Radio România Internațional

Tag: Gopo Awards

  • April 26, 2023 UPDATE

    April 26, 2023 UPDATE

    Schengen — The migration situation in the EU, especially border protection and the perspective of Romanias Schengen accession were examined, on Wednesday, in Bucharest, by the Romanian and Austrian interior ministers, Lucian Bode and Gerhard Karner. The latter stated that Austria could not provide a definite date for Romanias accession to Schengen. The Austrian official repeated the same figures with which he motivated the vote against Romanias accession to the free travel area: last year, over 110,000 people entered Austria illegally, of whom over 80,000 were unregistered, with the border protection system being still non-functional. He told Romanians that he had a “deep understanding” of their expectations, that the authorities had made progress in securing the borders and managing migration, but that there was still a “long way to go”. In turn, minister Lucian Bode said that it was unnatural for Romania to only have obligations and not to benefit from the rights it is entitled to. We remind you that, at the end of last year, at the JHA Council, Romania was not admitted to the Schengen area, due to the opposition of Austria and the Netherlands. The Austrians voted against, and the Dutch decided to accept Romanias accession, but not Bulgarias, the two countries being analyzed on a common file. At the same time, Croatia received the green light to join Schengen.



    Bucharest–9 – The Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, co-chaired, on Wednesday, together with his Polish counterpart, Mariusz Blaszczak, a new meeting of the defense ministers in the Bucharest 9 Format, held in Warsaw, Poland. According to a Romanian Defense Ministry press release, the activity represents an opportunity for harmonizing the positions of the B9 states on the eastern flank of the Alliance in order to promote and reflect common security interests on the allied agenda, including in the perspective of the NATO Summit due in Vilnius this summer. Also, the participants in the meeting approached aspects regarding the current security challenges generated by the latest developments of the war in Ukraine and the regional and Euro-Atlantic consequences, as well as the need to continue supporting the most vulnerable partners in the region, subject to hybrid threats from Russia, namely the Republic of Moldova, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.



    Gopo – The Gopo Awards Gala – the most important event dedicated to cinematography in Romania – awarded, on Tuesday evening, the best films in the industry released in cinemas or on View on Demand platforms in 2022. The film “Metronome” won the biggest number of prizes, and the audience award went to the film “Teambuilding”. The Gopo Awards Gala ceremony was also marked by special moments, such as the 100th birthday anniversary of the renowned filmmaker Ion Popescu Gopo. Ion Popescu Gopo (1923-1989) established himself, through his artistic creations, as a great personality of Romanian cinema, winning, in 1957, the “Palme dor” award at the Cannes International Film Festival.



    Debates — The debate on the draft Education Laws was resumed in the Education Committee of the Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest on Wednesday. They were scheduled to end on Thursday, but the deadline could be extended. The vote in the plenum could be delayed by one week, due to the large number of amendments submitted. These days, the document aimed at pre-university education is being analyzed. The Social Democrats (in the governing coalition) proposed a series of amendments with a budgetary impact, among which the granting of disability pensions in the case of the teaching staff that lost their ability to work as a result of an occupational disease. Instead, an amendment by the opposition Save Romania Union – USR regarding teachers pay was rejected by vote.



    Drills — At the Capu Midia shooting range, in Constanța county (south-east), live fire exercises took place on Wednesday – “EAGLE SHIELD” and “EAGLE ROYAL”, led by the French soldiers from the NATO Battle Group stationed in Romania. Soldiers from Romania, the US, Luxembourg and the Netherlands also participated in the two training exercises, the objective being the joint training of the allied troops. The exercises focus on capitalizing on and practicing anti-aircraft defense capabilities through combat firing with rocket launcher systems and anti-aircraft artillery guns against aerial targets. After the launch of the Russian invasion in neighboring Ukraine, on February 24, 2022, France deployed a MAMBA air defense system at Capu Midia, which can launch medium-range surface-to-air missiles that can hit targets at a distance of up to 100 km.



    Eurostat — The average electricity prices for household consumers in the EU continued to rise significantly in the second half of 2022, as compared to the same period in 2021, from 23.5 Euros/100 kWh to 28.4 Euros/100 kWh — show data published on Wednesday by the European Statistical Office (Eurostat). Romania is the EU member state with the most significant advance, in the national currency (112%), followed by the Czech Republic, Denmark, Lithuania and Latvia. The average prices for natural gas for household consumers in the EU also increased in the second semester of 2022, as compared to the similar period in 2021, from 7.8 Euros/100 kWh to 11.4 Euros/100 kWh. The most significant advance, expressed in the national currency, was in the Czech Republic (231%), Romania (165%), Latvia (157%), Lithuania (112%) and Belgium (102%).



    Handball — Romania’s national mens handball team was defeated, on Wednesday, in Bucharest score 30-35, by the Austrian national team, in its penultimate match in the 4th group of the EHF EURO 2024 preliminaries in Germany. In the decisive round, Romania will face Ukraine on Sunday, and if they win, they can reach the final tournament in Germany scheduled for January 2024. In the group ranking, the Austrians are on first place (10 points) being followed by the Romanians (four points). The Faroe Islands and Ukraine have two points each. The top two teams in each group qualify for the final tournament. Besides them, the best four teams on the 3rd places will go to the European Championship. Romania’s national team last participated in a European Championship in 1996. (LS)

  • Nachrichten 17.03.2023

    Nachrichten 17.03.2023

    Der türkische Präsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan hat dem Beitritt Finnlands zum Nordatlantischen Bündnis endgültig zugestimmt, nicht aber dem Schwedens. Wir haben beschlossen, den Prozess für den Beitritt Finnlands zur NATO in unserem Parlament einzuleiten, sagte Erdogan nach einem Treffen mit seinem finnischen Amtskollegen Sauli Niinisto am Freitag in Ankara. Zu Schweden sagte der türkische Staatschef, er werde die Gespräche mit Schweden fortsetzen. Auch Ungarn, das als einziges Land neben der Türkei den NATO-Beitritt Finnlands und Schwedens noch nicht ratifiziert hat, kündigte an, dies am 27. März für Finnland zu tun. Die Aufnahme der beiden Länder in das Bündnis wurde bisher von der Türkei abgelehnt, die ihnen vorwirft, in ihrem Hoheitsgebiet Terroristen zu beherbergen, ein Begriff, mit dem Ankara insbesondere Mitglieder der Arbeiterpartei Kurdistans (PKK) bezeichnet.



    Die Formulierung rumänische Sprache wird die moldauische Sprache in allen Rechtsakten der Republik Moldau ersetzen, nachdem das Parlament des Landes ein entsprechendes Gesetz verabschiedet hat. Das Gesetz setzt ein Urteil des Verfassungsgerichts aus dem Jahr 2013 um, demzufolge die moldauische Unabhängigkeitserklärung von 1991, in der Rumänisch als Amtssprache festgelegt ist, die Autorität eines Verfassungstextes hat und zusammen mit der Verfassung eine Einheit bildet.



    Das Europäische Kompetenzzentrum für Cybersicherheit (ECCC) wird am 9. Mai, dem Europatag, in Bukarest an der Polytechnischen Universität eingeweiht, erklärte Rektor Mihnea Costoiu gegenüber Radio Rumänien. Er sagte auch, dass dies die erste europäische Agentur mit Sitz in der rumänischen Hauptstadt sei. Die ECCC verfügt über ein Budget von 4,5 Milliarden Euro für Investitionen. Bukarest könnte somit zu einem Hotspot für weltweit führende Unternehmen im Bereich der Cybersicherheit werden, da die EU großen Wert auf die digitale Wirtschaft und den Schutz von Unternehmen und Bürgern in der Online-Umgebung legt. Das ECCC zielt darauf ab, die europäischen Kapazitäten und die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit im Bereich der Cybersicherheit zu erhöhen, indem es mit einem Netzwerk nationaler Koordinationszentren (NCCs) zusammenarbeitet, um eine starke Cybersicherheitsgemeinschaft aufzubauen.



    Der rumänische Außenminister Bogdan Aurescu betonte am Donnerstagabend in Bukarest während einer Gala anlässlich des 30-jährigen Bestehens der Internationalen Organisation der Frankophonie (OIF) die Rolle der Organisation als institutioneller Mechanismus für die politische, erzieherische, wissenschaftliche, wirtschaftliche und kulturelle Zusammenarbeit. Aurescu wies darauf hin, dass Rumänien einen wesentlichen Beitrag zu den Programmen der OIF leiste, einer Gemeinschaft von 88 Ländern auf fünf Kontinenten, in der die französische Sprache im Mittelpunkt stehe. Angesichts der regionalen und globalen Auswirkungen des russischen Krieges gegen die Ukraine seien die Ziele der Frankophonie, nämlich Frieden, Demokratie, Achtung der Menschenrechte und Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung, wichtiger denn je.



    Die Nominierungen für die Gopo Awards, eine jährliche Veranstaltung, die dem rumänischen Kino gewidmet ist, wurden veröffentlicht. Der Film Metronom des Regisseurs Alexandru Belc erhielt die meisten Nominierungen, neben Immaculate und Men of Deeds mit jeweils 10 Nominierungen. Die Preisverleihung findet am 25. April in Bukarest statt.



    Die Arbeitslosenquote in Rumänien ist im letzten Quartal 2022 um 0,4 % auf 5,8 % gestiegen, wie das Nationale Statistikinstitut in Bukarest mitteilte. Die höchste Arbeitslosenquote wurde unter den jungen Menschen gemeldet – fast 23%. Die Quote ist bei Männern um 1,2 % höher als bei Frauen und in ländlichen Gebieten dreimal so hoch wie in städtischen Gebieten. Nach Angaben des INS sind rund 7,8 Millionen Menschen in Rumänien beschäftigt.


  • Actress  Ioana Bugarin

    Actress  Ioana Bugarin

    Last year, on the stage of TIFF (Transylvania International Film Festival), the actress Ioana Bugarin was awarded the Alex. Leo Șerban scholarship for the roles in the films Mia misses her revenge (directed by Bogdan Theodor Olteanu) and Otto the Barbarian (directed by Ruxandra Ghițescu). This year, at the Gopo Awards, Ioana Bugarin was nominated twice for her roles in the same films: for the role of Mia in the film Mia misses her revenge, she was nominated for the category of best actress in a leading role, and for the role of Laura in the film Otto the Barbarian, in the best supporting actress category.



    Also this year, Ioana Bugarin returned to the big screen, playing the main role in the film Miracle, directed by Bogdan George Apetri, winner of the Award for the best feature film at TIFF, in the Romanian Film Days section, and praised in the American press after its release. Ioana Bugarin also impressed thanks to her performance in the recently released HBO series, RUXX. At only 25 years old, Ioana Bugarin has a career in cinematography, but she can also be seen on stage, at the Odeon Theatre, where she was hired after playing the role of Ophelia in the play Hamlet, directed by Dragoș Galgoțiu.



    At the Odeon Theatre, Ioana Bugarin also played roles in Juliet without Romeo, directed by Bogdan Teodor Olteanu, Henry IV, directed by Vlad Cristache and Persona by Radu Nica. The successful international co-production Itineraries. One day, the world will change, directed by Eugen Jebeleanu, whose cast includes Ioana Bugarin, was awarded the UNITER 2020 award for best director and declared by Romanian theater critics the show of the year 2019.



    We spoke to Ioana Bugarin about her most recent roles, the role played by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in her formation and how she chooses her projects. We also talked about the awards received, always pleasant, but never an end in itself. An emotional moment, says the actress, was last year, when at TIFF she was awarded the Alex. Leo Şerban scholarship, initiated in memory of one of the most appreciated film critics in our country.



    It was a great honor, I hadn’t expected it at all. I remember even now, the organizers of the TIFF Gala sending me this invitation to participate, and me telling them I had no reason to go. They kept sending me messages and reiterating the invitation, and I would reply the same, that I had no reason to come to the Gala. But when I got there things started to happen. But I never focused on that, I never made it a goal to win awards. Not when I started my career, not when I chose a project. I want to say that for me the most important thing has always been to find the right roles, that would represent and incite me. Of course, every human being needs validation, and when you get it, it’s wonderful, it’s incredible when you happen to receive recognition, but for me, as I said, this has never been the goal.



    In the feature films Mia misses her revenge (directed by Bogdan Theodor Olteanu) and Miracle (directed by Bogdan George Apetri), Ioana Bugarin plays the leading part, succeeding to impersonate two extremely different characters. Mia is a young actress, who talks about the condition of women in the urban environment and the importance of her autonomy, while Cristina Tofan is attracted, at least apparently, to life in the monastery, where she wants to find herself. The role of Laura in Oto, the Barbarian (directed by Ruxandra Ghițescu), a depressed teenager who eventually commits suicide, was also a challenge. Ioana Bugarin:



    I think I was very lucky and somehow I happened to be in the right place at the right time. It was certainly a bit of luck, but all the roles that I ended up playing, I got after some castings. Then, as I started acting, the directors understood the direction I was interested in as an artist, and I was really asked to play parts that I also think suit me. Somehow it became clearer to me as I grew up that I was interested in certain things. Gender discrimination is one of these things, discrimination that sometimes manifests itself in a rather subtle form. Some feminist authors that I discovered while I was studying in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art also helped me to define myself, so I also acquired a vocabulary for the things that concerned me but that I didn’t know how to express. The way we talk about women and the way we present them is very important, culture has this power to shape us, to change a little the way we see the world. That’s why it has always been important for me to choose stories that represent me in order to be able to fully dedicate myself to them. And I can say with gratitude that so far this has happened.



    The most recent show in which Ioana Bugarin plays is Sara/Mara (a kind of comedy with vloggers), an Apollo 111 and Ideo Ideis production, directed by Bogdan Theodor Olteanu. The cast of the show also includes Mădălina Stoica, Alexandru Ion, Ramona Niculae and Carol Ionescu. (MI)


  • May 4, 2022 UPDATE

    May 4, 2022 UPDATE

    UKRAINE. In the last 24 hours, the Ukrainian forces have repelled several attacks by Russian troops in the Donbas (eastern Ukraine), where the Russian army is still trying to advance from the north with the aim of encircling Ukrainian units in the area, news agencies report. Separate armored and infantry units as well as airborne forces have hit targets along the Izium-Barvenkov front line, the Ukrainian Army General Staff said. Mariupol remains the hottest spot in the Donetsk region, with the city still under siege and attack by Russian troops. More than 90% of its infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed. In another move, on Wednesday, the representatives of the EU states did not reach an agreement regarding an embargo on oil and petroleum products imported from Russia, so a new meeting was scheduled for Thursday. According to Reuters, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia are among the countries that had objections.



    VISIT. Pressure must rise for Russia to stop the invasion and put an end to its aggression against Ukraine, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday in Bucharest, where he received his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier. According to the Romanian head of state, it is crucial that the support of the European Union and the Member States continues for both Ukraine and the Ukrainian refugees, in parallel with the adoption of new sanctions against Russia and the continuation of efforts to isolate it internationally. Frank-Walter Steinmeier stressed that Romania and Germany are closely linked politically, economically and in terms of civil society. He also said that the Germans were impressed by Romanias solidarity and humanity towards Ukrainian refugees and stressed that Germanys solidarity within NATO is unquestionable. “We will stand by Ukraine in this difficult time, we will not leave them alone”, the German president added. He also met with Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca, who voiced Romanias interest in diversifying investment and cooperation with Germany in strategic areas, such as energy, technology and infrastructure. Germany is Romanias first trading partner, with exchanges totaling over 35 billion euros in 2021, and the third largest investor in the Romanian economy.



    MOLDOVA. The European Union has a duty to support the Republic of Moldova, the European Council President Charles Michel said in Chisinau on Wednesday. Brussels is considering military support for the Moldovan authorities, in addition to the assistance in the areas of logistics and cyber defense that the Union has already agreed on. At the same time, Charles Michel reiterated the EUs intention to provide support to the Republic of Moldova in the process of managing the flow of Ukrainian refugees. A small former Soviet republic with about 2.5 million inhabitants located between Ukraine and Romania, the Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova fears destabilization and an extension of the conflict in Ukraine. A series of explosions last week shook Transnistria, a Moscow-backed separatist region, which broke away from Moldova after a brief war in 1992. Russia still has about 1,500 troops in the region.



    ENERGY. The Romanian Government decided on Wednesday how European money – 13 billion euros from the value of green certificates – will be used to modernize the energy systems and improve their efficiency. The European Union states that in 2013 had a GDP per capita below 60% of the Union average are beneficiaries of these funds. Besides Romania, the list of beneficiaries also includes Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Baltic countries. These countries must use the money to fight climate change by reducing pollutant emissions, increasing the share of renewable energy sources, of energy efficiency measures and the interconnectivity of electricity grids.



    PROTEST. Members of a large trade union confederation in Romania protested on Wednesday in front of the Government headquarters, asking for the observance of the rule of law and of the legislation passed by Parliament, and for solutions to social issues signaled repeatedly but left unanswered by authorities. According to the trade unions, inflation, the growing prices of basic foodstuffs, the high price of electricity and heating and the mandatory insurance policies are a very heavy burden for Romanians. Protesters have asked for an increase in the gross minimum salary to around 600 euros, for bringing salaries and pensions in line with inflation and for passing a new trade union law, in keeping with Romanias EU member status.



    CINEMA. Radu Judes Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn was the big winner of the Gopo Awards, an event dedicated to Romanian cinema. The film also won awards for best feature film, best female lead (Catia Pascariu) and best editing (Cătălin Cristuţiu). However, the production that won most awards was Cristi Puius Malmkrog: best director, cinematography, stage design, costumes, make-up and hairstyle. The award for best male lead went to actor Bogdan Farcaş, for his role in Unidentified. (MI)


  • May 3, 2022

    May 3, 2022

    WAR IN UKRAINE – The European Commission is today
    discussing the sixth package of sanctions against Russia, which might include a
    spaced-out embargo on oil imports. Yesterday’s meeting of the EU Energy Ministers
    underlined, however, the lack of consensus regarding sanctions on Russian
    energy imports. Whereas Germany seems willing to curb its reliance on oil
    imports from the Russian Federation, Hungary again has opposed the move.
    Earlier today, Slovakia announced it will try to obtain an exemption from any
    embargo on Russian oil agreed at EU level. Meanwhile, American and British
    officials believe Russia is preparing to officially declare war on Ukraine in
    order to mobilize its reserve army, in an attempt to conquer the east and south
    of Ukraine. At the same time, the US ambassador to the OSCE, quoted by our
    Washington correspondent, says Russia is ready to annex new Ukrainian
    territories.




    NATURAL GAS – The Romanian state-owned company Romgaz is expected
    to complete the deal allowing the American company ExxonMobil to exploit the
    natural gas deposits in the Black Sea, in the Neptune Deep offshore field. Some
    100 billion cubic meters of gas are expected to be extracted from the area,
    while exploitation rights are owned by ExxonMobil and OMV Petrom in equal
    shares. Romgaz will pay over $1 billion for today’s contract. Before extraction
    works can start, investors expect Romanian authorities to modify the offshore
    law, which the Senate’s special committees started debating today. The main
    modifications to the document adopted four years ago have to do with lowering
    exploitation taxes for deposits in the Black Sea as well as on land, as well as
    with the elimination of restrictions on prices, all part of a legal framework
    to ensure predictability. The Romanian state and state-owned enterprises will
    be given priority to buy the resulting output, while 60% of the profit will go
    to the state. Additionally, companies will be able to deduct 40% of their
    investment, compared to 30% under the current legislation.


    FORECAST – The National Strategy and Forecast Company
    downgraded to 2.9% the economic growth forecast for this year, compared to 4.3%
    previously. The Commission says the overlapping shocks generated by the energy
    price hikes which impacted global supply chains) are amplifying the risks and
    economic uncertainty, also impacting the short-term evolution of the business
    sector. The forecast is in line with the estimates presented by international
    financial institutions, which significantly lowered their forecast regarding
    Romania’s economic growth in 2022. The IMF recently estimated a growth of 2.2%
    for 2020, down from 4.8% originally, while the World Bank estimated Romania’s
    GDP growth to stand at 1.9% this year.




    EUROBAROMETER
    – Three quarters of young Romanians
    feel optimistic about the future of the European Union, while half of them
    believe things are headed in the right direction for the EU, according to a
    Eurobarometer published on Monday. According to the survey, young Romanians
    have greater support for European policies compared to other age categories and
    are content with their lives. Their main concerns are related to the education
    system, the economy, unemployment, housing, the environment and climate
    change.


    RWB – Romania can boast of a diverse, relatively
    pluralistic media landscape that produces hard-hitting public interest
    investigations. Pressure from owners, lack of transparency in financing or
    market difficulties, however, hamper the reliability of the information, reads
    the 2022 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters without Borders.
    Romania ranks 56th, down by 8 positions compared to the previous
    year. Norway remains top of the world press freedom index for the sixth
    consecutive year, followed by Denmark and Sweden. The lowest-placed countries
    in terms of press freedom are China, Myanmar, Turkmenistan, Iran, Eritrea and
    North Korea. In a message released today to mark World Press Freedom Day,
    Romania’s Prime Minister, Nicolae Ciucă, expressed
    confidence there is no democracy without press freedom, whereas journalists
    should be allowed to do their job.


    COLECTIV – The Bucharest Court of Appeal earlier today
    postponed for the fifth time a final sentence in the court case investigating
    the Colectiv nightclub fire of October 30, 2015, when 64 people were killed and
    another 200 were injured. During a rock concert hosted by the club that night,
    the pyrotechnics show ignited the foam covering the ceiling and walls of the
    overcrowded venue. Part of the people were killed on the spot, while other died
    to the burns, the deadly mix of fumes or in the stampede near the exit. The
    court of first instance handed down sentences between 3 and 11 years in prison
    to district 4 mayor at the time, Cristian Popescu Piedone, cityhall workers,
    club owners, firefighters, pyrotechnicians as well as representatives of the
    pyrotechnics company.


    CCR – The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate are today
    convening in a joint plenary sitting to appoint two new Constitutional Court
    (CCR) judges, one of them expected to replace the current president of CCR,
    Valer Dorneanu. The mandates of the two judges expire in June, and under the
    law, the new judges must be designated at least a month in advance. CCR
    comprises nine judges, appointed for a mandate of nine years. Of these, three
    are appointed by the Chamber of Deputies, three by the Senate and three by the
    president of Romania. The Court replaces a third of its judges every three
    years.


    GOPO AWARDS – A new Gopo Awards Gala will take place this evening
    in Bucharest, celebrating the best-performing cinema projects in the last year.
    Some 900 guests are expected to attend. 19 features launched in cinemas or
    streaming platforms in 2021 have been nominated in 20 categories. This year’s
    edition also celebrates solidarity. Film enthusiasts from around the world are
    invited to take part in a fund-raising campaign titled United through Film.
    All proceeds will go to Ukrainian filmmakers with the help of the International
    Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk. (VP)



  • June 30, 2020 UPDATE

    June 30, 2020 UPDATE

    Covid-19 RO. The latest data published by the Strategic Communication Group show some 27,000 cases of Covid-19 in Romania. So far, most infections have been reported in the county of Suceava, in the north-east, and in the capital Bucharest. Of the people confirmed positive, more than 20,000 have recovered and have been discharged from hospital. So far, 1,651 people have died of Covid-19 in Romania. Outside Romanias borders, 4,795 Romanians have tested positive, and 115 have died. Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said on Tuesday that, because of the latest developments with regard to the new cases of infection, a decision would be made to postpone other relaxation measures, and stated he would support the proposal formulated by the National Committee for Emergency Situations in this respect.



    Pandemic. The World Health Organization warns that the Covid-19 pandemic is far from over and has urged people to mobilize without waiting for a vaccine. With more than half a million deaths and 10.4 million cases worldwide, the virus continues to wreak havoc in 30 of the 50 US states, seems to have reappeared in China, the country where the pandemic started, and remains present in Europe, with isolated outbreaks, which are however cause of concern. Brazil has exceeded the threshold of 1.3 million infections and 58,000 deaths. However, the worst situation remains in the US, where 2.7 million cases of infection have been reported and 128,000 people have died of Covid-19. In Europe, the most affected countries remain the UK, Italy, France and Spain. The British Government has established the first quarantine area in the English city of Leicester, after an increase in the number of cases of coronavirus infection there. On Tuesday, the Council of the EU adopted a recommendation on the gradual lifting of restrictions on non-essential travel from third countries, drawing up a list of 14 states from which travel to the EU is allowed as of July 1st. The countries are: Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay. The list will be reviewed and, if necessary, updated every 15 days. In addition, China will be included in that list of Beijing applies a reciprocity regime for travelers from the European Union.



    Economy. A comprehensive economic recovery plan will be announced in Romania on Wednesday. The Liberal PM Ludovic Orban has promised that all the laws ensuring the plans implementation will be passed in a months time. He has given assurances that, despite speculations, the National Liberal Party will not give up the 16% flat tax, given that it is a Liberal measure that has had good effects on the economy. In turn, the finance minister Florin Citu has explained that the plan will be based on investments and that record allocations will be made in this field. As of the next budget adjustment, funds will be increased by several billions of Euros, he said.. According to the finance minister, if the project is successful, the 4th quarter of the year is going to be much better. Even the tax collection for June is going to be higher than in 2019, the minister also said.



    Parliament. The Romanian Parliament approved, on Tuesday, the National Defense Strategy of Romania for 2020-2024, a document submitted by president Klaus Iohannis. The strategy is based on several major elements, namely the EU and NATO membership, as well as the Strategic Partnership with the US. The threats mentioned in the document are the economic crisis triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic, the strengthening of the military potential in the vicinity of Romania, the volatility of the regional security situation, hostile stands in the public space, cyber attacks, distortions in energy markets, interference and hostile takeovers, Agerpres reports. The parliament in Bucharest ends its ordinary session on Tuesday, but as of Wednesday it will convene in a two-week extraordinary session.



    Consultation. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis had a bilateral video-conference consultation with European Council President Charles Michel on Tuesday in preparation for a European Council meeting in Brussels on July 17 and 18. The discussion focused on the future multiannual budget of the Union for the period 2021-2027 and the Economic Recovery Plan proposed by the European Commission. Regarding the budget, Iohannis stressed that Romanias major goal is to obtain the highest possible allocations for cohesion and agriculture policies. With regard to cohesion policy, he called for greater flexibility in absorbing the amounts allocated and supported increasing transfers between different funds to adapt available funding to specific development needs. The Romanian president also stood for a 30-year repayment period for the funds allocated for economic recovery.



    Survey. Most Romanian managers are anticipating a drop in their business turnover this year and a recovery of losses by mid 2021, shows a survey conducted among the managers of more than 500 companies operating in Romania. The most optimistic are the managers from the agricultural field while the most pessimistic are those in services, a sector that was hit hard by the crisis. Half of the Romanian managers interviewed say that overcoming the crisis is possible through a pro-active attitude, through increased investments and increased productivity, while one third of them say they would cut down on costs first. Another conclusion of the survey is that we are not facing a financial crisis yet. 44% of the managers interviewed say that, in their companies, the working capital has improved.



    Gopo Awards. Corneliu Porumboius film La Gomera was the big winner at the Gopo Awards Gala, which awarded the best Romanians films made in 2019. The film got 9 awards, including the one for best film, best director and best screenplay. La Gomera tells the story of Cristi, a corrupt Romanian policeman, involved in a business with the mafia worth 30 million Euros, who reaches the island of La Gomera in Spain to learn El Silbo, a whistled language used by the locals. This language will help him free Zsolt, a trafficker arrested in Bucharest and the only one who knows where the money was hidden. The 14th edition of the gala, organized by the Association for the Promotion of Romanian Film, together with the Urban Film and Culture Association, is the first outdoor event in the history of the Gopo Awards Gala. (M.Ignatescu)


  • June 30, 2020

    June 30, 2020

    Covid-19 RO – In Romania, latest data published by the Strategic Communication Group show more than 26,500 cases of Covid-19. So far, most infections have been reported in the county of Suceava, in the north-east, and in the capital Bucharest. Of the people confirmed positive, more than 18,900 have recovered and have been discharged from hospital. So far, 1,634 people have died of Covid-19 in Romania. Experts have suggested postponing the 4th relaxation stage that was scheduled for July 1, given the alarming rise in the number of contaminations reported in the past 10 days and most of the people’s failure to observe the hygiene and social distancing rules. Doctors warn that if prevention rules are not respected, the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 could intensify. The authorities recommend simple measures for the population to observe: wearing face masks in enclosed or crowded areas, washing their hands with soap and water, using hand sanitizers and staying 2 meters away from each other.



    Economy — A comprehensive economic recovery plan will be announced in Romania on Wednesday. The Liberal PM Ludovic Orban promises that all the laws ensuring the plan’s implementation will be passed in a month’s time. He has given assurances that, despite speculations, the National Liberal Party will not give up the 16% flat tax, given that it is a Liberal measure that had good effects on the economy. In turn, the finance minister Florin Citu has explained that the plan will be based on investments and that record allocations will be made in this field. As of the next budget adjustment, funds will be increased by several billions of Euros, he added. According to the finance minister, if the project is successful, the 4th quarter of the year is going to be much better. Even the tax collection for June is going to be higher than in 2019, the minister also said.



    Parliament — The Romanian Parliament might decide today on setting up an investigation committee that should look into the public purchases made during the period of COVID-19 pandemic. The proposal was made by the opposition Social Democrats, that make up the most numerous parliamentary group, as they want to check all the purchases of sanitary materials made by the Liberal government during the health crisis. Last week, the general director of Unifarm, a state company that manages the purchase of sanitary materials for hospitals, Adrian Ionel, was subjected to legal restrictions pending trial by the anti-corruption prosecutors, who accuse him of having asked for bribe worth 750 thousand Euros to grant a contract for the purchase of surgical masks and hazmat suits. The prosecutors of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate have also discovered that he has illegally occupied the position of general manager since 2016.



    Survey – Most Romanian managers are anticipating a drop in their business’ turnover this year and a recuperation of losses by mid 2021 — shows a survey conducted among the managers of more than 500 companies operating in Romania. The most optimistic are the managers from the agricultural field while the most pessimistic are those in the services domain which was hard hit by the crisis. Half of the Romanian managers interviewed say that overcoming the crisis is possible through a pro-active attitude, through increased investments and increased productivity while one third of them say they would firstly cut down on costs. Another conclusion of the survey is that we are not facing a financial crisis right now. 44% of the managers interviewed said that, in their companies, the working capital has improved.



    Gopo Awards – Corneliu Porumboiu’s film La Gomera is the big winner of the Gopo Awards Gala which granted prizes to Romanian filmmakers for 2019. The film got 9 prizes, including the one for best film, best director and best screenplay. “La Gomera” tells the story of Cristi, a corrupt Romanian policeman, involved in a business with the mafia worth 30 million Euros, who reaches the island of La Gomera in Spain to learn El Silbo, a whistled language used by the locals. This language will help him free Zsolt, a trafficker arrested in Bucharest and the only one who know where the money was hidden. The event is the first outdoor edition in the history of the Gopo Awards Gala which has reached its 14th edition this year. (tr. L Simion)

  • March 28, 2018

    March 28, 2018

    STATISTICS – The unemployment rate in Romania in the last quarter of 2017 stood at 4.7%, just like in the same period of 2016. Data released by the National Institute of Statistics, INS, on Wednesday show the highest unemployment rate of over 21% was registered among youngsters. In the same time-span, Romanias active population accounted for some nine million people, of which 8.5 million were employed, the rest being jobless. In another move, the average number of pensioners in Romania exceeded five million last year, that is lower than in the previous year. The average pension increased by some 13%, exceeding 1,000 lei (215 Euros), data issued by INS also show.



    IMMUNOGLOBULIN CRISIS – Romanian health minister, Sorina Pintea, has announced that 1,000 immunoglobulin doses arrive in Romania today. She made clear that these doses are not part of the package purchased under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, but they are bought from foreign producers by the medicine supplier of the Romanian Health Ministry. Three weeks ago, Romania requested international aid, as it had run out of immunoglobulin doses. Romania has also resorted to the NATO Mechanism for imunoglobulin. The discontinuous supply of immunoglobulin has been caused by the withdrawal from the market of producers who provided over 80% of the necessary doses in Romania. Immunoglobulin contains antibodies, which are proteins made by the immune system to fight antigens, such as bacteria, viruses, and toxins. They are used to help people who are having treatment for certain diseases or certain types of cancer, such as leukaemia.



    CONDOLENCES – The “Colectiv GTG 3010 Association pays homage, at the Russian Embassy in Bucharest, to the victims of Wednesdays fire in Siberia. “Colectiv GTG 3010 was set up after a devastating fire ripped through the Bucharest-based Colectiv club, on the night of October 30, 2015, which took 64 lives, and brings together close friends and families of the victims as well as survivors of the disaster. A day of national mourning has been declared today in Russia, in memory of the victims of Sundays fire in Kemerovo. Sources with the local authorities say 64 people died in the fire, of which 41 children. President Vladimir Putin has pledged that all those proven guilty will be punished, irrespective of the positions they hold and he urged people not to believe rumours propagated on social networks, according to which people died in their hundreds in the fire.



    PROTESTS – Romanian policemen who are members of SNPPC Trade Union on Wednesday picketed the headquarters of the Interior Ministry. They are discontent about labour conditions and the level of salaries in the sector. The aforementioned trade union had previously got a one-week approval from the Interior Ministry to picket key buildings. On Saturday, some 10,000 policemen protested before the headquarters of the Interior Ministry and the Government, respectively.



    CINEMATOGRAPHY – One Step Behind the Seraphim by first time director Daniel Sandu is the big winner of the Gopo Awards Galla, which acknowledges the best achievements of Romanian cinematography in the previous year. The film won, among others, the prize for best picture, best direction, best script – Daniel Sandu – and best actor in a leading role – Vlad Ivanov. The prize for best actress in a leading role went to Diana Cavaliotti, for her role in “Ana, mon amour, by Călin Netzer, and the prize for best short- reel was grabbed by Adrian Silişteanu for Written/ Unwritten. The prize for lifetime achievement went to actors George Mihăiţă and Vladimir Găitan. The festival bears the name of and pays homage to the outstanding Romanian film-maker Ion Popescu-Gopo, who, decades ago, won the Palme dOr, at Cannes, for best animated short film.



    FOOTBALL – Romanias national football team on Tuesday defeated Sweden, 1-0, in a friendly match played on home turf, in Craiova, southern Romania. This was the first match between the two national squads since 1994, when the Romanians lost to the Swedes, in penalty-kick shootout, in the quarterfinals of the World Cup hosted by the United States- the best performance in the history of the national football team. On Saturday, Romania defeated Israel, 2-1, in a friendly match played away from home. In another move, Romanias Under 19 team has failed to qualify for the European Championships due in Finland in July, after losing to Ukraine, 1-2, on home soil. After two wins secured in the first two matches, with Serbia, 4-0, and Sweden, 2-1, Romania needed only a draw to win the preliminary group.

  • 2017 Gopo Awards Gala

    2017 Gopo Awards Gala

    The feature film Sieranevada directed by Cristi Puiu
    was the big winner at the 11th edition of the Gopo Awards Gala, an
    event venued by the I.L.Caragiale National Theatre of Bucharest. Sieranevada won 6 Gopo awards for best
    film, best director, best script, best actress in a lead role, best actress in
    a supporting role and best editing. Selected in the official competition of the
    2016 Cannes Film Festival, Cristi Puiu’s forth feature film has been well
    received by the international media.

    The British newspaper The Guardian
    described Sieranevada as food for thought, while its author was deemed as
    one of the most influential cinematic voices of the century. The film’s
    action is theatrically set mainly in one modest Romanian apartment where a
    large family has gathered for something between a memorial service and a wake
    for Emil, who has just died. The film focuses on his eldest son Lary (Mimu
    Branescu), a harassed, bearded, overweight doctor who turns up for the party
    having just had a huge row with his wife about getting his daughter the wrong
    Disney costume for her school play.

    The family
    gathering does not unfold as expected. Ana Ciontea, who got the award for best
    actress in a supporting role, said upon receiving the award:


    I remember the day when I auditioned for
    this role. I was extremely nervous. I continued to feel that way throughout the
    entire film. I want to thank Cristi Puiu, as I found myself in his film.
    Sieranevada is family to me. I also want to thank each of my colleagues and
    crew members, all those who voted me and gave me the opportunity to be part of
    the large family of Romanian cinema.


    In his turn, director Cristi Puiu, who also won the awards
    for best director and best script, thanked his family and director Lucian
    Pintilie:

    First of all, I want to thank my wife Anca
    and my girls. It’s difficult to be a scriptwriter because this requires peace
    of mind and I have this at home. I also thank Lucian Pintilie, because back in
    1999 he read the script that I wrote with writer Razvan Radulescu, the script
    that I later turned into film, and he encouraged me. I felt encouraged and kept
    on writing. I want to thank you as well.


    Director Cristi Puiu dedicated the award for best
    director to actor Sorin Medeleni, who was part of the cast but who died before
    the film was released.

    Actor
    Valentin Uritescu, aged 75, received a lifetime achievement award. Boasting an
    over 50-year long career in theatre and film, Valentin Uritescu has played a
    wide range of supporting roles such as Sergeant Saptefrati in the TV series
    Lights and Shadows directed by Andrei Blaier, the same character in Sergiu
    Nicolaescu’s feature We, on the Front Lines, or Vasile in the film The
    Contest directed by Dan Pita. A graduate of the Ion Luca Caragiale Institute
    of Theatre and Cinema in Bucharest in 1963, he was hired by the Maria Filotti
    Theatre in Braila, Eastern Romania, and five years later, he moved to the Youth
    Theatre in Piatra Neamt, Eastern Romania. He was an actor at that theatre for
    13 years, which he deems as the most important period of his life.

    After he
    had been singled out by stage director Liviu Ciulei, Valentin Uritescu
    performed in the productions of the Bulandra Theatre in Bucharest. His maiden
    autobiographical volume That’s What I Am, a Fool was launched by Humanitas
    Publishers in 2011. Two years later, his book of memoirs devoted to his father
    and entitled Take Care of Your Good Nature was brought out by the same
    publishing-house. In 2016, the artist’s book of memoirs Haunted by Other
    People’s Lives was launched by Ars Docendi Publishers.

    Here is what Valentin
    Uritescu said at the 11th Gopo Awards Gala:

    I was a first-year student when I made my
    debut in the film A Bomb Has Been Stolen by Ion Popescu Gopo. I uttered just
    one line: Let’s go!. It’s been over 50 years ever since and I have played
    dozens of film and theatre roles. My third book titled Haunted by Other People’s
    Lives features all the characters that I played and haunted me. As I’ve just
    said, it’s been over 50 years since I made my debut in Gopo’s film and now,
    with this award, Gopo has returned to me. Let me thank those who sent him to me
    and let me thank you, who reward me with your applause and congratulate me 50 years after my debut.


    Bogdan Mirica’s debut feature was awarded five Gopo
    trophies, including the best supporting actor award, which went to Vlad Ivanov,
    and the best actor award won by Gheorghe Visu. 21 films were launched in 2016;
    two of them, the blockbusters Selfie69 and Two Lottery Tickets were seen by
    over 100,000 spectators and had over 2 million lei worth of returns, receiving
    the audience award at the Gopo Awards Gala.





  • The Gopo Awards for the Romanian films

    The Gopo Awards for the Romanian films

    “Closer to the Moon”directed by Nae Caranfil was the great winner of the Gopo Awards for the Romanian film industry. The Gala took place at the Bucharest National Theatre on Monday. That international co-production with a predominantly Hollywood cast was awarded nine prizes, including three of the most important prizes: the best film, the best director and the best script awards.



    When the Minister of Culture Ionut Vulpescu and the director of the National Theatre Ion Caramitru presented Nae Caranfil with the Gopo statuette, he said: “In this gala we’ve had several films surveying the communist epoch. I’m glad I’m the winner because I think those times are an extraordinary source of inspiration. This kind of circus show in this part of the world should not be forgotten.”



    “Quod Erat Demonstrandum”, directed by Andrei Gruzsniczki, the film with the largest number of nominations, got five awards, including the best leading actress award, which went to Ofelia Popii, the best leading actor award, which went to Florin PiersicJr., the award for the best supporting actor presented to Virgil Ogasanu and the award for the best supporting actress granted to Alina Berzunteanu.



    “Toto and His Sisters” won the Gopo award for the best documentary, while Radu Jude received the sixth Gopo award in his career for the best short fiction film “It Can Pass through the Wall”. “La Grande Bellezza” directed by Paolo Sorrentino was designated the best European film. #Selfie, the Romanian blockbuster with the highest sales standing at 250,000 Euros and over 100,000 spectators was awarded the audience prize.



    Actresses Eugenia Bosinceanu and Coca Bloos were presented with the lifetime achievement award. All in all, over 80 Romanian films screened in cinema halls and at international festivals were the nominees at the 9th Gopo Awards Gala; the Gopo Awards are the so-called Romanian Oscar Awards. They were granted by the Association for the Promotion of the Romanian Film to the most successful achievements of the domestic film industry in 2014.



    The name of the Gala is a tribute paid to Romanian film maker Ion Popescu Gopo, who won the Palme d’Or in Cannes in 1957 for the best animation short film.