Radio România Internațional

Tag: Easter

12 April 2020, UPDATE

Toll. Another 23 people infected with coronavirus have died in Romania, where the death toll now stands at 314. 6,300 have caught the virus and 852 have recovered. 696 infections and 44 deaths were reported among the Romanians living abroad. The outbreak is expected to peak over the coming period after a record 500 new cases were reported on Saturday. The authorities emphasise that restrictions and social distancing norms must be respected now more than ever.

World. The coronavirus pandemic is expected to dominate the agenda of Germany’s EU presidency in second half of the year, the German foreign minister Heiko Maas told the daily Die Welt, quoted by Reuters. Maas criticised the US for being too slow and China as authoritarian. The pandemic has now spread to 214 countries and territories. On Saturday, the death toll in the United States rose to 18,860, overtaking Italy. The US has the highest number of infections and on Friday became the first country in the world to pass 2,000 deaths in a single day. New York has seen more than 700 deaths every day for five days in a row. All 50 US states are under a disaster declaration simultaneously, with Wyoming being the final state to get one. This allows local states and governments to use emergency federal funds.

Easter. Holy Week begins in Romania for Orthodox and Greek Catholic Christians, a period commemorating the most dramatic moments in the life of Christ leading up to his crucifixion and resurrection on Easter Sunday. This year, churches remain closed to the faithful around the world, including majority Orthodox Romania, due to the restrictions imposed by the health crisis caused by the new coronavirus. Services are held behind closed doors, being streamlined on the Internet and broadcast live on the radio and on TV. Roman-Catholic and Protestant Christians celebrated Easter, a week before Orthodox Christians. In his Easter message, pope Francis spoke about the situation generated by the coronavirus pandemic, saying that for many, this is an Easter of solitude. He said his thoughts go out to those who are sick with coronavirus, their families and those who died.

Repatriation. The Romanian ministry of foreign affairs said it facilitated the repatriation of 117 Romanian citizens from France, Belgium and The Netherlands on Saturday. They were in these countries temporarily as tourists in transit, students, sailors, persons in special situations and with medical emergencies, as well as seasonal workers whose contracts were terminated and who did not have the resources to finance their continued stay. The ministry has again called on the population to avoid all non-essential foreign travel to prevent the spread of the virus and has advised Romanian citizens residing abroad to avoid travelling to Romania for the time being.

Recession. 68 countries are expected to go into recession this year for the first time since 2009, corporate insolvencies to increase by 25%, and world trade to drop by 4.3%, according to a Coface barometer. The report also forecasts that the credit risk of companies will rise sharply even if economic activity restarts gradually in the third quarter. This trend would affect the US and all major west European economies, such as Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Spain, but the shock could be even more violent in the emerging economies, which, apart from the pandemic, are also faced with the fall in oil prices. Coface works in credit insurance, risk management and global economy. (Tr.: CM)

12 April 2020
A new military decree

On Thursday night the Romanian authorities announced new measures to combat the spread of the SARS-COV 2 in Romania. The interior minister, Marcel Vela, announced that military decree no. 8 was issued, which extends the measure of suspending commercial flights to and from Spain starting on April 14, except for flights by state-owned aircraft, flights for freight and correspondence transport as well as for humanitarian flights.

The new decree also extends the measure, during the entire state of emergency period, of closing temporarily, totally or partially the border-crossing points, a measure that was regulated through the decisions of the National Committee for Special Emergency Situations. Another provision in decree no. 8 refers to cross-border workers who will be exempted from the measures of home isolation or quarantine when entering Romania from Hungary, if they do not show symptoms associated with COVID-19.

The new decree allows people whose job is commercial fishing and beekeeping to leave their homes after 10 p.m. Also, the authorities have announced several decisions in relation to the upcoming Easter holidays. This Sunday, Catholics are celebrating Easter while the Orthodox Christians the Palm Sunday. The Orthodox Easter will be marked on April 19.

Interior minister Marcel Vela announced that agrifood markets will remain open: “The agrifood markets will remain open for the entire state of emergency period for those farmers who produce a professional certification document and who observe the measures aimed at preventing the spread of the new virus. Farmers are allowed to travel from the production place to the agrifood markets and back, as well as inside the markets, based on a self declaration and the professional certification document. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday before both the Catholic and Orthodox Easter holidays, companies selling agrifood products can extend their working schedule depending on their needs.”

Given the upcoming Easter holidays, the interior minister has once again urged the population to respect the social distancing measures, underlining that people are expected to show discipline, determination and solidarity. He has given assurances that the authorities’ efforts will most certainly produce results on condition that the population plays by the rules. Minister Vela also reiterated his recommendation to the Romanians abroad not to come home, so as to protect their loved ones.

In another development, the new military decree also provides for a ban on exports of several products such as wheat, barley, oat, maize, rice, wheat flour, soya, sunflower, oil, sugar and breadstuffs. (translation by L. Simion)

10 April 2020
New restrictions and requests

Around 4 months since the new coronavirus was first reported in Chinas Wuhan city, the toll is growing ever more disquieting at global level, and Europe and the USA are now the regions with the largest number of cases, and implicitly, the regions where the virus has killed the most.

In Romania, experts expect the pandemic to peak at some point in mid-April. Bucharest has announced measures to contain the spreading of the virus, but the number of cases is growing by the day. Ţăndărei, in the south-east of the country, is the second town in Romania after Suceava to go under full lockdown. The decision was made under a military order, after the town was confirmed as a hotbed of infection in Ialomiţa County. It was precisely the local authorities that requested the lockdown, after hundreds of locals returned from abroad and defied all isolation requirements, in spite of the hundreds of fines ordered by the police. Police and military roadblocks are placed at all entryways to the town, and freight transport and emergencies are the only ones permitted to and from Ţăndărei, the interior minister, Marcel Vela, explained:

Marcel Vela: “We will only permit access to and from the town for freight transport purposes, for bringing in supplies to the locals, for some economic activities and for certain sectors such as public order, national security, healthcare and, obviously, public utilities. The verification and control activities are conducted by joint Interior Ministry and Defence Ministry staff.

The town of Suceava in the north-east, and 8 adjacent villages, were also fully locked down early last week, as the number of coronavirus cases had reached alarming levels. Moreover, military staff took over the management of the Suceava County Hospital. On Saturday, a hospital in the same county was closed down, and another one was partly closed.

Meanwhile, the interior minister Marcel Vela urges the Romanians living abroad not to come home for Easter and to protect their families in Romania by staying in their host countries.

Marcel Vela: “I call on all fellow Romanians in the diaspora to understand that this is for the better, even for themselves, because a long journey, where you have contact with other people in other countries, in petrol stations for instance, poses a risk of infection. And in this undesirable scenario, they come home and give the virus precisely to the people they love.

In fact, PM Ludovic Orban warns that those who choose to come to Romania after all will have to be quarantined for 14 days in special facilities, given that the number of “red-zone countries, with more than 10,000 COVID-19 cases, has grown significantly. Starting on Sunday night, all passenger flights to and from another 9 countries are suspended for 14 days. These countries include Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, the US, Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, Turkey and Iran.

Flights to and from Spain, Italy, France and Germany had already been suspended. Charter flights are however permitted, to take Romanian seasonal workers to other countries. International road passenger transport is also suspended, but authorities introduced facilities for drivers in international freight transport.

And because many citizens still fail to understand the seriousness of the situation and to comply with the restrictions introduced recently, the authorities introduced tougher penalties for offences committed these days. The Government amended the relevant legislation, to the effect that offences committed under the state of emergency are punished more quickly and receive harsher penalties.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

6 April 2020
The Week in Review: April 28-May 4

The Romanian Prime Minister visits Poland

On Wednesday and Thursday, the
Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila was on a visit to Poland. On the first
day, she attended in Warsaw a meeting of the heads of government of the
countries that have joined the EU after 2004. Romania is and will continue to
be a supporter of the European project based on convergence, cohesion and
solidarity among the member states, said Prime Minister Dancila, also stressing
that cooperation is needed, without any tension between the East and the West,
between big and smaller countries, for the EU to function efficiently. To
Romania, joining and integrating into the EU meant development, modernisation,
economic growth and a visible improvement of the quality of citizens’ lives,
Viorica Dancila also stressed. She gave assurances that the European project
will keep on having Romania as an active partner.

On Thursday, the second day of her
visit to Poland, the Romanian Prime Minister joined the thousands of people who
took part in the so-called March of the Living, a symbolic event meant to honour the six
million victims of the Holocaust. The participants marched along the 3 km that
separate the Nazi concentration camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau. Before the
start of the march, the Romanian Prime Minister made an appeal to the younger
generations, asking them to combat any form of extremism, intolerance, racism
and anti-Semitism, by strengthening their own education. In her opinion, the
tragic events that occurred during WWII should never be repeated, and the means
to combat anti-Semitism must be identified, for everybody to benefit from a
democratic future.

Extreme weather in Romania

Extreme weather phenomena have created
lots of problems this week, especially in the south of the country. The
problems started on Tuesday evening, when eight counties and the capital
Bucharest were affected by storms and heavy rain. More than one thousand fire-fighters
helped the local population and authorities, evacuating the water accumulated
in basements and removing the trees and utility poles felled down by the storm.
In the county of Calarasi, in the south, an average-size tornado, a phenomenon
which is extremely rare in Romania, uprooted trees and damaged dozens of
houses. It forced a bus off the road and overturned it in a nearby field. 39
people were in great danger, but, fortunately, nobody died, although 12 were
hurt.

For Wednesday, May 1st,
weather experts issued a code yellow warning for strong wind in 18 counties in
the south and in Bucharest. Also, notifications were issued all across the
country, warning of bad weather in most regions. Heavy rain and storms were
reported over extended areas, as well as damaging wind and even hail. Another
two warnings for flood were issued for 21 counties in the north and west. Then,
on Thursday, a severe hail storm, quite unlikely to occur during this time of the
year, took by surprise drivers on Motorway 2, known as the Sun Motorway, which
links Bucharest to the Romanian Black Sea Coast. Authorities have promised that
the population will be warned about severe weather events by means of the
RO-ALERT system, which can be used as an app on smart phones, based on
information provided by meteorologists and 112 calls made by citizens.

Preparations for Pope Francis’ visit to Romania

The registration deadline for those
who want to take part in the mass performed by Pope Francis at the St. Josef
Roman Catholic Cathedral in Bucharest has been extended to May 15. The
announcement was made this week by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese, which said
that around 40,000 people will have access to the area around the cathedral in
the Romanian capital city. As many as 15 screens have been mounted, as well as
2 stages for a religious artistic performance.

Pope Francis will be on an apostolic
trip to Romania on May 31st to June 2nd. He will visit
Bucharest, the city of Iasi, the largest in the east of the country and home to
a sizable Roman Catholic community, Blaj, a town in the centre of the country
which is the spiritual capital of Romanian Greek Catholics, and where the Pope
will beatify 7 bishops killed in communist prisons, as well as the Marian
shrine in Sumuleu Ciuc, also in the centre, in a region with mostly Hungarian
population.

Hundreds of thousands of people,
including many foreign believers, have registered online to take part in the
masses that Pope Francis will be celebrating. He is the second Pontiff to visit
Romania, the first country with a majority Orthodox population to have ever
been visited by a Catholic Pope (John Paul II in 1999).

Easter holidays in Romania

Last Sunday’s Orthodox Easter was
followed by the International Workers’ Day, making it a good opportunity for
many Romanians to take a mini-holiday. A lot of them chose to go to the
Romanian Black Sea coast, where the summer season was officially opened on May
1. Festivals, car races and concerts were organised on this occasion. The
busiest resorts were, just like in previous years, Mamaia and Vama Veche. Other
destinations for the mini holiday were the mountain resorts in the Southern
Carpathians, the Danube Delta and the rural regions of Maramures, in the
north-west. Interior Ministry staff were mobilised in particular in the places
where major public events were held. Ambulance and firefighter units were also
on duty, to prevent incidents. And while most Romanians chose to spend their holiday
in the country, a large number of them went instead to Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey
and Egypt.

4 May 2019
April 30, 2019 UPDATE

MAY DAY This year, Romanians are celebrating May Day – the International Workers Day, immediately after the Orthodox Easter. The Black Sea coast resorts are the destination of choice for many Romanian tourists, alongside the Danube Delta and the rural regions of Maramures in the north-west. Other Romanians have chosen foreign destinations as well. Interior Ministry staff have been mobilised in particular in the places where major public events are organised.

VISIT The PM of Romania, Viorica Dăncilă, will be on a visit to Poland on May 1 and 2. On Wednesday, she will take part in Warsaw in a conference of the heads of state and government of the Central and East European countries having joined the EU since 2004: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. On Thursday, the Romanian official will take part in the International March of the Living, an annual educational event in which participants walk the distance between the Nazi death camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau. Viorica Dăcilă will also attend a commemoration ceremony in Birkenau, alongside government officials, religious leaders, student and children organisations.

JUDICIARY The Deputy Prime Minister and interim Minister of Justice Ana Birchall suspended on Monday the procedures to select a new Prosecutor General in Romania, as well as that for selecting the deputy prosecutor with Eurojust, the agency dealing with criminal cooperation between EU member states. She said that the procedures will resume soon. On April 10, the Justice Ministry announced new procedures for selecting the Prosecutor General, after Minister Toader turned down all 4 candidates. Interviews under the new procedure were scheduled for May 7. Under the law, the Justice Ministers proposal for prosecutor general has to be approved by the Higher Council of Magistracy, and by President Iohannis. Augustin Lazars term in office ended on April 27, with Bogdan Licu appointed as interim prosecutor general.

EP ELECTIONS The campaign for the European Parliament elections, scheduled for May 26, continues in Romania. 13 political groups are running: from the ruling coalition, the Social Democrats and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, as well as the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, which has a collaboration protocol with the coalition. From the opposition, taking part are the National Liberal Party, the USR-PLUS Alliance, the Peoples Movement Party, and ProRomania, a Social Democratic splinter. From outside Parliament, in the running are the UNPR, the National Unity Bloc, United Romania, PRODEMO, the Romanian Socialist Party, and the Independent Social Democratic Party. Three independents have also announced their candidacy. Romania will have 33 members in the new European Parliament. The 33rd MEP can only take office after Brexit comes into effect. Romanians abroad can go to 441 polling stations, most of them in Italy, Spain, and neighbouring Moldova. On that same day, Romanians will also vote in a referendum on the judiciary, called by President Klaus Iohannis.

ABDICATION Emperor Akihito of Japan, aged 85, Tuesday ended his 30-year reign, being the first Japanese monarch to abdicate in over 2 centuries. As of May 1, Japan enters a new imperial era, called Reiwa, corresponding to the rule of Akihitos son, Naruhito (59). “I sincerely wish that the Reiwa era will be a stable and fruitful one, and I pray, with all my heart, for peace and happiness for all the people in Japan and around the world, Emperor Akihito said in his abdication address. Akihito took over the throne on January 8, 1989, at the age of 55, after the death of Hirohito, under whose rule Japan fought in WW II. Japan has the oldest monarchy in the world, and the Japanese imperial family is the longest hereditary dynasty, going back 2,600 years.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

30 April 2019
28 April 2019, UPDATE

Easter. Orthodox Christians, who are
the majority in Romania, as well as the Greek-Catholic, celebrate Easter, the
resurrection of Christ. At midnight on Saturday, people went to church to
receive light from the priest and sing Christ is risen. People light their
candles from the Holy Light, which is brought from Jerusalem’s Church of the
Holy Sepulchre. In his Easter message, the patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox
Church Daniel has urged people to bring joy and light to the souls of those who
are orphaned, sick, elderly, poor, in mourning or alone, by word and deed.
He said Romanians living abroad should not be forgotten either, urging
believers to pray for their health and redemption. Florentin Crihălmeanu, the bishop of the Greek-Catholic diocese in Cluj-Gherla, in the
north-west, recalled in his Easter message that Christian life is a permanent
fight, but a beautiful fight, that gives us cause for celebration every time
Lord emerges victorious in our life. He again welcomed the upcoming visit to
Romania by Pope Francis, who will beatify the seven Greek-Catholic bishops who
died as martyrs in communist prisons.

Easter messages. In an Easter video message posted on social media, president Klaus
Iohannis wished Romanians to enjoy peaceful holidays together with their loved
ones. Prime minister Viorica Dancila also wished Romanians a happy Easter, good
health and to enjoy the pleasant moments spent with their loved ones. She said
in a press release that Easter is a blessed time, full of faith and hope and
bringing us closer to the divinity that exists in people and giving us the
chance of a new beginning. The royal family also wishes the Romanian people
happy holidays, good health and inner peace together with their families and
friends, writes the custodian of the Crown of Romania, princess Margareta in an Easter message.

Holidays. More than 22,000 police,
security and border forces, firefighters and paramedics have been mobilised in
Romania for the Easter and Labour Day holiday to oversee traffic and large
gatherings of people. Over 900 public events are held over this period,
attracting around 1 million people. The Romanian authorities are also working
with their counterparts in the neighbouring Hungary and Bulgaria at the busiest
border crossing points. The customs authorities in Romania and the Republic of
Moldova have agreed on a set of measures to speed up traffic across the common
border during the Easter holidays. This involves additional border administrative
staff, opening all border check point lanes and coordination with the regional
border police structures.

Handball. The men’s handball side CSM Bucharest have reached the
Challenge Cup final, having defeated the Russian side HC Neva Saint Petersburg
at home, 25-20, in the second leg of the semifinals. CSM had also won the first
leg, 26-24. In the final, they will face the Portuguese side AM Madeira Andebol
SAD. The Challenge Cup is the third-tier European club competition. The Romanian
side Potaissa Turda are the current title holders. Three other sides from
Romania have won the title so far: CSA Steaua Bucharest in 2006, CS UCM Resita in
2007, 2008 and 2009 and HC Odorheiu Secuiesc in 2015, while CSU Bucovina
Suceava were runners-up in 2009. In women’s handball, CSM Bucharest were
eliminated this month in the Champions League quarterfinals by the French side
Metz, after making the Final Four for the last three years and winning the
trophy in 2016.

28 April 2019
28 April, 2019

Easter. Orthodox Christians, who are
the majority in Romania, as well as the Greek-Catholic, celebrate Easter, the
resurrection of Christ. At midnight on Saturday, people went to church to
receive light from the priest and sing Christ is risen. People light their
candles from the Holy Light, which is brought from Jerusalem’s Church of the
Holy Sepulchre. In his Easter message, the patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox
Church Daniel has urged people to bring joy and light to the souls of those who
are orphaned, sick, elderly, poor, in mourning or alone, by word and deed.
He said Romanians living abroad should not be forgotten either, urging
believers to pray for their health and redemption.

Easter messages. In an Easter video message posted on social media, president Klaus
Iohannis wished Romanians to enjoy peaceful holidays together with their loved
ones. Prime minister Viorica Dancila also wished Romanians a happy Easter, good
health and to enjoy the pleasant moments spent with their loved ones. She said
in a press release that Easter is a blessed time, full of faith and hope and
bringing us closer to the divinity that exists in people and giving us the
chance of a new beginning. May the holy day of Resurrection bring inner peace
and prosperity to all Romanians and fulfilment and recognition at home and
abroad to the Romanian army, said the defence minister Gabriel Les in his
Easter message.

Holidays. More than 22,000 police,
security and border forces, firefighters and paramedics have been mobilised in
Romania for the Easter and Labour Day holiday to oversee traffic and large
gatherings of people. Over 900 public events are held over this period,
attracting around 1 million people. The Romanian authorities are also working
with their counterparts in the neighbouring Hungary and Bulgaria at the busiest
border crossing points. The customs authorities in Romania and the Republic of
Moldova have agreed on a set of measures to speed up traffic across the common
border during the Easter holidays. This involves additional border administrative
staff, opening all border check point lanes and coordination with the regional
border police structures.

European elections. The campaign for
the European Parliament elections on the 26th of May began on
Saturday in Romania. This country is entitled to 33 seats in the European
Parliament, with the 33rd seat to be awarded however when the UK
formally leaves the European Union. 13 political parties and three independent
candidates are in the race. 441 polling stations have been set up abroad for the
Romanians in the diaspora, including 76 in Italy, 50 in Spain and 25 in
Germany. A referendum on the judiciary called by president Klaus Iohannis will also take place at the
same time as the elections for the European Parliament.

Spain elections. More than 36 million voters are taking part in parliamentary elections
in Spain. The government led by the socialist prime minister Pedro Sánchez
called early elections after failing to secure the necessary support for the
budget. His cabinet had the shortest term in the last 40 years. Sánchez is
leading in opinion polls, but is unlikely to obtain absolute majority, which
means parties will seek to form a coalition. According to Radio Romania’s
correspondent in Madrid, 100,000 people under guardianship will be allowed to
vote following a change in electoral law. Another first is the candidacy of
Vox, a far-right party that has seen a rise in opinion polls.

28 April 2019
April 27, 2019

EASTER Orthodox believers who are a majority in Romania, together with
their Greek-Catholic counterparts will tonight be celebrating Easter, also
known as the Resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ, the most important event of
Christianity. On Saturday in Jerusalem, the Greek Patriarch will be holding the
Ceremony of the Holy Light, a regular Orthodox service during which the
Patriarch is to go out of the Holy Sepulchre and share light with the
believers. A delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church is in Jerusalem ready to
bring into Romania the Holy Light by means of a charter plane. At midnight,
churches all over Romania will see special services devoted to Christ’s
Resurrection. Roman Catholics and Protestant believers celebrated Easter on
April 21st.

CAMPAIGN An election campaign for the European Parliament, whose elections
are due on May 26th, kicked off in Romania today. Out of the 13
political groups vying for seats in the European Parliament, there are the
ruling PSD and ALDE, UDMR, the Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, as well
as the opposition PNL, the USR-PLUS alliance, PMP and ProRomania, a group
formed by PSD dissidents. There are also other extra-Parliament parties in this
election race, such as the National Unity Bloc, UNPR and the United Romania
Party, PRODEMO, the Romanian Socialist Party, and the Independent Social
Democratic Party. There are also three independent candidates vying for seats
in the European Parliament. Romania will have 33 members in the future European
Parliament, but under a European Council decision, the 33rd mandate
will commence only after Britain’s withdrawal from the bloc has produced
judicial effects. 441 polling stations have been set up for the Romanians
abroad, most of them in Italy, Spain and the neighboring Republic of Moldova.
Concurrently with the aforementioned elections, the Romanians are expected to
have their say in a referendum on justice, initiated by the country’s president
Klaus Iohannis.

TABLE TENNIS Romanian-Spanish pair Ovidiu Ionescu and Alvaro Robles
are today taking on their Chinese opponents Long Ma and Chuqin Wang in the
finals of the World Table Tennis Championship in Budpaest, Hungary. In the
semifinals, Ionescu and Robles secured a 4-3 win against the Portuguese Tiago
Apolonia and Joao Monteiro, while Ma and Wang clinched a 4-0 win against
Jingkun Liang and Gaoyuan. Also on Friday, the board of the European Table
Tennis Federation decided that Romania host the 2021 edition of the European Table
Tennis Team Championships. Romania hosted the European Cadet and Junior Table
Tennis Championship in 2018.

MINI-HOLIDAY Over 22 thousand policemen,
gendarme, border police troops and paramedics have been deployed to crowded
areas in Romania to assist traffic and events unfolding during the mini-holiday
of Easter and Labour Day. According to the Interior Ministry in Bucharest, the over
900 public events due to take place during these days, are expected to bring
together one million people. The Romanian authorities are cooperating with
their Hungarian and Bulgarian counterparts to ease traffic at the most crowded
border checkpoints between these countries.

FOOTBALL Former national champion sides, Astra Giurgiu and Viitorul
Constanta will be playing the finals of Romania’s Football Cup. In the
semifinals, Astra eliminated CFR Cluj, while Viitorul defeated CSU Craiova. All
the four semifinalists are also playing in the domestic championship whose leader
is CFR followed by FCSB, formerly known as Steaua Bucharest.

FREQUENCIES
Dear friends, Radio Romania International has operated new changes into the
frequencies of its transmissions due to come into effect on April 27th.
So, the RRI broadcast at 3:00 UTC to North America, (the West Coast) can be
received on the frequency of 7375 kHz in the analogue system, while our
programmes to India are carried by 13630 kHz in the DRM system.

(translated by bill)

27 April 2019
The Week in Review 22-28 April

Interim ministers at the Justice,
European Funds and Romanians Abroad ministries

Romanian
President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday approved the new proposals for interim
ministers made by PM Viorica Dancila. Deputy prime minister Ana Birchall is the
new interim Justice Minister, Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici is interim
Minister for European Funds while the Minister for Business Environment, Commerce and
Entrepreneurship, Stefan-Radu Oprea, is interim head of the Ministry for the
Romanians Abroad. PM Dancila will decide, after Easter, if she keeps these
interim ministers or she goes for a government reshuffle. The Social Democrat
leader Liviu Dragnea gave assurances that the current coalition made up of the
Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE)
is stable and has by 30 votes more than the number needed for a government
reshuffle. From the opposition, the Liberals say this new change of ministers
proves a lack of responsibility in the act of governing, given that some were
rejected by the head of state for not complying with the office requirements.
We remind you that the three portfolios became vacant after the resignation of
ministers Tudorel Toader, Rovana Plumb and Natalia Intotero.

Deputies have passed the
amendments to the criminal legislation approved earlier by the Senate

The
Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday passed the changes to the criminal code and
the code of criminal procedure in exactly the same version as that adopted by
the Senate. A series of articles were thus adopted that were criticised by the
opposition but were declared constitutional by the Constitutional Court. These
include the reduction of the statute of limitations, the introduction of a
one-year deadline for denunciations with respect to bribe taking and peddling
in influence, the complete decriminalisation of negligence in employment and
the reduction by half of punishments for embezzlement and abuse of office. The
speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and president of the Social Democratic Party
Liviu Dragnea says the legislation passed is constitutional, while the
opposition sees it as an attack on the rule of law and on democracy. President
Klaus Iohannis has said that Parliament has once again re-discussed and adopted
the two amended bills in a hasty, superficial and non-transparent manner. He
approached the subject in Bucharest with the representatives of the Venice
Commission, saying that the adoption of measures that have an impact on the
judicial system without holding public consultations and taking into account
the opinion of the judicial system makes this vital area for democracy
extremely vulnerable. The president has also said that Romania is now in the
situation that the Government passes laws and the parliament is just informed
on it. The European Commission says it will look closely into the amendments
passed and has recalled that its position on the situation of the rule of law
is very clear and that Bucharest must urgently resume the reform process.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis
has announced the two questions for the referendum on justice due on May 26

Romanian president Klaus Iohannis on
Thursday announced the two questions for the referendum on justice due on May
26. The questions are: Do you agree with banning amnesty and pardon of
corruption offenses? and Do you agree with banning the Government’s emergency
decrees in the field of corruption offenses, correlated with the extension of
the right to appeal emergency orders directly at the Constitutional Court?The Romanian Parliament, convened in
joint session, approved President Klaus Iohannis’s request to hold a referendum
on May 26, at the same time with the European Parliament elections. The
President’s move comes against the background of numerous legislative changes
in the field of the judiciary, promoted by the ruling
coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Alliance of
Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), changes contested at home and criticised
by Romania’s European partners. In March, the head of state held consultations with
representatives of judges, magistrates and civil society.

European elections in
May

April 27 marks the beginning of the
campaign for the European elections in Romania. The upcoming European
Parliament election, to be held between May 23 and 26, are crucial for the
future of the EU and its members. At present there are 751 MEPs elected by
citizens in 28 Member States. If Britain leaves before May 23, Great Britain
will not take part in the vote and the number of MEPs will drop to 705. Romania
is expected to have 33 MEPs in the new Parliament, one more compared to the
2014-2019 legislature. The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest has published the
Handbook of the Romanian Voter Abroad in the run-up to the European Parliament
elections. The document seeks to provide accurate information to Romanians
abroad over the ways they can cast their vote in the election. The handbook
includes information regarding people with the right to vote, the documents
based on which they can vote abroad and the voting procedure. The handbook also
includes information on the prerogatives of the Foreign Ministry and of the
Permanent Electoral Authority in the context of the European elections.

Romanians
return to the country for Easter

Just like every year around the Easter
holiday, the Romanians living abroad return home to celebrate with their
friends and relatives. All Romanian checkpoints will remain crowded in the days
to come, and the Romanian Border Police announces that the number of staff on
duty will be increased and that all border crossing units will work at
full capacity.

27 April 2019
26 April 2019, UPDATE

Good Friday. The Easter holidays began on Friday for Orthodox
Christians, who are the majority in Romania, as well as for the Greek-Catholic.
On Good Friday, which commemorates the crucifixion of Christ, a big cross is
placed in the middle of churches on which an image of the crucified Christ is
painted. A cloth icon called epitaphios is placed in front of the cross,
depicting the burial of Christ. A long lamentation service was held in churches
expressing sadness at the news of Christ’s death and hope that he will be
resurrected. Catholic and Protestant Christians celebrated Easter last Sunday.

Holidays. More than 22,000 police, security and border
forces, firefighters and paramedics have been mobilised each day of the Easter
and Labour Day holiday to oversee traffic and large gatherings of people, the
interior ministry has announced. Over 900 public events will be held in this
period, attracting around 1 million people. The Romanian authorities are
working with their counterparts in the neighbouring Hungary and Bulgaria at the
busiest border crossing points. The Romanians’ favourite tourist destination
for the Easter and Labour Day holidays are Bukovina, in the north, Maramures,
in the north-west, in the mountain resorts in Prahova Valley, in the south, on
the Romanian Black Sea coast and in the Danube Delta. Popular foreign
destinations include Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey and Egypt.

European elections. The electoral campaign for the European Parliament
elections scheduled on the 26th of May begins on Saturday and comes
to an end on the 25th of May. If the UK leaves the European Union,
Romania is entitled to 33 seats in the future parliament, one more compared
with the current figure. The Romanian candidates include a former president,
former prime ministers and ministers, Euro MPs and big city mayors. Leading in
opinion polls are the Social Democratic Party, the senior party in the ruling
coalition, and the National Liberal Party, the biggest party in opposition.
They are followed by the 2020 Alliance formed by the Save Romania Union and
PLUS and ProRomania, both in opposition, and the Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats, the junior partner in the ruling coalition. The Democratic Union of
Ethnic Hungarians and Romania and the People’s Movement Party also have chances
to win seats in the European Parliament. The 2019 elections come at a time when
Romania is holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Referendum. At the same
time as the elections for the European Parliament on the 26th of May,
a referendum on the subject of the judiciary will be held in Romania, initiated
by president Klaus Iohannis. Voters will be asked to say if they agree to ban
amnesty and pardon for corruption cases and to ban the passing of legislation
in the area of the judiciary through government emergency orders. President
Iohannis says Romanians have the chance to vote and say what they think about
the Social Democratic Party and what he described as this party’s attacks on
the judiciary, referring to some controversial amendments to the criminal
legislation and the laws regulating the organisation of the legal system. The
president has urged people to vote, assuring them that the results will be
taken into account. The parties in the ruling coalition says the referendum is
not something society needs, while the opposition supports the president’s
initiative.

Criticism. Romania’s judicial system
must serve every Romanian, not just some, said the president of the European
People’s Party Joseph Daul in a release published on Friday and cited by
Agerpres news agency. He says it is discouraging to see that a ruling coalition of a EU
Member State amend the Criminal Code in order to be sure that their leader and
other politicians avoid responsibility for their mistakes. According to Daul,
such actions affect Romania’s fight against
corruption and the good functioning of the judiciary. It
is unbelievable that a governing majority in a European Union Member State,
holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union, continues to
frequently violate the European rules and norms, Daul also said. He calls on
the Romanian government to take the necessary steps as soon as possible to enforce all the
recommendations of the Venice Commission and of the European Commission from
its latest report as part of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism.

Weather. A
code yellow warning for heavy rain has been issued for Saturday afternoon until
Sunday morning in the south-west, centre and north-west of the country.
Torrential rain, lighting and thunder, strong wind and hail storm are expected.
Precipitation will exceed 25 to 30 litres per square metre, and even 35 to 40
in some places. Hydrologists have also issued a yellow code alert for several
rivers in these areas. The weather will become unstable and cool down in the
west and in the mountains.

Frequency changes. A number of Radio Romania International’s short wave
frequencies have changed since April 27th. The 3.00 UTC broadcast to
the West Coast of North America is broadcast analogically on 7375
kHz and on 13.630 kHz, digitally, in the DRM system, to India.

26 April 2019
26 April, 2019

Good Friday. Orthodox Christians, who are the majority in Romania, as
well as the Greek-Catholic, today commemorate Good Friday by re-enacting
symbolically the crucifixion, burial and funeral of Jesus. A big cross is
placed in the middle of churches on which an image of the crucified Christ is
painted. A cloth icon called epitaphios is placed in front of the cross,
depicting the burial of Christ. A long lamentation service is held in churches expressing
sadness at the news of Christ’s death and hope that he will be resurrected.
Catholic and Protestant Christians celebrated Easter last Sunday.

Holidays. More than 22,000 police, security and border
forces, firefighters and paramedics have been mobilised each day of the Easter
and Labour Day holiday to oversee traffic and large gatherings of people, the
interior ministry has announced. Over 900 public events will be held in this
period, attracting around 1 million people. The Romanian authorities are
working with their counterparts in the neighbouring Hungary and Bulgaria at the
busiest border crossing points. The Romanians’ favourite tourist destination
for the Easter and Labour Day holidays are Bukovina, in the north, Maramures,
in the north-west, in the mountain resorts in Prahova Valley, in the south, on
the Romanian Black Sea coast and in the Danube Delta. Popular foreign
destinations include Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey and Egypt.

European elections. The electoral campaign for the European Parliament
elections scheduled on the 26th of May begins on Saturday and comes
to an end on the 25th of May. If the UK leaves the European Union,
Romania is entitled to 33 seats in the future parliament, one more compared
with the current figure. The Romanian candidates include a former president,
former prime ministers and ministers, Euro MPs and big city mayors. Leading in
opinion polls are the Social Democratic Party, the senior party in the ruling
coalition, and the National Liberal Party, the biggest party in opposition.
They are followed by the 2020 Alliance formed by the Save Romania Union and
PLUS and ProRomania, both in opposition, and the Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats, the junior partner in the ruling coalition. The Democratic Union of
Ethnic Hungarians and Romania and the People’s Movement Party also have chances
to win seats in the European Parliament. The 2019 elections come at a time when
Romania is holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Referendum. At the same
time as the elections for the European Parliament on the 26th of May,
a referendum on the subject of the judiciary will be held in Romania, initiated
by president Klaus Iohannis. Voters will be asked to say if they agree to ban
amnesty and pardon for corruption cases and to ban the passing of legislation
in the area of the judiciary through government emergency orders. President
Iohannis says Romanians have the chance to vote and say what they think about
the Social Democratic Party and what he described as this party’s attacks on
the judiciary, referring to some controversial amendments to the criminal
legislation and the laws regulating the organisation of the legal system. The
president has urged people to vote, assuring them that the results will be
taken into account. The parties in the ruling coalition says the referendum is
not something society needs, while the opposition supports the president’s
initiative.

Accidents at work. Romanian jobs are among the most dangerous in
the European Union. In 2016, the rate of fatal occupational injuries in Romania
stood at 6.11 for 100,000 workers compared with the EU average of 2.2,
according to figures published on Friday by Eurostat. Luxembourg is the only
country with a higher rate than Romania, at 10.8. The lowest such rate is
reported in Holland, Germany, Sweden and the UK. These data were published ahead of World Day for Safety and Health at Work, an annual international campaign
promoting safe, healthy and decent work held on the 28th of April.

Frequency changes. A number of Radio Romania International’s short wave
frequencies have changed since April 27th. The 3.00 UTC broadcast to
the West Coast of North America is broadcast analogically on 7375
kHz and on 13.630 kHz, digitally, in the DRM system, to India.

26 April 2019
April 21, 2019 UPDATE

Palm Sunday – On Sunday Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Christians in Romania celebrated Palm Sunday, commemorating Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem prior to his Crucifixion. Palm Sunday marks the start of the last week of Lent, known as Passion Week, which remembers the most dramatic events in the life of Jesus. On Palm Sunday, as many as 1.4 million Romanians bearing names of flowers celebrated their name day. In another development, Catholic and Protestant Christians celebrated Easter on Sunday, the biggest holiday in the Christian world. Pope Francis held a Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican and read the ‘Urbi et Orbi’ message (To the City and the World). The pontiff spoke about the violence in Libya, the crisis of the Syrian refugees fleeing to Lebanon and Jordan, the children affected by the conflict in Yemen, the sufferance of those in the conflict area in eastern Ukraine and about the crisis in Venezuela.

Message — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis addressed Catholic and Protestant Christians the traditional Easter wish “Christ is Risen!” and made wishes to all those who celebrated their name day on Palm Sunday. Also on Sunday, the PM Viorica Dancila conveyed a message to Orthodox Christians, recalling the significance of Palm Sunday and of the Passion Week, when people should show more empathy to each other. The PM also made good wishes to those Christians who celebrated Easter on Sunday.

Colombo — Heads of state and government from around the world condemned the bomb attacks occurring on Sunday, on Easter Day for Catholics and Protestants, on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka. The explosions killed and wounded hundreds of people, among whom foreign citizens. Pope Francis expressed sadness at the events and prayed for the victims of violence. The Romanian President decried the attacks in Sri Lanka and said that religious freedom and faith needed to be defended. The PM Viorica Dancila firmly condemned the bloody attacks in Sri Lanka as well. The Romanian Foreign Ministry officials announced that the authorities in Colombo had not notified the Romanian Embassy in Sri Lanka in relation to the existence of Romanian citizens among the victims of the blasts. The PM of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe also decried the attacks and announced the government would take measures to control the situation. A state of emergency was declared in Sri Lanka, an island country in South Asia, with a majority Buddhist population, where Catholics account for almost 1.2 million of a total population of 21 million.

HMS Echo – HMS Echo multi-role hydrographic survey ship arrived on Sunday in the port of Constanta (south-eastern Romania) for a 4-day stopover — the Chief of Staff of the Romanian Navy announced. During the stopover, the ship representatives will have working meetings with experts from the Maritime Hydrographic Directorate in Constanta and will have official meetings with public authorities, civilian and military officials. The presence of HMS Echo military ship in the Black Sea is part of the NATO measures meant to provide the security of Allied members on the eastern flank, according to NATO’s commitment to collective defence.

Customs — The customs authorities from Romania and the Republic of Moldova have agreed on a set of actions aimed at speeding up the crossing of the common border during the Easter holidays. To this end, a higher number of employees will be working in the customs administrations. The Romanian Border Police also called on the Bulgarian and Hungarian authorities to bring additional staff as well, if the case may be, based on the agreements on the joint control of borders. Cross border traffic has been intense these days, as the Romanian citizens who work abroad are coming home for the Easter holidays. (news translated and updated by L. Simion)

21 April 2019
April 20, 2019 UPDATE

EASTER Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Christians in Romania are celebrating Palm Sunday, commemorating Christs arrival in Jerusalem prior to the Crucifixion. On Saturday many believers and priests took part in processions in Bucharest and other cities. Palm Sunday marks the start of the last week of Lent, known as Passion Week, which marks the most dramatic events in the life of Jesus. On the other hand, Catholic and Protestant believers Sunday celebrate the Easter, the biggest holiday in the Christian world.

HOLIDAYS In Romania, over 10,000 police and 8,000 gendarmes will be deployed on the Orthodox Palm Sunday and Catholic Easter Sunday, to ensure the safety of the citizens taking part in the events related to these holidays. Traffic police and over 300 radar units will also be on duty, to prevent accidents and to ensure smooth road traffic. Meanwhile, many Romanians working abroad are beginning their Easter visits home, and checkpoints are getting increasingly crowded. Over 4,000 border police will work every day to ensure efficient border controls during this period. The Romanian Border Police has also called on the authorities of Bulgaria, Hungary and the Republic of Moldova to increase the number of staff available in checkpoints, if necessary.

RESHUFFLING President Klaus Iohannis will announce early next week his decision on the new nominations in the Dancila Cabinet. The Social Democratic Party, the main party in the ruling coalition, has nominated the deputy speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Eugen Nicolicea to replace Tudorel Toader as justice minister. The Social Democrats withdrew their political support for Toader after he refused to pass new controversial changes in the criminal codes, and consequently Tudorel Toader stepped down. The Prime Minister also forwarded to the Presidency the resignations of Rovana Plumb as Minister for European Funds and of Natalia Intotero as Minister for Romanians Abroad. The 2 are running for the European Parliament in the upcoming elections. Nominated to replace them are Deputy Oana Florea, for the Ministry for European Funds, and Senator Liviu Brăiloiu for the ministry in charge of the diaspora. The President has hinted that he disapproves of these proposals. In his opinion, this government reshuffling strengthens what he called “the Social Democrats siege of the judiciary.

CULTURE As part of the 2019 Romania-France Cultural Season, the French Film Festival started on Saturday in 10 cities in Romania. Launched in November 2018, in France, the cultural dialogue between the 2 countries continues in Romania with scores of theatre shows, dance performances, concerts, film screenings, literature-related events, exhibitions and debates held in over 30 towns and cities. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, pointed out that this was an important landmark in the arts and cultural life in Romania and France. The event strengthens the economic, scientific, cultural and social ties between the 2 states. The official closing of the 2019 Romania-France Cultural Season, which overlaps the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU, will be on July 14, Frances National Day.

TENNIS Romania and France are tied, 1-all, in the Fed Cup semi-finals, after Simona Halep (2 WTA) beat Kristina Mladenovic (66 WTA) in Rouen, and Mihaela Buzărnescu (30 WTA) was defeated by Caroline Garcia (21 WTA). Three other matches are scheduled on Sunday: Caroline Garcia vs. Simona Halep, Kristina Mladenovic vs. Mihaela Buzărnescu and Caroline Garcia / Kristina Mladenovic vs. Irina Begu / Monica Niculescu. For the second time in history, 46 years apart, Romania is playing a Fed Cup semi-final. Frances performance in this competition is much better: the French tennis players were twice champions, in 1997 and 2003, finalists in 2004, 2005 and 2016, and semi-finalists several times, including last year. Should Romania get past France this weekend, it will play the final in November against the winner of the match pitting Australia against Belarus.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

20 April 2019
April 20, 2019

EASTER Catholic and Protestant Christians are preparing today for the Easter holiday, while Orthodox and Greek-Catholics are getting ready for Palm Sunday. Tonight Roman-Catholic churches are holding the Easter Vigil, the religious service that celebrates the Resurrection of Christ. Also today, on the eve of Palm Sunday, Orthodox and Greek Catholic believers in many parts of Romania organise religious processions to commemorate Christs arrival in Jerusalem prior to the Crucifixion.

HOLIDAYS In Romania, over 10,000 police and 8,000 gendarmes will be deployed on the Orthodox Palm Sunday and Catholic Easter Sunday, to ensure the safety of the citizens taking part in the events related to these holidays. Traffic police and over 300 radar units will also be on duty, to prevent accidents and to ensure smooth road traffic. Meanwhile, many Romanians working abroad are beginning their Easter visits home, and checkpoints are getting increasingly crowded. Over 4,000 border police will work every day to ensure efficient border controls during this period. The Romanian Border Police has also called on the authorities of Bulgaria, Hungary and the Republic of Moldova to increase the number of staff available in checkpoints, if necessary.

RESHUFFLING President Klaus Iohannis will announce early next week his decision on the new nominations in the Dancila Cabinet. The Social Democratic Party, the main party in the ruling coalition, has nominated the deputy speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Eugen Nicolicea to replace Tudorel Toader as justice minister. The Social Democrats withdrew their political support for Toader after he refused to pass new controversial changes in the criminal codes, and consequently Tudorel Toader stepped down. The Prime Minister also forwarded to the Presidency the resignations of Rovana Plumb as Minister for European Funds and of Natalia Intotero as Minister for Romanians Abroad. The 2 are running for the European Parliament in the upcoming elections. Nominated to replace them are Deputy Oana Florea, for the Ministry for European Funds, and Senator Liviu Brăiloiu for the ministry in charge of the diaspora. The President has hinted that he disapproves of these proposals. In his opinion, this government reshuffling strengthens what he called “the Social Democrats siege of the judiciary.

DIPLOMACY Regional and international security and the contribution to the fulfilment of NATOs goals were the main topics approached by the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu in a meeting with his counterparts from Poland and Turkey in Ankara. The ministers reconfirmed the need for constant efforts in order to efficiently respond to all challenges, wherever they may come from, and to implement the measures regarding the Black Sea region. The participants also agreed to hold meetings with the main representatives of the 3 countries military industries. Teodor Meleşcanu also mentioned the support provided by Romania to its eastern partners—Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine—and to the Western Balkans states. He also said that Romania aims to support these countries in advancing their relations with NATO and the EU.

CULTURE As part of the 2019 Romania-France Cultural Season, the French Film Festival kicks off today in 10 cities in Romania. Launched in November 2018, in France, the cultural dialogue between the 2 countries continues in Romania with scores of theatre shows, dance performances, concerts, film screenings, literature-related events, exhibitions and debates held in over 30 towns and cities. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, pointed out that this was an important landmark in the arts and cultural life in Romania and France. The event strengthens the economic, scientific, cultural and social ties between the 2 states. The official closing of the 2019 Romania-France Cultural Season, which overlaps the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU, will be on July 14, Frances National Day.

TENNIS Romanias Simona Halep (2 WTA) is playing today in Rouen against Kristina Mladenovic (66 WTA) in the first round of the Fed Cup semi-finals between Romania and France. In the second match of the day, Mihaela Buzărnescu (30 WTA) will take on Caroline Garcia (21 WTA). Three other matches are scheduled on Sunday: Caroline Garcia vs. Simona Halep, Kristina Mladenovic vs. Mihaela Buzărnescu and Caroline Garcia / Kristina Mladenovic vs. Irina Begu / Monica Niculescu. For the second time in history, 46 years apart, Romania is playing a Fed Cup semi-final. Frances performance in this competition is much better: the French tennis players were twice champions, in 1997 and 2003, finalists in 2004, 2005 and 2016, and semi-finalists several times, including last year. Should Romania get past France this weekend, it will play the final in November against the winner of the match pitting Australia against Belarus.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

20 April 2019
Catholic Easter Customs and Traditions in Romania

This year, Catholic Christians across the world celebrate Easter on April 21st. The date of the biggest Christian celebration of the year rarely coincides for the Catholic and Orthodox denominations. Since the big Schism of 1054, the two have usually been one week apart. This gap is explained by the fact that, since 1582, the Orthodox Church has used the Julian calendar, while the Catholics have divided the year in keeping with the Gregorian calendar. They say that, in the same year, Pope Gregory VIII discovered a two-week gap between the real time and the one set in keeping with Julius Caesars calendar, dating back to the year 46 BC. So, Catholic Easter does not have a fixed date, and it is calculated depending on the ecclesiastic full moon, based on tables drawn up by the Church, in direct relation with the spring equinox. Sabina Ispas, head of the ‘Constantin Brailoiu Ethnography and Folklore Institute, explains:

Sabina Ispas: “There were talks, and decisions were made to reverse the situation, but eventually the Ecumenical councils decided to recalculate the Easter date. Its a mobile date, because it is calculated in keeping with the phases of the moon. This is actually the old system used for the ancient Passover, the historical period in which the events related to the Christian Easter seem to have actually occurred. That is why Palm Sunday doesnt have a fixed date either. Generally speaking, there are some limits. What we are interested in is the maximum date, which is early May.

In certain parts of Romania, Transylvania and Banat in particular, the Roman–Catholic Easter is celebrated by the ethnic Germans and Hungarians in keeping with centuries-old traditions. Besides traditional dishes, such as painted eggs, lamb dishes, Easter cake and red wine, the Roman Catholics here have preserved other specific customs, as Delia Suiogan, an ethnologist with the North University of Baia Mare explains:

Delia Suiogan: “We have the candle, the Light that we get on Saturday at midnight. We also have the lamb, symbolizing the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This ritualistic gesture actually symbolizes the rebirth of man and his right to resurrection. The same is true for the egg, Christs tomb; through its symbolic capacity to symbolize food and the primary seed, the egg stands for peoples right to start over a new cycle and thus be part of the cosmic cycle.

For Easter, the Catholic Christians in Transylvania decorate fir-trees at the gates of unmarried girls, and sprinkle girls with water or perfume, just like in pre-Christian times. In Mures County, in central Romania, there are groups of boys who walk around and sprinkle the girls, and then, on the third day of Easter, its their turn to be given the same treatment. However, Easter becomes a solemn event during the religious service.

Delia Suiogan: “There is this custom, sprinkling, a ritual that the Orthodox believers in Transylvania have taken over too. As the different cultural specificities always influence the evolution of any civilization, a beautiful blend has taken shape. All the Catholic Christians in the traditional communities observe this custom, which has been introduced by ethnic Germans. On the first and second day of Easter, there is this sprinkling ritual that takes place. It originates in the pre-Christian period, when there was a ritual praising Ostera, the goddess of fertility and rebirth. So, on such celebration days, everybody had to be sprinkled with water, as a ritual of purification but also of fertility. In modern times, the Catholics sprinkle one another with perfume, making an extension from fertility towards spiritual rebirth, as perfume is viewed as annihilating the ugly, the rotten, and reinstating a state of order, by restoring cosmic harmony.

The Catholics were also the ones who, more recently, introduced chocolate figurines as Easter symbols. The chocolate bunnies and eggs given to children on Easter are also fertility allegories.

Delia Suiogan: “Another ritual, which is a Catholic tradition, is that of the Easter Bunny. These days, all shops are full of chocolate bunnies and eggs. This is another remnant of the ritual celebrating goddess Ostera. Legend has it that this goddess, while on a stroll in the fields, meets a bird with broken wings. Moved by this image, the goddess wants to help the bird stay alive. A divine voice tells her that, if she manages to turn it into an animal that needs not fly, then the bird will survive. So, the goddess turns her into a rabbit. What is interesting is that this rabbit keeps its ability to lay eggs. So, once a year, the bird-turned-rabbit offers painted eggs to the goddess, as a sign of rebirth into a different form, of the right to live again. They say that, ever since, eggs have been painted and are to be found in the grass, following the trails of the rabbit. So, here it is, the symbol of rebirth; the painting of the eggs is interpreted as a gift rewarding kindness.

The significance of the red eggs and of the other dishes on the Easter table, such as lamb dishes or Ester cakes, is related to the spirit of sacrifice. It also provides a guarantee for continuity to all those who believe in the miracle of resurrection.

(translated by: Mihaela Ignatescu)

20 April 2019