Radio România Internațional

Tag: events

  • Romania at the Olympic Games

    Romania at the Olympic Games

     

    The first participation of our gymnasts in an Olympic contest was in Berlin in 1936 but they started winning medals only 20 years later. Elena Leustean became a bronze medallist in the floor event in Melbourne, where the Romanian team also finished in the third position. Another bronze in Rome in 1960 was followed by a 16-year break.

     

    Then Nadia Comaneci managed a perfect 10, making the three-digit scoreboard in Montreal obsolete. Nadia has won five Olympic gold medals, three of them in Montreal, in the individual all-round, beam and uneven bars event. Ecaterina Szabo comes next with four Olympic titles all of them in Los Angeles in 1984. Three Olympic gold medals have been won by Daniela Silivas, Simona Amanar and Catalina Ponor. Silivas compelled recognition in Seoul in 1988 when she won the uneven bars, beam and floor events.

     

    Amanar won the vault event in Atlanta in 1996 and the all round event and the team contest in Sydney 2000. Ponor won the Olympic titles in the beam, floor and teams contests in Athens, in 2004. In the men’s competitions, Romania had only one Olympic champion, Marius Urzica who won the pommel horse event in Sydney.

     

    When it comes to the best Olympic performances, Romanian rowers come right after the gymnasts, with 38 medals, half of them gold. Romania’s first participation in an Olympic competition was in Helsinki, in 1952, with the first medal won in Munich in 1972 by Petre Ceapura, Ladislau Lovrenschi and Stefan Tudor, the bronze medallists in the men’s coxed pairs.

     

    The women’s contests were introduced for the first time in Montreal in 1976 and Romania’s coxed quadruple scull stepped onto the podium’s third step. At the following edition, in Moscow in 1980, Sanda Toma won the gold for Romania in the single scull race. Women rowers from Romania dominated the competitions from 1984 to 2004, winning 17 gold medals, most of them in the Los Angeles Olympics.

     

    In 1984, Romanian rowers won five Olympic titles in the women’s competitions and one in the men’s contests. Georgeta Andrunache and Viorica Susanu brought home the last Olympic gold for Romania in the women’s pairs of the Beijing Olympics, while the Romanian eight won the bronze in the 2016 Games in Rio.

     

    Next in terms of Olympic medals won for Romania are the athletes, with 35 medals, kayak-canoeists with 34, and wrestlers with 33 medals. Iolanda Balas is the only Romanian athlete with two gold medals in the Olympic Games, in 1960 in Rome and 1964 in Tokyo. Ivan Patzaichin reaped four gold medals and three silver in the kayak-canoe races. He and Serghei Covaliov compelled recognition in the 1000 meter race of Mexico Olympics in 1968, in Moscow 1980 and in Los Angeles four years later together with Toma Simionov. Patzaichin also won the 1000 meter single race in Munich in 1972.

     

    Gheorghe Berceanu and Stefan Rusu also made Romanians proud in Olympic wrestling competitions. Berceanu won the gold in Munich and silver four years later in Montreal, while Rusu became a silver medallist in Montreal and a gold medallist at the Olympics in Moscow. (bill)

  • Romania at the Olympic Games

    Romania at the Olympic Games

     

    Romania was in the Olympics elites for many years. Between 1976 and 1988, more to the point in the Olympic Games in Montreal and Seoul, the Romanian delegation was among the top ten teams in the world in terms of medals. The best games in terms of medals, though, were those in Los Angeles in 1984, in which Romania came in second by number of medals, namely 53, of which 20 gold, 16 silver, and 17 bronze, right behind the top team, the United States.

     

    The 1984 Olympic Games were boycotted by several countries from the Communist bloc. The Soviet Union announced its decision to opt out of the games on May 8, 1984, followed by Bulgaria and East Germany on May 10, then by almost all satellite states. Romania was the only country in the Soviet sphere of influence to refuse the boycott. As a result, the Romanian athletes gained a lot of sympathy among the sports fans attending the Games.

     

    Without a doubt, the number one athlete in the Romanian delegation in Los Angeles was the gymnast Ecaterina Szabo. She won four gold and one bronze medal. Since no Soviet athletes were present, she was considered already a favourite in the competition. She missed winning the top Olympic title, though, because she took a fall in the beam event. She got her groove back at the finals winning three gold medals in the vault, floor, and beam events. In the last event, she tied with another Romanian gymnast, Simona Pauca. At the same time, her contribution was decisive to Romania’s victory.

     

    Another discipline where Romania shined was rowing. With 6 gold and 2 silver medals, the Romanian team dominated the competition. It was the edition in which Elisabeta Lipa, one of the world’s greatest rowers, won her first Olympic gold medal, next to Marioara Popescu. Lipa went on to win four more gold medals in future editions.

     

    Romanian athletics also had its best results ever in Los Angeles. Thanks to the three gold medals won by Maricica Puica in the 3,000 m race, by Doina Melinte in the 800 m race, and by Anisoara Cusmir in the long jump event, Romania came in fourth in the world.

     

    We should also note that Los Angeles 1984 is the last edition attended by Ivan Patzaichin, the greatest Romanian canoeist in history. Next to Toma Simionov, he came in first in the 1000 m double canoe event. In his career, Patzaichin won 4 gold Olympic medals, in the 5 editions he took part in, between 1968 and 1984. (C. Cotoiu)

  • Timișoara, European Capital of Culture 2023

    Timișoara, European Capital of Culture 2023

    A European Capital of Culture in 2023, alongside the towns of Veszprém in Hungary and Elefsina in Greece, the western Romanian city of Timişoara launched the first events in the programme this weekend.



    For 3 days, as many as 130 cultural events brought together 500 artists from Romania and abroad. Some 15,000 visitors and over 100 senior officials, representing over 40 countries on 3 continents, attended the events.



    Timişoara turned into a huge art gallery, with many collective and personal exhibitions scattered around the city. Music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and giant puppet parades, community roundtables, a digital culture festival, the opening of a 5-level nursery with 1,300 plants in Victory Square for biodiversity education, as well as a book launch occasioned by the great sculptor Constantin Brâncuşis birthday were also among the highlights.



    The artist Dan Perjovschi presented his mobile exhibition, a tram decorated with drawings and messages related to the contemporary social, political and cultural life. “It is an exhibition that doesnt wait for people to come see it, but instead it goes out to find people,” the artist said, explaining that the goal was to bring his works to people who do not usually go to museums.



    One of the most interesting events was the opening of an exhibition on the Romanian artist Victor Brauner, the first such retrospective in his home country.



    The remarkable 3-day display of culture came to an end around midnight on Sunday, but the show will go on, as the programme Timişoara – European Capital of Culture is only beginning, the organisers said.



    At the end of the opening weekend, the mayor Dominic Fritz said Timişoara conveyed its message with courage this weekend. “The values that have built this city-inovation, multiculturalism, diversity-were seen and heard across Europe,” he pointed out. “Timişoara, officially a European Capital of Culture for 2023, looks forward with confidence to the impressive show to follow until next February. Over 1,000 events are planned, conveying an international message that speaks about the citys cultural values, disseminated by the hundreds of diplomats and journalists that were here this weekend, and by the around one million visitors expected to come here during the year. Timişoara still has a lot to show, and everybody is welcome,” Dominic Fritz added.



    Attending the opening weekend, the European Commissioner Adina Vălean awarded Timişoara the Melina Mercouri prize, worth 1.5 million euro, regularly grated to the European capitals of culture that fulfil their programme commitments. (AMP)


  • August 18, 2022 UPDATE

    August 18, 2022 UPDATE

    VISIT
    Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu on Thursday paid a visit to Prague at
    the invitation of his Czech counterpart Jan Lipavsky as this country is presently
    holding the EU rotating presidency. Talks focused on prospects of deepening the
    bilateral political-diplomatic dialogue as well as strengthening the sectoral
    cooperation in fields of mutual interest such as energy, transport, logistics,
    tourism and agriculture. The two ministers also referred to the joint
    objectives at European level in the wake of the Summit in Madrid and before the
    upcoming NATO Foreign Ministers meeting Romania is to host in autumn. The two
    sides discussed the multidimensional impact of the Russian aggression against
    Ukraine. The two ministers had an exchange of opinions on the regional
    security, the situation of the Ukrainian refugees and the impact on other key
    issues such as food safety and energy security. Topical issues on the European
    agenda were also discussed and Minister Lipavsky reiterated his country’s
    staunch support for Romania’s Schengen accession.








    COVID-19 On Thursday Romania’s Health
    Ministry announced 55 hundred new cases of Covid-19. 35 hundred people are
    presently being treated in hospitals out of whom 269 in ICUs. 24 related
    fatalities have also been reported in the past 24 hours.






    CHAMPION Romanian swimmer
    David Popovici, gold medalist in the 100m and 200m freestyle events, was named
    the best athlete in the men’s swimming events at the European Aquatics
    Championships in Rome, according to the Romanian Swimming and Modern Pentathlon
    Federation. In a score-based ranking, following the best performances in the
    competition, David Popovici came in first in the men’s category with 1,003
    points, while in the women’s category the Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte was the
    first with 985 points. David Popovici, 17, became, on Saturday, in Rome, the
    world record holder in the 100 m freestyle race with 46 seconds and 86
    hundredths. Later, on Monday, he also won the gold medal in the 200 m freestyle
    event. With 1 minute 42 seconds and 97 hundredths, he set, also in this event,
    a new world and European record.




    ATHLETICS Romanian
    athlete Bianca Florentina Ghelber won the gold medal in the hammer throw event,
    on Wednesday, at the European Athletics Championships in Munich. Ghelber,32, who
    ranked sixth at the Tokyo Olympics last year, won the final in Munich with
    72.72 meters, ahead of the Polish Ewa Rozanska, 72.12 m, and the Italian Sara
    Fantini, 71.58 m. Thus, Romania won the first continental gold medal in
    athletics after a break of 20 years. Also in Munich, Romania secured new medals
    at the individual European Table Tennis Championships, in the women’s doubles
    event. Four Romanians are in the semifinals, the phase that secures the bronze
    medals, so there will definitely be at least one player in the finals. Romania
    has already got a silver medal at the European Table Tennis Championships in
    the mixed doubles event, won by Bernadette Szocs and Ovidiu Ionescu.


    (bill)

  • Romanian cities and their proud past

    Romanian cities and their proud past



    We heading, today, towards one of western Romanias biggest cities, Timisoara. In 1711, Central and South-eastern Europes first German-language newspaper was printed in this city. It was also in Timisoara that Hapsburg Empires first public library with a reading room was built. At present, the city boasts three theaters in three different languages. Between 1880 and 1914, Timisoara was the regions leading industrial, cultural and financial center. As we speak, the city makes a complex tourist destination for everybody.



    Here is the executive director of the Timisoara Promotion Association, Simion Giurca:



    “The city stands out as compared to other destinations thanks to a compound of three squares, located in the city center. They are connected to one another and it takes a short while to cross them through. Not only are they a beautiful area in Timisoara, they also make Romanias largest pedestrian area. Along this route you can see Timisoaras old palaces, part of them being refurbished and now they look really fine. We have a Neolog synagogue, which has been recently opened, after the refurbishment works. Also, Timisoara boasts a great many listed buildings, ranging from the Secession, Baroque or ArtNouveau style. It was also here that we have many restaurants, beer gardens, cafes, where people can relax and admire the beautiful parts of the city. In the Union Square, we have the Catholic Dome, built in 1736. We have the Serbian Cathedral, built in 1750. Also, there is a string of beautiful, refurbished buildings, a living proof of the Timisoaras architectural and historical progress, but also of the fact that here, the ethnic minorities have always lived in harmony with one another. “



    The military structure of the former citadel lies in the Freedom Square, with its army casino, with the building of the former headquarters and even with the old building of the town hall.



    The executive director of the Timisoara Promotion Association, Simion Giurca, once again.



    “It is the area of the citys former administration, an area playing host to numerous events. The squares recently-refurbished layout allows for a numerous public to attend the events. The Revolution Square is that one particular spot reminding us of the place where the most important moments of the 1989 Revolution occurred. Here lies the Orthodox cathedral, one of the most beautiful Romanian religious buildings, for which construction works began in 1936 and which was inaugurated after the war, with King Michael I attending. Opposite the cathedral, lies the Opera House. Furthermore, that building plays host to the asserts Timisoara holds pride of place for: three state theaters, in three languages, the National Theater in Romanian Language, The German State Theater and the Hungarian State Theater. Together with the Opera House, they make Timisoaras leading cultural compound.”


    For their own leisure time, tourists are invited to visit the museums. The Revolution Memorial, the Art Museum, the Banat Museum or the Banat Village Museum are among the options.



    Simion Giurca:



    “Also, exhibitions and events are being staged quite often. For those who want a ride across Bega River, there are the so-called vaporetti. Those are boats made in Galati, tailored for the public transport, but you can also have a pleasure ride across the river on board those boats. There are also paddle boats for families with children, so the little ones can discover the city by water. As a novelty, this year Timisoara is set to become a leader on the Christmas fairs market and will most succeed that, with two fairs. The first one will be placed in the city center, while the other one, on the premises at the Banat Village Museum.”



    Around Timisoara, there are a couple of areas that have developed really fine and which also offer fine accommodation facilities for those who, for instance, want to go on a tour of south-western Romania. Here is the executive director of the Timisoara Promotion Association, Simion Giurca, once again.



    “Starting off with the localities around Timisoara, we recommend a visit to Buzias, to the former imperial bath. But ours is not a sheer historical recommendation, you should also try the treatment using the healing waters in Buzias. Just as we have the Recas Hills, very well-known for the wine production, in Buzias, several smaller vineyards have been developed, they are perfect for visiting if you want to see for yourselves the wine-making process, and if you want to taste the wine. Also nearby Buzias lies the locality of Nitchidorf, the birthplace of Nobel Literature Prize Laureate Herta Muller. If we travel further east, we hit the town of Lugoj, which is a place of traditions. A couple of days ago, a guilds road has been launched there. Tourists can discover the 200-year-old history of the guilds, but also a city of Romanian choral music. A couple of famous Romanian composers lived there. “


    Simion Giurca:



    “Much to our joy, the feedback weve got is positive. Tourists from the German-speaking countries recognize some of their architecture in the German-style borough theyre visiting. The influence still exists, of the imperialist age and there still are a great many people confirming that Timisoara is quite aptly known as Little Vienna. We have lots of tourists form Serbia who feel really fine with us, since they see buildings that re closely connected to the Serbian culture. They are also delighted by the shopping facilities of the city center. Also in this part of the city we boast a road crossing built under the shape of a tunnel and which is decorated with street art elements. We want to turn Timisoara, in the shortest time possible, into a smart destination. “



    Timisoara has been selected as the European Capital of Culture in 2023. The programme is focused on the slogan “Shineyourlight – Lightupyourcity!”


    (EN)





  • Events on the International Children’s Day

    Events on the International Children’s Day


    The
    International Children’s Day is celebrated on the first day of the summer
    season, in Romania, but also in many other countries around the world. It is a
    perfect opportunity to celebrate childhood, one of the most precious periods of
    time in everybody’s life. According to the French-speaking, Romanian-born playwright
    Eugene Ionesco, childhood is a world of miracles and wonder, of the creation
    bathed in light, emerging out of the darkness, indescribably new and fresh, and
    amazing. On June the 1st, all over the country, events dedicated to the International
    Children’s Day were staged. The little ones were invited to take part in contests,
    workshops, open-air performances and parties. Children enjoyed their celebration
    time at the Radio Concert Hall as well; Radio Romania’s Children Choir gave a
    concert, but before that, a comics workshop was held, which captivated the
    participants. Children in schools across Bucharest were challenged to take part in the
    creation of comics, starting off from the ideas suggested by the
    coordinator of the Radio Tiddlekins collection, Alexandru Ciubotariu. In the graphic artists’ community, the
    collection is known as Ciubi or the Square-shaped Cat. Also, the Parliament Palace opened its gates to children. They were welcomed by the speakers of the
    Two Parliament Chambers, entered politicians’ offices, the meeting rooms and
    were given details on the activity of Romania’s lawmakers.

    The Romanian Senate
    took the opportunity to launch the Senat junior.ro online platform,
    where information is made accessible to children as to how the Parliament works and what the laws are. The
    Senate Garden was especially decorated for the little ones. They had balloons,
    cakes and gifts, but they also visited the stands created by the numerous
    embassies and institutions. As they visited the Government building, Romanian
    children as well as the refugee Ukrainian children took part in a drawing and painting
    contest, whose theme was peace, friendship and love. At the end of the contest,
    children were awarded symbolical prizes by the organizers, they were given
    books and candies. Also in Bucharest, the BookFest International Book Salon
    took off on the very day of June the 1st. On the International Children’s
    Day, the Salon staged numerous events dedicated to the little ones, also
    celebrating the French-speaking literature through books and comics, all that
    staged against the backdrop of the Council of the European Union’s French Presidency.
    Elsewhere around the country, in Oradea, in the north-west, the State
    Philharmonics Orchestra gave a special concert, including cartoon movie
    soundtracks. In Arad, also in the north-west, the International Children’s Day was
    celebrated in several districts through interactive games, entertainment music
    recitals, modern dance and aerobic gymnastics, but also through educational activities.
    The south-eastern Romanian city of Constanta marked the International Children’s
    Day through puppet theater stage shows, magic and face painting. In Focsani, in
    the east, more than 2,000 children and athletes took part in a flash-mob, in a bid
    to set a new world record.

    (EN)



  • The 9th edition of The International Literature and Translation Festival

    The 9th edition of The International Literature and Translation Festival


    The 9th edition of the Iasi International Festival of Literature and Translation – FILIT took place between October 20-24, 2021. The program consisted of a wide range of events attended by guests from 10 countries. The events were meetings with writers in various locations in the city of Iasi, debates, exhibitions and concerts. The House of Museums became the central point of FILIT, the place where volunteers, guests and the public enjoyed personalized events and experiences consisting of visits to 5 recently inaugurated museums: the Pogrom Museum in Iasi, the Museum of the Jewish Theater in Romania, the Poetry Museum, the Romanian Literature Museum, and the Museum of Childhood in the Communist period.



    José Luís Peixoto, considered by the writer José Saramago “one of the most surprising revelations of recent Portuguese literature”, was among the guests of this edition of FILIT. As part of the FILIT two editorial projects were also launched, issued by the Literary Museums Publishing House, which were an immediate success: the “Original Parodies” collection, made up of five volumes to which fifty contemporary poets have contributed, and the volume “3 Croatian poets”, which is the first in the project called “Small countries, big literatures”, which focuses on some of the most appreciated poets in Croatia.



    The writer Florin Lăzărescu, founding member and program coordinator of the FILIT will talk about these two projects: “Basically, the classic writers, whose names were given to literary museums in Iasi — such as Vasile Alecsandri, Otilia Cazimir, Mihai Codreanu, Mihai Eminescu and George Topîrceanu – were just the pretexts for making the ‘Original Parodies’ collection. We insisted on this aspect, we suggested to the poets to keep the original title of a poem and one verse, and then continue writing in their own style. Thats how five collective volumes of very good poetry have emerged, and I can see that everyone is starting to notice that. Furthermore, the project enjoys extraordinary visibility, as we are talking about 50 people who are involved in its promotion. Im glad that these volumes have come out, the creation process was not very easy because we are talking about five new books of poetry made in only three months. To give you an insight into this project, there were all kinds of situations, some very funny. There is this poet whom I invited to participate in the project and the next day he was ready, he handed us five impeccable poems. And there were poets who told us the poems would be ready in one week, but they finished them only two months later, but eventually they all wrote some very beautiful poems. There were also poets who wanted to participate in the project but later withdrew, because they were not inspired or did not like what they had written. There is a very interesting story behind all these volumes that I consider very nice. There is another wonderful poetry project that is worth the public’s attention. Some time ago, I had the idea of launching a collection at the Literary Museums Publishing House, a publishing house within the National Romanian Literature Museum of Iasi, dedicated to writers from the neighboring countries, from Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, writers who have not been translated in Romania. And this year we had the opportunity to publish a volume including three very good Croatian poets – Goran Čolakhodžić, Miroslav Kirin, and Nada Topić – with whom we started this collection. It is an anthology made by a Croatian critic, and the respective poets were translated by Adrian Oproiu, a translator who lives in Zagreb, one of this year’s guests at the FILIT. We, at the Romanian Literature Museum of Iași, have been talking about the literature of Romania’s neighbors and I am glad that we started this project, which I hope to continue in the coming years.”



    “The FILIT workshops for translators”, an initiative of the Romanian Literature Museum – MNLR Iaşi and of the International Festival of Literature and Translation – FILIT Iași, support contemporary creation and the promotion of the cultural heritage at international level, contributing to the development of a large system of literary residencies in Eastern Europe. The 7th edition of the “FILIT Workshops for Translators”, organized by the National Museum of Romanian Literature of Iaşi in collaboration with the Ipoteşti Memorial – Mihai Eminescu National Center for Studies provided the framework for training and professional communication to translators from Romanian into a foreign language. The beneficiaries of this edition came from twelve countries, and the program included two round tables and a series of conferences held by Florin Bican, Bogdan Crețu, Cristina Hermeziu, Doru Liciu, Doris Mironescu, Mihaela Ursa, and Radu Vancu. The translators spoke about the transposition in different languages ​​of some classic and contemporary texts from Romanian literature and identified strategies for promoting Romanian literature abroad.



    The writer Florin Lăzărescu, founding member and coordinator of FILIT programs, is at the microphone with details: “This year, given the context of the pandemic, we decided not to take any risks inviting translators from abroad. So far, at FILIT, we have paid special attention to native translators from other countries who translate Romanian literature. The novelty this year was that we invited more translators who translate into Romanian, certainly any reader knows them, since they are translators of famous authors in Romanian. But along the way, we came to have a hybrid event because it so happened that many of the translators from Romanian into a foreign language had residences in Romania. And we were happy with this formula because their discussions have been very interesting.”



    During the last FILIT event, at the “Vasile Alecsandri” National Theater in Iaşi, the writer Simona Goșu received the “High School Students Award for the most beloved book published in 2020” for her novel ‘Fragile’. The award was offered by the Iaşi County School Inspectorate following the vote of a jury made up of 29 students from 11 high schools in Iași. (LS)

  • Landmarks in modern Romanian history

    Landmarks in modern Romanian history


    The year 2021 is, among other things, a year of utmost
    importance for the history of Romania. In 2021 we mark 200 years since an
    iconic event occurred in Romania’s past. Historians have been unanimous in
    describing the event as the trigger factor for the process of national rebirth.
    Such a process was possible against the backdrop of a deep-seated social discontent.
    The event is known as the 1821 Revolution. In April 2021,
    Romanian Parliament voted in favor of the year 2021 being officially declared
    the Tudor Vladimirescu Year. By the same token, Ecaterina Teodoroiu and Tudor
    Vladimirescu were granted hero status of the Romanian nation. In one of our previous instalments we focused extensively on the events
    staged in Gorj county, the native region of both Teodoroiu and Tudor
    Vladimirescu. Our host back then was Gorj County
    Council’s spokesperson Oana Palos.     It is also Oana Palos we have
    approached, so that she may give us details on the whys and the wherefores of
    the 1821 Revolution. First off, Oana Palos emphasized the importance of the
    1821 Revolution.

    Oana Palos:

    In fact, it
    was a revolt known as the Revolution of 1821, which was started right here in
    Gorj, by a bunch of commoners who were known as panduri/pandours (irregular,
    skirmisher troops) and who grouped themselves around Tudor Vladimirescu, a
    chieftain who was also born in Gorj, into a family of freehold peasants. The
    Revolution flared up and galvanized Oltenia, reaching as far as Bucharest, but it was short-lived, it lasted for a couple of months,
    because Tudor Vladimirescu was assassinated, just as it happened to a great
    many other Romanian leaders, at various stages in history. However, for the
    full commitment of those who fought for the Romanian cause, the 1821 Revolution
    earned its place in history and Tudor Vladimirescu gained hero status, being
    associated, according to the traditional mindset, to the status of prince,
    Prince Tudor. Let us perform an exercise in imagination, 1821, 1921, 2021. We
    go across time and space. And here we are, marking 200 years since those
    events. Allow me to invite you to think of the month of June
    1921, when, a century ago, Tudor Vladimirescu’s centennial had also been marked
    through the reinterment, in Targu Jiu, of the remains of Romanian army’s first
    female officer who fought in World War One, we’re speaking about Ecaterina Teodoroiu,
    the young woman who was also born in Gorj, back in the day she took a go-against-the-grain-stance
    and went on to become a symbol of courage and sacrifice.


    Oana Palos also told us that, locally, a yearly
    program has been thought out, dedicated to Tudor Vladimirescu’s bicentennial,
    including cultural and artistic evocative presentations, so each and every
    month, taking into account the circumstances generated by the pandemic,
    exhibitions were mounted as well as stage performances or religious and
    military ceremonies.


    Oana Palos:


    On May 2, but also on June 9,
    the events we staged were held under the aegis of the bicentennial. In Tudor
    Vladimirescu’s birthplace, the commune of Vladimir, in the very house where he
    was born, a wreath-laying ceremony with military honors was held, followed by a
    significant historical and military reenactment of a battle episode in 1821,
    when the apparel was presented, typical for the age, that of the boyars, of the arnauti (the Albanian guards), the pandours. In the same evocative vein, this
    time on June 9, in the center of Targu Jiu municipal city, where The Heroine of
    Jiu is interred, at the Mausoluem that was erected in her honor, a wide-scope
    series of events was held, followed by a traditional manifestation: a
    commemoration round dance was performed, whose significance was twofold: 200
    years since the Tudor Vladimirescu’s Revolution and 100 since the reinterment
    of Eaterina’s bones in Targu Jiu. We should also say that the official
    commemoration divine service was performed by a 100-strong gathering of
    priests, the number of one hundred was purposefully picked, to pay tribute to
    Ecaterina Teodoroiu, the divine service was followed by that ancient, typical
    Gorj custom, the commemoration round dance, usually performed to commemorate
    the departed. The custom has been preserved to this day. Also, as an absolute
    first, a stage performance was presented, titled The Tudor Vladmirescu Case,
    no doubt, a one-of-a kind-performance, primarily because of its concept, we’re
    speaking about a rock opera, a fusion between a ballad, rock and traditional music, which brought before
    the audiences unique episodes of Tudor Vladimirescu’s life way back when the
    battles were waged, led by him, yet the conception is a modern, abstract one.
    We would also like the show to become an element of tourist attraction, it will
    be on in Targu Jiu for the summer.


    Oana Palos once again, this time speaking about other projects they have
    prepared for the Tudor year.


    What else have we prepared for the Tudor Year…Projects,
    that’s for sure, and we want them to have as great an impact as possible. We’re
    speaking about photo-documentary exhibitions, including documents from museum
    archives and the collection that are our property, pertaining to Tudor
    Vladimirescu’s life and activity, launching events for photo and graphic
    albums, street performances, theatre and film festivals. In august, for
    instance, and also as part of the bicentennial, we will mount a street
    exhibition with 50 metal boards being placed in the city center with historical
    images of the Revolution, we will also have images projected on the municipal
    city’s historical buildings, a national historical film and theatre festival
    will also be held, the Vatra/The Hearth festival.


    The organizers are set to facilitate participation in
    the events to all those who so wish, so they assured us we’re only one click
    away from that. We can follow, live online, all the events, if we search Gorj,
    Targu Jiu, Tudor Vladimirescu on our computers.

    (Translation by Eugen Nasta)


  • December 17, 2020 UPDATE

    December 17, 2020 UPDATE

    Covid-19 Ro — 5,697 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 contamination have been registered in Romania in the last 24 hours, after 28,099 tests have been made at national level – the Strategic Communication Group informed on Thursday afternoon. In the same period, 107 infected people died, taking the total death toll to 13,969. 11,860 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized in specialized health units, of whom 1,297 in intensive care. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, 577,446 cases of people infected with the new coronavirus have been confirmed in Romania, of whom over 477 thousand have recovered. The number of Romanians abroad confirmed with the new coronavirus increased to 7,034, three more than the latest figure reported, with the number of deaths remaining at 127. President Klaus Iohannis convened a new working meeting to manage the COVID-19 epidemic, to be attended by the interim Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă and the main officials in the health domain. The health minister Nelu Tataru announced that the executive approved on Thursday the norms regarding the authorization, organization and functioning of vaccination centers against COVID-19. The document creates the legal framework for the involvement of the Defense and Interior Ministries in this campaign. Funds were also approved that are necessary for the organization and functioning of vaccination centers as well as additional funds for the Health Ministry, meant for the purchase of new medicines stocks and anti-COVID-19 treatments.



    Rules — The National Committee for Emergency Situations on Thursday established a series of health protection rules for the organization of official events, parliamentary sessions, meetings, preparatory working meetings, as well as ceremonies commemorating the events of December 1989. At official ceremonies taking place indoors the participants are obliged to wear face masks and to keep physical distance of at least one meter. Also the organizers of the events have to ensure areas of four square meters for each person and to ventilate the rooms for at least 10 minutes every 2 hours. The first 3 rules also apply to official events held in open spaces where a maximum of 100 participants are allowed. Also on Thursday, the National Committee for Emergency Situations updated the list of countries and territories considered to have a high epidemiological risk. The people coming to Romania from these countries must be quarantined for 14 days, a period that can be shortened after the 3rd day based on a negative COVID-19 test. The list of so-called yellow zones includes the Republic of Moldova, the Netherlands, Cyprus and Turkey, with Italy having been eliminated. All in all, 37 states and territories are on the updated list of the Romanian authorities.



    Donation — Germany has donated to Romania medical equipment for the intensive care units where COVID-19 patients are being treated. The equipment consists of 40 pulmonary ventilation devices intended for the treatment of patients suffering from moderate and severe forms. The equipment was transported to Bucharest by a Romanian air force aircraft. The same aircraft brought home 4 Romanian soldiers who had been wounded in October in a mission in Afghanistan and who were treated at a medical center in Germany. According to the Romanian Defense Ministry, they will be hospitalized for evaluation by a medical commission. Depending on the outcome of clinical and paraclinical investigations, the military will benefit from specialized medical treatments, psychological assistance and counseling and postoperative neuromotor recovery programs that are adapted and individualized.



    Negotiations — In Romania, the negotiations between PNL, USR-PLUS Alliance and UDMR for the formation of a center-right governing coalition will continue on Friday, the leaders of the three parties have announced. In a joint statement, they said that all solutions were on the table and that each party expressed flexibility. The negotiations resumed on Thursday, after the three parties had not managed to reach an agreement in the last two days. The Liberals have come up with two options for the prime minister post – the current finance minister, Florin Cîţu and the former PM, the Liberal president Ludovic Orban. According to the Liberals, this decision could make the negotiations more flexible, but the USR- PLUS Alliance has already rejected the idea of ​​Ludovic Orban re-entering the race for the PM position. On the other hand, the Social Democrats propose Professor Alexandru Rafila for this position. President Klaus Iohannis urged the parties to reach a compromise and adding that he would nominate for the post of prime minister any person supported by a center-right coalition.



    Commemoration — Thursday was a day of mourning in Timişoara (western Romania), where, on December 17, 1989, the dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu ordered the use of lethal ammunition against people who challenged, in the street, the communist regime he was leading. The protests in Timisoara, where almost 100 people died and about 350 were injured, were the spark that led, a few days later, to the fall of the dictator, following the bloodiest Revolution in Southeast Europe. In memory of the heroes of Timisoara, religious services were scheduled for this years commemoration as well as wreath laying ceremonies, pilgrimages to the monuments erected in the city in the hottest places of the Revolution, an exhibition and a special meeting of the Local Council.



    Research – The interim government in Bucharest, led by Defense Minister Nicolae Ciucă, approved, in Thursdays meeting, a draft decision on the reorganization of the National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics. Thus, the Institute will be able to open, develop and put into practice the latest technologies and discoveries in the field of informatics and cyber security. At the same time, two other projects related to the payment of contributions to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development have been approved. The executive also analyzed a memorandum on the negotiation of the financing contract between Romania and the European Investment Bank, worth 250 million Euros, to support the Iasi Regional Emergency Hospital (northeast). (tr. L. Simion)

  • Festivals postponed

    Festivals postponed

    Major festivals, which had become a tradition in Romania and used to be scheduled every summer, were officially cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic and of relevant restrictions.



    Untold was due to take place between July 31 and August 2 in Cluj-Napoca (north-west), while Neversea was scheduled for early July in Constanţa, on the Black Sea coast.



    According to organisers, the decision was made in the context of the uncertainties looming over the events industry and of the strict conditions under which people are allowed to meet. The Culture Ministry presenting Parliament with a bill banning events with more than 1,000 people in attendance until August 31, 2020, did not help either.



    It is with broken hearts, but also with the belief that this is the best decision for the health and safety of all Romanians, that we have decided to postpone this years Untold and Neversea for 2021, the organisers of the 2 festivals announced.



    Summer Well, held every summer for the past few years near Bucharest, was also rescheduled for next year, and so was Electric Castle, another festival due in Cluj in mid-July. This was a very difficult decision and we are aware of the disappointment and sadness it brings not only to our fans, but also to all those who make this festival possible every year, said the organisers. Also in Cluj, another landmark event, Jazz in the Park, was cancelled over the COVID-19 pandemic.



    Those who have purchased tickets for this years festivals may choose to use them for the forthcoming editions, or to get a refund, where possible.



    Starting on June 1, Romanian authorities allow concerts and other performances held outdoors, with a maximum of 500 people in attendance, seated 2m from each other and wearing protective face masks throughout the shows.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • October 25, 2019 UPDATE

    October 25, 2019 UPDATE

    ARMY DAY President Klaus Iohannis said on Friday that the regional and global security environment is continually changing, and Romania needs a strong and well trained army, able to further contribute to promoting security and stability in the region, to the fulfilment of its NATO commitments and to implementing the Common Defence and Security Policy in Europe. The statement was occasioned by the Romanian Army Day, celebrated with special events at military units and memorial sites across the country. Military ceremonies and cultural and educational activities were also organised in the theatres of operations abroad where Romanian troops are deployed. Flowers were also laid at memorial sites celebrating Romanian soldiers in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Moldova and Hungary. On the 25th of October 1944, the Romanian Army freed northern Transylvania from Horthy occupation and continued to fight on the territories of Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Austria alongside the Allied troops, contributing to the great victory of May 9th 1945 that marked the end of WWII in Europe.



    NATO Defence ministers from NATO member countries discussed in Brussels on Thursday and Friday about Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan, the training mission in Iraq, and Operation KFOR. According to a news release issued by the Romanian Defence Ministry, participants analysed the implementation of the NATO initiative to enhance the Allied forces interoperability, response and generation capacities. They also exchanged opinions on the fair sharing of responsibilities within the organisation. Representing Romania, the state secretary for defence policy Doru Frunzulică talked about the need for a stronger NATO presence in Romania, to counter the threats and volatile security situation at the Black Sea.



    BREXIT The ambassadors of the 27 EU member states had not made a decision on Friday as regards the postponed date of Britains exit from the Union. According to Radio Romanias correspondent, attending the meeting of EU ambassadors was also the blocs chief negotiator for Brexit, Michel Barnier, who described the talks as excellent. The diplomats agreed that a deferral is called for, but are still trying to reach a consensus on its exact duration. The UK has officially requested a postponement to the end of January. A new meeting of the EU ambassadors will take place early next week.



    TENNIS The Romanian Simona Halep was drawn in the Purple Group of the WTA Finals in Shenzhen (China), scheduled to take place between October 27 and November 3. She plays in the same group with the Romanian-born Canadian Bianca Andreescu, the Czech Karolina Pliskova and the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, according to Fridays draw release. The Red Group includes world no. 1 Ashleigh Barty, of Australia, Japans Naomi Osaka, the Czeck Petra Kvitova and the Swiss Belinda Bencic. Halep, no 5 in the world and winner of this years Wimbledon trophy, takes part in the tournament of the worlds elite eight for the sixth time in her career. This years edition offers record-high prizes, 14 million US dollars, twice as much as last year.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Events on the International Romani Day

    Events on the International Romani Day

    The International Romani Day, celebrated on April 8th, was marked in Romania by a string of events, held over several days. The ‘Romano Kher’ National Romani Culture Center and the National Agency for the Roma prepared a marathon of cultural events, hosted by the National Peasant’s Museum in Bucharest. ‘The Roma have had their own international day only since 1971, and that is why they love to celebrate it and to have many people getting to know them.’



    According to the organizers, any ethnic group is best represented by its cultural products, and so is the case with the Roma. For three days, Roma silversmiths, woodcrafters and brass bucket manufacturers demonstrated their traditional skills. Alongside them, contemporary artists introduced the participants to current forms of Romani cultural manifestations. The list of such manifestations was long, as the government also took an active part in organizing events such as painting exhibitions, a dance show and several anti-discrimination marches.



    The events covered a broad range of means of cultural expression, such as traditional crafts, music, theatre, traditional costumes, gastronomy, photo exhibitions and a book stand. The deputy representing the National Minorities group, Daniel Vasile, gave a speech in the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies, stressing the fact that April 8th must be a symbol of peaceful cohabitation, of tolerance and inter-ethnic dialogue.



    Daniel Vasile: “In the history of the Roma, April 8th is a moment of celebration. However, the real reason for celebration is this people’s power to survive. This is an important opportunity for us all to condemn any form of racism and discrimination against the Roma. I would like to end by telling you who the Roma are a dignified people, a people of survivors.”



    “April 8th will be truly a day of celebration when the economic, social and cultural emancipation of the Roma will bear fruit” said the Romanian head of state, Klaus Iohannis, in a message he conveyed on the occasion. He also condemned racist manifestations and the marginalization of the Roma population. The Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila also conveyed a message reading that Romania, as an EU member, and as the country currently holding the presidency of the Council of the EU, will keep on promoting and protecting the rights and freedoms of all Romanian citizens, irrespective of their ethnicity.


  • The Week in Review, January 13-19

    The Week in Review, January 13-19

    Romania presents in Strasbourg the priorities of its term at the helm of the Council of the EU


    Two weeks after Romania took over, for the first time, the Presidency of the Council of the EU, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila went to Strasbourg, to present the priorities of Romania’s six-month term. Brexit and negotiations over the 2021-2027 EU budget are among the most complicated files that Romania will have to manage in the coming period. In all, 257 files will be debated in the first months, as elections for the European Parliament are due in May.



    The focal point of the Romanian agenda is cohesion, as the Prime Minister stressed: “Political cohesion, illustrated by the need for unity of the member states, economic and territorial cohesion, with a view to reducing development gaps between the member states and the regions, and social cohesion, aimed to preserve the four freedoms of the EU single market.”



    Governance of the Energy Union, a coherent management of migration, through cooperation between the origin and the transit countries, as well as enhancing the responsibilities of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office are among the priorities of the Romanian term, alongside more attention to be paid to the Western Balkans. This week, the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council has concluded its first file, regarding the protection of personal data. The new rules provide for fines applied in case of abusive use, by political parties, of personal data, with the aim of influencing voters’ behaviour.




    Romania’s stand on the situation in Great Britain


    The Romanian Government hopes that London will soon come up with concrete solutions, so that Britain’s withdrawal from the EU will not affect either citizens or the business environment. Bucharest believes that a deal would provide a solid legal foundation, which would contain the negative effects generated by Brexit. Due to take effect on March 29th, Britain’s exit would take place during the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU. Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis has stated that British Parliament’s decision on the Brexit deal is regrettable, also stressing that the procedures that might still lead to the approval of a deal have not been exhausted. More than 400,000 Romanians are living in the UK, forming the largest community of foreigners in that country. After the defeat sustained on Tuesday by the British PM Theresa May in the House of Commons, which rejected the Brexit deal, negotiated with the EU, the Conservative Cabinet survived on Wednesday night a no-confidence motion filed by the Labour opposition, and, on Monday, Theresa May is to present a new plan, which will be debated and voted upon, on January 29th.




    The Pope will make a visit to Romania


    Pope Francis will make a 3-day apostolic visit to Romania from 31st March to 2nd June, at the invitation of president Klaus Iohannis and the Catholic Church in this country, official sources from Bucharest and the Vatican have announced. Under the motto “Let’s Walk Together”, the Pontiff will travel to the capital Bucharest, Iasi, the biggest city in the east of the country and home to a sizeable Roman-Catholic community, Blaj, in the centre, the spiritual capital of the Romanian Greek-Catholics, and the Marian shrine in Sumuleu Ciuc, in the centre, in an area with a majority ethnic Hungarian population. The Pope has always urged for the rejection of egoism and for the centrality of the common good. He comes to Romania to foster unity and confirm the faith, according to the press office of the Holy See. In 1999, Romania became the first majority Orthodox country in history to receive the visit of a pope.




    Romanian Culture Day


    On the 15th of January, the birth date of Romania’s greatest poet Mihai Eminescu, National Culture Day was celebrated in Romania. This is the 9th consecutive year that the Romanian Academy, the Writers’ Union and the local and central authorities staged numerous events in Romania and the European capitals. A festive event was held at the Romanian Athenaeum attended by president Klaus Iohannis, academics, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church and the education and culture ministers. The president of the Romanian Academy Ioan-Aurel Pop said in his address that there are several fundamental characteristics that belong to the Romanian national culture. Thus, the national culture can only be conceived of in its world and European context. It also has a historical dimension without which it cannot exist. The head of state recalled that 2019 is the year of the Romanian-French cultural season, of the George Enescu Festival and the Europalia Festival, all of which are opportunities to promote Romania as a place of artistic achievement. In a separate event, the Romanian Academy has launched an app that allows access to the entire work of Mihai Eminescu and which is available free of charge to smart phone users.



  • The Week in Review: December 17-23, 2017

    The Week in Review: December 17-23, 2017

    28 years since the anti-Communist Revolution



    Commemorative events are being held these days across Romania to honour the martyrs of the December 1989 anti-Communist revolution, such as symposiums, exhibitions, round table and concerts. Also, religious masses have been held in cemeteries and at monuments devoted to the Revolutions heroes. Timisoara, too, has honoured its martyr heroes. 28 years ago, they started the rebellion that spread across the entire country and triggered the fall of Nicolae Ceausescus dictatorial regime. So these days, people have laid flowers and recalled the events in some of the most symbolic places in the city, and sirens were sounded to mark victory day. In Bucharest, the Senate and Chamber of Deputies held on Thursday a solemn session to mark 28 years since the anti-Communist Revolution.



    In a message to Romanians, President Klaus Iohannis stated that the investigation of the Revolution Case File must be finalized and the crimes and abuses perpetrated in 1989 punished. Upholding the ideals of the anti-Communist Revolution means defending the rule of law, freedom and democracy and respect for citizens, the president also said. After four days of protests, which started in Timisoara on December 16th 1989, during which dozens of dead and wounded were reported, the army joined the population and revolutionaries developed the first democratic platform. Started as a protest staged by citizens of Timisoara against an abusive measure taken by the local officials, the revolution spread rapidly across the country, culminating on December 22nd with the presidential couples attempt to flee. More than 1,000 people died and some 3,400 were wounded between the 16th and the 25th of December 1989. Romania was the only country in the Eastern Bloc where the change of the regime was done violently and its communist leaders were executed by a firing squad.




    Changes in the Justice Laws


    Fiercely criticised by the right-wing opposition in Bucharest and sections of public opinion, the controversial changes to the judicial system initiated by the ruling coalition are very close to becoming a reality, following the Senates approval this week. Hundreds of magistrates staged protests outside courts in Bucharest and other cities in Romania to denounce the whole process, which they see as lacking transparency.



    This view is shared by ordinary Romanians who have been protesting every day for almost a year in front of the government building. The changes in question refer to three pieces of legislation regulating the status of magistrates, judicial organisation and how the Superior Council of Magistracy works. The ruling parties explain the haste with which the three laws were passed saying they hadnt been reviewed in the last 13 years, giving rise to anomalies related to magistrates careers and abuse by prosecutors and judges, who, sheltered by impunity, have given verdicts that were later overturned by the European Court of Human Rights and obliging the state to pay huge damages.



    Those who oppose the laws denounce the haste in which they were passed, the lack of transparency with which they were drafted and the absence of comprehensive debates given how important these laws are. President Klaus Iohannis has warned of the consequences for Romanias relationship with the European Union.



    In a joint statement, the Bucharest embassies of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden say Romania has made significant progress in the last decade on building a path and apply credible reforms in the judiciary. “However, our conviction is that the recently approved laws on the reforms of the judiciary, in their current form, as well as the recent amendments proposed for the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code risk putting this progress in danger, the statement also reads.




    The 2018 state budget


    On Thursday, the 2018 state and social security budget bill reached Parliament for the final voting. The 2018 budget was built on an estimated 5.5% economic growth rate, an average exchange rate of 4.55 lei for one Euro and an average monthly salary of some 565 Euro. The budget deficit is estimated at 2.97% of the GDP, with a budget deficit target below 3%. Most of the budgets earmarked for the public institutions and the main credit authorizing entities were endorsed in the form proposed by the government, with just slight changes in the amounts allocated.



    The ministries of culture, transportation, agriculture and energy are some of the credit authorising entities that will receive more money next year. The Government claims that the 2018 budget is generous, centred on education, health and infrastructure, though the opposition has termed it as an “austerity budget. The opposition has filed more than 4,000 amendments, mostly for the development of the road and rail infrastructure, the building of kindergartens and hospitals, and supporting education in general, but they have not been accepted. (Translated by M. Ignatescu and C. Mateescu)

  • The Week in Review, August 7-13

    The Week in Review, August 7-13

    The Funeral of Queen Anne of Romania


    Romanians paid their respects this week to Queen Anne of Romania, who was buried on Saturday in Curtea de Arges, the first capital city of the medieval principality of Wallachia. Consort to Romanias last king, Michael I, Anne died on August 1, at the age of 92, in Switzerland. Her body was brought in the country on Tuesday night, first to Peles Castle in Sinaia and later to the Throne Hall of the Royal Palace in Bucharest. Severely ill himself, King Michael I was denied doctors permission to attend the funeral. Aged 94, the King visited his wife every day at the Swiss clinic where she was hospitalized before she died on August 1. Born in Paris in 1923, Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma met King Michael I in London, in 1947. Later the same year, on December 30, at a time when Romania was under Soviet occupation and run by a communist puppet government, the Sovereign was forced into exile. From the USA, Britain and Switzerland, he endorsed the activity of the Romanian National Committee, presented as a government in exile, although Western democracies never recognised it as such. King Michael was only permitted to return to Romania after the anti-communist Revolution of 1989, when he also regained his Romanian citizenship, withdrawn by communists, and part of his holdings. As a special ambassador, he lobbied for Romanias NATO accession in 2004 and EU accession in 2007.




    Public budget adjustment in Bucharest

    The Government of Romania Wednesday passed the first adjustment of the countrys public budgets this year. Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos said that the adjustment was primarily designed to ensure funding for public policies, even though 2016 is an election year. The main beneficiaries of the adjustment are the ministries of healthcare, education and labour. Public healthcare received an additional 125 million euros, to cover the increased salaries of medical personnel. Additional money will also be channelled into healthcare programmes or into subsidizing medication. Another priority in the field is to fight hospital-acquired infections. In public education, the extra 220 million euros will cover the increased or adjusted salaries of teaching and non-teaching staff in under-graduate and graduate education, as well as a number of programmes addressing students. The Labour Ministry received an extra 620 million euros for the payment of social security benefits.




    Agreement in public healthcare

    In Bucharest, representatives of doctors, the Healthcare Minister Vlad Voiculescu and the Labour Minister Dragos Paslaru signed a joint statement that describes the decision to raise salaries and extra-hour bonuses starting on October 1 as a major step in bringing wages in the sector to normal levels. The Healthcare Minister says the measure is intended to correct the salary scheme in the sector, to make working hours more flexible and the healthcare system as a whole more efficient. The fair remuneration of extra-hours will require nearly 22 million euros from the budget, and will be accompanied by a set of measures aimed at eliminating inefficient spending, including, among other things, in public procurement. The new decisions come several days after healthcare staff salaries were raised, on August 1. Rises ranging between 70 and 200 euros were given to 163,000 employees.




    Former central bank vice-governor, under pre-trial arrest

    A former deputy governor of the National Bank of Romania, Bogdan Olteanu, was arrested on Friday for 16 days, under a Supreme Court order. He had been previously placed under house arrest, in an investigation in which he is accused of influence peddling. According to the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, between July and November 2008, when he was the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, appointed by the National Liberal Party, he requested and received from a businessman 1 million euros and election campaign support, in exchange for the appointment of a specific person as Danube Delta Governor. Bodgan Olteanu is the first National Bank official ever detained by prosecutors. The central bank explained that the investigation targeted the period before Bogdan Olteanu became a deputy governor, in 2009.




    Inflation report issued in Romania

    The National Bank of Romania forecasts an inflation rate of negative 0.4% for the end of this year, one per cent below the 0.6% estimate made in May, according to the Quarterly Inflation Report presented this week by the central bank governor Mugur Isarescu. For the end of next year, the National Bank forecasts a 2% inflation rate, also lower than the 2.7% figure included in the May report. For 2018, the central bank Governor expects the inflation rate to be above the 2.5% target.