own stand organized by the Romanian Cultural Institute, and Radio Romania News was a media partner. The stand exhibited volumes edited by publishing houses from Romania and the Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet, predominantly Romanian-speaking). This years guest of honor was India.

Diaspora. The number of money transfers from the diaspora to Romania will increase by about 15% in April compared to the previous month, according to estimates by a company specializing in international money transfers. According to a study, the main reason why Romanians in the diaspora regularly send money to the country is to support their families and relatives left at home. Compared to the previous year, the company recorded a 30% increase in transfers to Romania from the Nordic countries and Germany, which indicates that many Romanians have moved in the last two years to countries with a more stable political and economic situation.

Covid-19. The Romanian authorities announced, on Sunday, almost 500 new cases of COVID-19 in approximately 9,300 tests. The figures are slightly lower than on Saturday. The counties where the biggest figures were registered are Cluj (northwest) and Hunedoara (west). Six coronavirus-related deaths were reported in 24 hours. There are currently less than 1,200 coronavirus patients in hospitals, of whom 216 in the Intensive Care Units. We recall that since March 9, in Romania, no anti-Covid restrictions are in force.

Security. In Romania, over 25,000 police have been mobilized for the Easter holidays. On the busiest national roads, 1,600 traffic police officers are present daily, operating with approximately 370 radar devices, the Romanian Police announced. For the monitoring of road traffic and the coordination of traffic devices, on the main roads, in the intervals when heavy traffic is expected, helicopters from the General Aviation Inspectorate will be used, depending on the atmospheric conditions and the evolution of the registered traffic values. (MI)

24 April 2022
April 24, 2022

Easter. Orthodox
Christians, who are the majority in Romania, and Greek Catholics are celebrating Easter. In his Easter message, the Patriarch of the
Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, urges believers to pray for an end to the war
in Ukraine and to continue to help refugees and all those in need. He also makes
an appeal for brotherly love for all Romanians, around the country’s borders and
in the diaspora. High officials in Bucharest, have also sent messages of peace
and solidarity with the Ukrainian people on the occasion of the Easter
holidays.

Ukraine. In a message
occasioned by Orthodox Easter today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says
that the evil will not be able to destroy Ukraine and prays for a good and
happy life for all Ukrainian children, Reuters reports. On Saturday, the Kyiv
leader said he hoped to obtain heavy weapons following todays’s talks in Kyiv
with the US State and Defense Sectaries Antony Blinken and Lloyd Austin. He
said that this kind of weaponry is essential for Ukraine to be able to recover
the territory occupied by Russia. The Ukrainian leader also warned that his
country would drop talks with Moscow if Russia killed the Ukrainians besieged in
the war-torn Mariupol city or held referendums to create new separatist
republics on recently seized Ukrainian territory. Ukrainian forces are trapped in a steel plant
in Mariupol, Reuters reports. In a diplomatic move, the UN Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres will visit Turkey on Monday before heading to Moscow and Kyiv.
Turkey has been as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia during the war and has
hosted peace talks between the two sides.

Refugees. Some 5,100 Ukrainian citizens entered Romania in the
past 24 hours, 24% less than on the previous day. Most refugees crossed the
borders with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Since the start of the war in
the neighboring country, some 800 thousand Ukrainians crossed Romania’s
borders.

Election. Nearly 49
million French are called to vote today their president for the next five
years. They have to choose between the incumbent head of state, Emmanuel
Macron, and the leader of the far right, Marine Le Pen. Observers around the
world are watching closely to see if Macron’s rival’s efforts in recent years
to improve her image and attract the electorate could result in a major
political change that would be felt around the world. Macron won the first
round of the presidential election, with 27.85% of the votes, followed by
Marine Le Pen with 23.15%. The turnout in the April 10 election was about 74%,
which means an absenteeism of 26%, the highest for a first round of
presidential elections after the level recorded in 2002.

Slovenia. Nearly 1.7 million Slovenes are expected to
the polls today to elect a new parliament in a ballot that will determine
whether right-wing nationalist Prime Minister Janez Jansa remains in power, DPA
and FP report. Jansa’s rival is the Liberal opposition Freedom Movement
candidate, the entrepreneur Robert Golob, and opinion polls indicate a very
close race. Janez Jansa, already in his third term, is accused of restricting
media freedom and violating the rule of law. He is a close ally of Hungarian
Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and critics say he is copying the latter’s authoritarian
style.

Handball.
The
Romanian women’s handball national team takes on today, on home turf, the Austrian national squad, in a decisive
match for the qualification for this year’s European Championship. In the
rankings, the two teams are tied for points, 5, but Romania also has the option
of a draw, which would allow it to qualify from the second place, thanks to a
better goal average. The leader of the group, Denmark, is already qualified for
the continental final tournament. (MI)

24 April 2022
Easter in Maramureș

One of the traditional Easter destinations in Romania is the region of Maramureș, in the north, where customs and traditions are well preserved. The tourist offer of Maramureș is comprehensive and addresses both those who want an active holiday and those interested just in relaxation. In addition, the local craftspeople organize shows in which they display their talent.

Our guide today is Dan Carpov, a promoter of Maramureș region: “In Maramureș, Easter is a time of joy, when people are happy to observe the region’s ancient traditions and customs. They wear traditional costumes, dance and prepare delicious dishes. The Easter traditions of the region are famous even abroad. The people of Maramureș value humaneness, family, and respect for the others. Easter is a good period for tourism, and those who want to visit Maramureș will find many locations worth a visit as well as many attractive programs. One such program is called ‘Easter in Maramureș’ which is also a unique event. It is organized in Sighetu Marmației on the occasion of the Easter holiday, Easter being the biggest Christian holiday, and also an opportunity for the people of Maramureș to live moments of holy joy within their community and together with tourists. ‘Easter in Maramureș’ wants to promote the traditional village of Maramureș, with all its charm: music, traditional dress, crafts and food. And everything takes place in an authentic location: the Maramureș Village Museum in Sighetu Marmației.”

You may wonder what a trip to Maramureș during the Easter holiday would look like. Here is Dan Carpov, a promoter of Maramureș with details: “I would start the trip in the city of Baia Mare, a gateway to Maramureș. Another gate to the region is Sighetu Marmației, the other important city of Maramureș county. I would make a daily schedule and start with Maundy Thursday, when tourists are supposed to attend the religious service in church, where the people of Maramureș usually give food and clothes to those in need, in memory of the souls of their dear ones that have passed away. Friday is a sad day in the Orthodox calendar, and Christians fast and pray, and go to church to attend a special service, dressed in their traditional attire, which is an occasion for tourists to admire the beauty of the Maramureș folk costumes. On Saturday the general atmosphere is getting more optimistic. People make the last preparations for the Easter celebrations and the housewives are giving the final touch to the special Easter dishes and prepare for the Easter Day. On Sunday, families meet for the Easter festive meal, and a special tradition on this day is the painted-egg knocking. All guesthouses in the region offer Easter packages, in which tradition comes first.”

For the more active tourists, Maramureș offers lots of possibilities from the picturesque hiking trails to the region’s lakes and rivers, just good for a bath in summer. Dan Carpov, is back with details: “The warm weather is just setting in, and we are already nostalgic about the ski slopes with a lot of snow, which were the delight of tourists in winter: the new Olympic slope from Borșa, the Șuior, Cavnic, and Izvoare resorts. All these slopes live up to European standards. Cyclists can enjoy wonderful routes, away from the traffic. The bicycle routes were recently refurbished and marked in cooperation with the Maramureș County Mountain Rescue Service. Preparations are being made for the mountain running, bike triathlon, and swimming competitions for the coming season, and in some areas of Maramureș people can also practice paragliding, another fashionable sport at present.”

Maramureș is famous for its centuries-old wooden churches which visitors should not miss, although it’s hard to see them all in one single visit. Dan Carpov has more: “I would recommend the ‘Circuit of the wooden churches in Maramureș’. It is a very dear project that has been recently included in a European circuit which comprises all these impressive places of worship. The circuit presents 16 wooden churches that spread on an area of about 300 km. Obviously, we do not recommend a quick visit, but it is important to know that, of all these churches, eight are included on the UNESCO heritage list. Every wooden church is waiting for tourists to discover its secrets.”

The region of Maramureș also boasts an authentic tradition of woodcarving, and those who visit the area will have the chance to admire the famous wooden gates, houses, and churches as well as other wooden objects, used for decoration or in the households. Dan Carpov is back at the microphone with more: “Pottery is another traditional craft in the region of Maramureș, just like traditional dress making. Many hardworking women process materials in spectacular ways, and they make traditional costumes from scratch. We are not talking only about traditional shirts and dresses made with ancient techniques, we refer to the whole folk costume. These costumes are always in high demand, because they are worn both by the artists of the region and by ordinary people when they participate in various events such as weddings and baptisms.”

That is why Maramureș is such a popular destination during the Easter holiday. So, don’t waste any more time, contact your tour operator in advance and book a trip for next year’s Easter celebrations in Maramureș county, Romania. (LS)

21 April 2022
April 17, 2022 UPDATE

EASTER Catholic and
Protestant Christians celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. At the Vatican,
Pope Francis once again called for peace, describing Easter as the gift of hope
during the Mass held in a basilica with thousands of believers. On Sunday, the
service took place in San Pietro Square after 2 years of Covid-related
restrictions. For Orthodox and Greek-Catholic believers, who celebrate Easter
next weekend, it was Palm Sunday, commemorating the moment when Jesus Christ
entered Jerusalem. In Romania, a mostly Orthodox country, nearly one and a half
million people celebrated their name day on Sunday. President Klaus Iohannis
wished happy and peaceful holidays to all those who celebrate Easter or Palm
Sunday.

UKRAINE As of midnight
Russian vessels are no longer allowed to enter EU ports, Romanian ports
included. The ban also covers ships that replaced the Russian flag with the
colours of another state after February 24 when the war in Ukraine started, but
not those which need assistance or shelter for safety reasons or those which
have saved lives at the sea. In an interview to Sunday’s issue of the German
magazine Bild am Sonntag, the head of the European Commission Ursula von der
Leyen said the next stage of EU sanctions will target Russia’s oil and banking
sectors, particularly the country’s largest bank, Sberbank. She added that
Brussels was working on smart mechanisms to include Russian oil in the new list
of sanctions, so as to reduce the financing for Vladimir Putin’s invasion army.
EU member states are currently paying for Russian gas and oil via Sberbank and
Gazprombank, which have so far been exempt from Europe’s sanctions, Reuters
explains. The EU announced on Sunday that EUR 50 million would be earmarked for
humanitarian aid to be sent to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Some EUR 45
million will go into humanitarian programmes in Ukraine, while the Republic of
Moldova, where hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have taken refuge since the
start of the war, is set to receive EUR 5 million.

REFUGEES The number of Ukrainian nationals who reached
Romania on Saturday was 12.4% higher than on the previous days, the Romanian
border police announced. Since the start of the crisis, over 730,000 Ukrainian
citizens have entered the country, most of them leaving Romania for other
destinations.

POLL The Church ranks first in a public confidence
poll in Romania. The survey conducted by CURS at the end of March indicates
that 67% of the respondents trust the Church, up 4% since January. The Army, on
the other hand, has lost 8% in the same survey. The most significant increase
in public confidence was reported for the National Bank of Romania, with 42% of
the respondents saying they trust the central bank, as opposed to half this
figure in January. The poll was commissioned by the National Liberal Party and
has a +/- 1.9% margin of error.

DIPLOMACY The Romanian Foreign Ministry celebrates 25 years
since the Joint Statement on the Romania-Italy Strategic Partnership was
signed. The genuine friendship between the 2 countries is facilitated by the
presence of over 1 million Romanians in Italy, making up the largest foreign
community in that country and also the largest Romanian community abroad, reads
a news release issued by the institution.

NORTH KOREA North Korea announced
the successful test firing of a new type of tactical guided weapon aimed at boosting
the country’s nuclear capabilities, which may indicate that Pyongyang is ready
to resume nuclear testing. North Korea suspended nuclear testing in 2017, and
the following year it blew up the tunnels in its underground nuclear test site,
but recent satellite imagery indicates digging and construction activities have
been resumed.

INVICTUS A
group of 20 Romanian military wounded in battle fields are taking part in the
one-week long Invictus Games, hosted his year by The Hague in the Netherlands.
They will compete in 7 sports, 6 of them individual competitions (hand archery,
athletics, rowing, powerlifting, cycling
and swimming) and a team sport (sitting volleyball). The
Invictus Games promote respect and empathy for the sacrifice and traumas of
wounded military, whose involvement in these activities is an opportunity for
social reintegration and for regaining self-confidence, the Romanian Defence
Ministry says. For Romanian troops, this year’s Invictus participation is the
third, after the ones in Toronto, in 2017, and Sydney, one year later. (AMP)

17 April 2022
April 17, 2022

EASTER Catholic and
Protestant Christians celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. At the
Vatican, Pope Francis once again called for peace, describing Easter as the
gift of hope during the Mass held in a basilica with thousands of believers.
Today, the service takes place in San Pietro Square after 2 years of
Covid-related restrictions. For Orthodox and Greek-Catholic believers, who
celebrate Easter next weekend, today is Palm Sunday, commemorating the moment
when Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem. In Romania, a mostly Orthodox country,
nearly one and a half million people are celebrating their name day. President
Klaus Iohannis wished happy and peaceful holidays to all those who celebrate
Easter or Palm Sunday today.

UKRAINE As of midnight
Russian vessels are no longer allowed to enter EU ports, Romanian ports
included. The ban also covers ships that replaced the Russian flag with the
colours of another state after February 24 when the war in Ukraine started, but
not those which need assistance or shelter for safety reasons or those which
have saved lives at the sea. In an interview to Sunday’s issue of the German
magazine Bild am Sonntag, the head of the European Commission Ursula von der
Leyen said the next stage of EU sanctions will target Russia’s oil and banking
sectors, particularly the country’s largest bank, Sberbank. She added that
Brussels was working on smart mechanisms to include Russian oil in the new list
of sanctions, so as to reduce the financing for Vladimir Putin’s invasion army.
EU member states are currently paying for Russian gas and oil via Sberbank and
Gazprombank, which have so far been exempt from Europe’s sanctions, Reuters
explains. Meanwhile, Russia carries on attacks on several cities in Ukraine,
including the capital Kyiv, in response to the sinking of its Black Sea
flagship, the Moskva. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in
Ukraine, Russian forces shelled several cities in the south of Ukraine, whereas
in Herson Ukrainian troops continue to attack the occupying Russian forces.

REFUGEES The number of Ukrainian nationals who reached
Romania on Saturday was 12.4% higher than on the previous days, the Romanian
border police announced. Since the start of the crisis, over 730,000 Ukrainian
citizens have entered the country, most of them leaving Romania for other
destinations.

INVICTUS A group of 20 Romanian military wounded in battle
fields are taking part in the one-week long Invictus Games, hosted his year by
The Hague in the Netherlands. They will compete in 7 sports, 6 of them
individual competitions (hand archery, athletics,
rowing, powerlifting, cycling and swimming) and a team sport (sitting volleyball). The Invictus Games promote respect
and empathy for the sacrifice and traumas of wounded military, whose
involvement in these activities is an opportunity for social reintegration and
for regaining self-confidence, the Romanian Defence Ministry says. For Romanian
troops, this year’s Invictus participation is the third, after the ones in Toronto,
in 2017, and Sydney, one year later.

DIPLOMACY The Romanian Foreign Ministry celebrates 25 years
since the Joint Statement on the Romania-Italy Strategic Partnership was
signed. The genuine friendship between the 2 countries is facilitated by the
presence of over 1 million Romanians in Italy, making up the largest foreign
community in that country and also the largest Romanian community abroad, reads
a news release issued by the institution.

NORTH KOREA North Korea announced
the successful test firing of a new type of tactical guided weapon aimed at
boosting the country’s nuclear capabilities, which may indicate that Pyongyang
is ready to resume nuclear testing. North Korea suspended nuclear testing in 2017,
and the following year it blew up the tunnels in its underground nuclear test
site, but recent satellite imagery indicates digging and construction
activities have been resumed.(AMP)

17 April 2022
Traveler in the Easter Tradition

The Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum is a special place. It is a breath of fresh air in a bustling city. It is a joy in every season to see nature in all its splendor, while living the atmosphere of villages of yore. It is a place where people of all ages can find their roots, while on holidays we can discover ancestral traditions. We stopped over there to talk to communications director Mariana Balaci about the Traveler in the Easter Tradition workshops:

“As every year, this year we are trying to make our own decorations and jewelry, clothing, and we are trying to learn from traditional craftsmen how to paint Easter eggs and how to work with handmade thread, including embroidery. This year especially we tried to hold workshops up until the Sunday before Easter, aimed at children 6 to 12, organized each Sunday, in the idea of providing the opportunity to spend quality time with family in the village museum. So, children attend the workshops, while parents take a nice Sunday stroll through the Village Museum. We are glad that this year too we have quite a demand for organizing this series of workshops, and we are glad that these kids are willing to learn, and that parents are eager to initiate them in the arts of traditional crafts, learned from the traditional craftsmen and the fine artists we work with.”

Children are expected here to prepare for the most important celebration in Christianity, taking part in lessons for wax engraving on eggs, the technique of double strand weaving, and making decorative objects out of natural or recyclable materials, such as corn husks, pressed flowers, seeds, thread, wood, or cardboard.

Iuliana Balaci, communications director with the Village Museum, added:

“We are in the seventh edition of the Traveler in the Easter Tradition, and we are happy that with each edition we are pulling in more traditional artists and fine artists, and we are trying, as much as we can, based on the early and continual education principle, to teach children to love traditional arts, to love this immaterial heritage, and talk about it, and as a result of this communication to have more kids subscribe. Every time, even we say that there are 10 kids in a given workshop, we always have 12 or 15 who wish to take part in this series of workshops. Basically, every Sunday until Easter we have workshops for weaving, woodwork, corn husk weaving, and egg painting. The Traveler in the Easter Tradition series is on every Sunday, and they continue during the Palm Sunday series, when we also hold egg painting lessons, but also workshops for baking holiday donuts, Lazarus Saturday cakes, bread, and Lent cakes. So, here we have a prolonged edition upon request from our audience, which we took in, organizing more activities than the ones we started off wishing to hold.”

Iuliana Balaci continued:

“Each Sunday until Palm Sunday we have 10 children at a minimum, lets say well have about 15 per workshop, so we will have about 60 kids each Sunday, plus those who will come to the demonstration ones, so lets say 100 children. For us, 100 children at the Traveler in the Easter Tradition events is added value, and each kid who attends them is a teenager and a young person we have won on the side of traditional arts and events, which we promote with love.”

Even if everyday life does not allow us to make our own household objects, as was done in the past, knowledge of the craft can open the door for reinterpreting, for creating a sustainable way of life. The Village Museum in Bucharest remains a place for finding oneself, but also a permanent source of inspiration and beauty. Iuliana Balaci conveyed through us an open invitation:

“We await you eagerly, everyone who want to visit, from young to old, at the |Village Museum, a village in the middle of a noisy capital, a village in which the trees are already in bloom, a village that is waiting for its visiting public and the young public, for a pleasant stroll, for discovery and rediscovery of heritage, and to learn useful things. We conclude the Traveler in the Easter Tradition event with spring, and more importantly Easter traditions, continued with the Palm Sunday series, organized by our museum on April 16 and 17. Then we will have a lot of surprises, many beautiful things we have prepared for the public at large. Obviously we are paying close attention to the kids, for which we have prepared additional workshops. Therefore, pay attention to our museums Facebook page, and to the official website of the museum, www.muzeul-satului.ro, where we will publish information about these events.”

For the time being, unfortunately the workshops are not set up to accommodate children with special needs, because the teachers do not have expert training for that domain.

5 April 2022
Less restrictions during Easter holidays

Last year, Romanians celebrated Easter in very strict conditions due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year, travel restrictions were lifted on the Resurrection night, for people to be able to go to church. In fact, Romania has begun to slightly relax thanks to a declining incidence of COVID-19 cases around the Easter holidays. Bucharest, where most cases of infection were registered lately, came out of the red scenario, as a result of a decrease in the incidence rate below 3 per one thousand. That allowed authorities to slightly relax measures, as of Monday. The new decisions mainly target restaurants and entertainment facilities.

Here is the Prefect of Bucharest, Alin Stoica, with more:

Entertainment facilities and restaurants can work at 30% capacity. All companies, including the mentioned facilities are allowed to stay open until 9 p.m. The night curfew though remains in place, from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. The next threshold set by epidemiologists is 1.5 per thousand inhabitants, and therefore other measures are to be implemented when that threshold is reached. For instance, the capacity of entertainment facilities and restaurants will be increased to 50% and open-air events, such as concerts, will be allowed, at a capacity of 300 participants.

For the mini-holiday of May 1st and Easter most Romanians chose to stay in the country, mainly because of the travel restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to data provided by tourist operators, 300,000 bookings at hotels and guest houses were reported for that period. Some 35,000 tourists went to the Black Sea, and many others celebrated Easter at the guest houses that are now open in the Danube Delta.

Some 10,000 Romanians spent their mini-holiday in the resort of Vama Veche, on the Black Sea Coast, which is traditionally the main fun hub at the start of the season. Restaurant gardens were allowed to stay open until 10 p.m., an opportunity that tourists made most of, also helped by the nice weather this past weekend.

Other people chose the mountain resorts, particularly on Prahova Valley, Poiana Brasov or Paltinis. Rural tourism has also been a favourite among tourists, thanks to the conditions provided, away from crowds and in the middle of beautiful scenery. (MI)

4 May 2021