Radio România Internațional

Tag: Ice Hotel

  • Experiențe inedite

    Experiențe inedite

    Descoperim
    azi câteva locuri inedite, care, cu siguranță, vă vor oferi experiențe de
    neuitat. Astfel, ne îndreptăm spre Țara Făgărașului, numită uneori și Țara
    Oltului, după numele râului care traversează acest ținut istoric din
    Transilvania. Între crestele celor mai înalți munți din România, Făgăraș, se
    află un loc unic de cazare, un hotel de gheață. Acesta ar fi primul în lista
    experiențelor inedite, pe care ne-o propune Rodica Pavel, ghid de turism,
    jurnalistă și blogger de turism. Vedeta este Castelul de
    Gheață din Carpați sau Ice Hotel. Este un castel care a fost construit din
    blocuri de gheață și amplasat la altitudinea de 2050 de metri, în chiar inima
    Făgărașului. Castelul de Gheață din Carpați are o viață foarte scurtă. În
    fiecare an este construit pe o tematică. Are cel puțin zece camere, în care se
    și poate înnopta cu o pătură mai groasă și la o temperatură de aproximativ două
    grade. Acolo se găsește un bar, se organizează și evenimente, iar celor cărora
    le este frig peste noapte pot să meargă la una dintre pensiunile turistice de la
    Bâlea, cabanele amplasate la cea mai mare altitudine din România.


    Însă nu numai
    castelul de gheață din Carpați ne invită în Țara Oltului sau a Făgărașului, în
    sudul Transilvaniei. Pentru a ajunge la castel, spune Rodica Pavel, trebuie să
    trecem prin satul lui Badea Cârțan, țăranul român care s-a născut la 24 ianuarie
    1849 la Cârțișoara, în Sibiu. Gheorghe Cârțan a intrat în
    istorie cu numele de Badea Cârțan, fiind celebru pentru lupta românilor din
    Transilvania, care doreau independența și integritatea națională. Badea Cârțan
    a distribuit în Transilvania cărți românești, pe care le-a adus clandestin din
    România traversând Făgărașul, pentru a nu se pierde limba română în satele de
    peste munte. Celebrul țăran român a colindat și prin lume și a înnoptat la Roma,
    la poalele Columnei lui Traian. Așa încât, văzându-l, carabinierii italieni au
    exclamat dimineața că un dac a coborât de pe Columnă. Așadar, se poate vizita
    și Muzeul Badea Cârțan. Tot în zonă se află și vestita păstrăvărie carpatină
    Albota, unde rege este Măria Sa Păstrăvul, pentru că zona din sudul Transilvaniei
    este celebră pentru multe păstrăvării, vizitabile și ele pe timp de iarnă.


    Ca să ne menținem
    în trendul castelelor, Rodica Pavel, ghid de turism, jurnalistă și blogger de
    turism, ne propune să rămânem tot la poalele Făgărașului. Ajungem
    în comuna Porumbacu. Acolo se găsește Castelul de lut Valea Zânelor. Castelul
    de lut Valea Zânelor este vecin și el cu un alt produs turistic, Povestea Calendarului,
    un concept care strânge laolaltă căsuțe din poveste. Toate aceste căsuțe au un
    nume arhaic al fiecărei luni caracteristice. Tot acolo se găsește și Insula
    Piraților și, în acest sens, celebră poate fi o plimbare prin pădurile
    carpatine de acolo. De asemenea, merită menționat și Dealul Verde, o zonă cu hrube,
    locuințe săpate în pământ, deosebit de pitorească. Pentru detaliile unei
    vacanțe de vis, mă găsiți pe o pagină de Facebook, intitulată sugestiv Gust de
    România, iar o parte dintre experiențele mele le regăsiți acolo, dar și pe
    canalul YouTube cu același nume.


    În speranța că v-am convins, vă așteptăm și data viitoare
    cu o nouă propunere de vacanță. Până atunci, drum bun și vreme frumoasă!


  • December 23, 2018 UPDATE

    December 23, 2018 UPDATE

    Tsunami – A tsunami killegd at least 222 people and injured hundreds on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra following an underwater landslide believed to have been caused by the erupting Anak Krakatau volcano, Reuters quoted officials as saying on Sunday. Hundreds of homes and other buildings were “heavily damaged” when the tsunami struck, almost without warning, along the rim of the Sunda Strait late on Saturday, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the disaster mitigation agency, said. Thousands of residents were forced to evacuate to higher ground. Coastal residents reported not seeing or feeling any warning signs on Saturday night, such as receding water or an earthquake, before waves of 2-3 meters (6-10 feet) washed ashore, according to media.




    Paris – French President Emmanuel Macron called for “order” on Sunday after a sixth weekend of “yellow vest” anti-government protests marked by dwindling participation and a violent attack on police in Paris. Speaking during a visit to the central African state of Chad where he was visiting French troops serving in a counter-terrorism force Macron said: “There must be order now, calm and harmony. Our country needs it.” Prime Minister Edouard Philippe denounced the “incredible violence towards the police”. A man died in southern France, bringing the protests overall death toll to 10. The yellow vest protests began in mid-November against fuel tax increases, for higher wages, lower taxes, better pensions and easier university entry requirements. On Friday evening, the French Senate approved the measures which should come into force early next year.




    1989 Revolution – Events commemorating the heroes of the December 1989 anti-communist Revolution continued in Romania. In the capital, commemoration events started at the monument in the Revolution Square and continued at the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, the Romanian Television and the Telephone Palace. The participants included revolutionaries, relatives of those who died, people who were in the army in 1989 and were called to defend the public institutions from what officials back then termed as terrorists. All orthodox churches in the country and abroad held a commemoration mass to honour the heroes who sacrificed themselves in December 1989. More than 1000 people died and some 3,400 were wounded in the shootings in Romania, the only country in the Eastern Bloc where the regime was toppled violently and the communist rulers were executed.




    Eurobarometer – 52% of the Romanians have a positive image about the EU, as compared to 43% which is the European average. According to a Eurobarometer survey, the number of Romanians who have a positive image about the EU is on the rise and above the European average. Half of the Romanians trust the EU and belive that their voice counts in the EU, 56% of the Romanians have a positive view of the situation of the European economy, and 48% of Romanians are optimistic about the labour market situation. The survey also shows that most Europeans believe, for the first time, that their voice matters in the EU. Moreover, 20 years since the introduction of the single currency, support for the economic and monetary union and the Euro remains at a record high, with three quarters of the respondents in the Eurozone in favour of the single currency. On the other hand, immigration remains the main concern at EU level. It is mentioned twice more often than terrorism.




    Ice hotel — The only ice hotel in Romania was opened on Sunday at Balea Lac in the Southern Carpathians. The official inauguration of the entire compound, to also include an ice church and several igloos will take place next February. The ice hotel, built entirely of ice blocks, is located at an altitude of 2034 meters. This year, the theme that has inspired the hotel’s decoration is Frozen Love, promoting love and passion for nature, fresh air and trekking in the winter season. A perfume inspired from this theme will also be launched. Bookings for tourists who want to experiment sleeping at minus 2 degrees Celsius were made months in advance, especially by Britons. The Ice Hotel has been built every year, starting 2005.




    Security – During the holiday season, more than 8,500 policemen will ensure security all over Romania. Given the big number of Romanians aboard who come to spend their winter holidays at home and the number of Romanians who go outside the country borders at this time of the year, the Romanian Border Police has reminded that there is an application that those interested can use to see how traffic is at border checkpoints. The number of trains to and from the big Romanian cities and the mountain resorts has also been supplemented.




    Employment — In Romania, the National Employment Agency (ANOFM) plans to integrate over 110 thousand unemployed people on the labour market, under a project co-financed by the European Social Fund, though the Human Capital Operational Programme 2014-2020. The budget allocated for this purpose exceeds 265 million euros, of which around 226 millions are non-repayable funds. The project will be implemented with the support of local employment agencies.


    (Translated by Elena Enache)


  • December 23, 2018

    December 23, 2018

    1989 Revolution – Events commemorating the heroes of the December 1989 anti-communist Revolution continue. On Saturday, in Bucharest and other cities across Romania several thousand people took part in a march in memory of the Revolution’s heroes, and against the current government. In the capital, commemoration events started at the monument in the Revolution Square and continued at the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, the Romanian Television and the Telephone Palace. The participants included revolutionaries, relatives of those who died, people who were in the army in 1989 and were called to defend the public institutions from what officials back then termed as terrorists. All orthodox churches in the country and abroad held a commemoration mass to honour the heroes who sacrificed themselves in December 1989. More than 1000 people died and some 3,400 were wounded in the shootings in Romania, the only country in the Eastern Bloc where the regime was toppled violently and the communist rulers were executed.




    Paris – About 2,000 people demonstrated in Paris on Saturday. Some 142 people have been arrested, including a protest leader, police sources say. A man died in southern France, bringing the protests overall death toll to 10. There were other small-scale protests in the rest of the country, with hundreds of yellow vests briefly blocking trucks near the French-Spanish border before being dispersed by police. The “gilets jaunes” (yellow vest) protesters – named after the high-visibility jackets French motorists must carry in their cars – began in mid-November against fuel tax increases, for higher wages, lower taxes, better pensions and easier university entry requirements. On Friday evening, the French Senate approved the measures which should come into force early next year.




    Eurobarometer – 52% of the Romanians have a positive image about the EU, as compared to 43% which is the European average. According to a Eurobarometer survey, the number of Romanians who have a positive image about the EU is on the rise and above the European average. Half of the Romanians trust the EU and belive that their voice counts in the EU, 56% of the Romanians have a positive view of the situation of the European economy, and 48% of Romanians are optimistic about the labour market situation. The survey also shows that most Europeans believe, for the first time, that their voice matters in the EU. Moreover, 20 years since the introduction of the single currency, support for the economic and monetary union and the Euro remains at a record high, with three quarters of the respondents in the Eurozone in favour of the single currency. On the other hand, immigration remains the main concern at EU level. It is mentioned twice more often than terrorism.




    Ice hotel — The only ice hotel in Romania is being opened today at Balea Lac in the Southern Carpathians. The official inauguration of the entire compound, to also include an ice church and several igloos will take place next February. The ice hotel, built entirely of ice blocks, is located at an altitude of 2034 meters. This year, the theme that has inspired the hotel’s decoration is Frozen Love, promoting love and passion for nature, fresh air and trekking in the winter season. A perfume inspired from this theme will also be launched. Bookings for tourists who want to experiment sleeping at minus 2 degrees Celsius were made months in advance, especially by Britons. The Ice Hotel has been built every year, starting 2005.




    Security – During the holiday season, more than 85 hundred policemen will ensure security all over Romania. Given the big number of Romanians aboard who come to spend their winter holidays at home and the number of Romanians who go outside the country borders at this time of the year, the Romanian Border Police has reminded that there is an application that those interested can use to see how traffic is at border checkpoints. The number of trains to and from the big Romanian cities and the mountain resorts has also been supplemented.




    Employment — In Romania, the National Employment Agency (ANOFM) plans to integrate over 110 thousand unemployed people on the labour market, under a project co-financed by the European Social Fund, though the Human Capital Operational Programme 2014-2020. The budget allocated for this purpose exceeds 265 million euros, of which around 226 millions are non-repayable funds. The project will be implemented with the support of local employment agencies.


    (Translated by Elena Enache)

  • December 21, 2018 UPDATE

    December 21, 2018 UPDATE


    EU COUNCIL – On January 1st, 2019, Romania takes over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU from Austria, which has been a serious and reliable partner, said on Friday in Bucharest president Klaus Iohannis, in a joint press conference with the Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. The Romanian head of state stressed the very good collaboration between the two countries institutions and the support provided by Austria in ensuring an effective transition to the Romanian presidency of the Council. Also, Klaus Iohannis hailed the results obtained by Austria during its term. In turn, the Austrian Chancellor thanked the Romanian president for taking care of democracy and the rule of law, stressing that the head of state is a guarantor of the two values. With the Romanian PM Viorica Dancila Sebastian Kurz talked about the main issues on the European agenda, such as the future of the EU and the bilateral relation between Romania and Austria.



    1989 REVOLUTION – Ceremonies commemorating the heroes of the 1989 Revolution will be held across Romania on Saturday. In Bucharest, events will be hosted by the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, one of the hotspots of the Revolution, as well as by the Romanian Television and the Telephone Palace. On Friday, Romania commemorated 29 years since the anti-Communist Revolution extended from Timisoara to Bucharest and the whole country. The Revolution culminated on December 22nd with protesters laying siege to the headquarters of the Communist Party and with dictators Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu attempting to flee Bucharest. Over 1,000 people died and some 3,400 others were wounded in the shootings in Romania, the only Eastern Bloc country where the communist regime was toppled violently and where the communist leaders were executed.



    MOTIVATION – President Klaus Iohannis failed to fulfill his constitutional responsibilities when he did not acknowledge the resignations of two ministers and the vacancy of the two posts, reads the motivation issued on Friday by the Constitutional Court to the decision under which the Court had ruled that there was a constitutional conflict between the Government and the head of state. Also, the prime-minister cannot reiterate a proposal for a ministers appointment, in the sense that they cannot indicate the same person for the same office, at the same ministry, the motivation also reads. The Constitutional Court of Romania is of the opinion that, in order for the conflict to be settled, the president of Romania should issue immediately the decrees acknowledging these vacancies and to respond, in writing, to the proposals made by the Prime Minister. On December 7th, PM Viorica Dancila announced that the Government had informed the Constitutional Court that the president did not make a decision about the appointment of the ministers of transport and regional development respectively. Previously, Klaus Iohannis had refused the proposals, saying they were inappropriate.



    JUDICIARY – Romanias High Court of Cassation and Justice has continued to suspend the serving of prison sentences received by several high-level officials under corruption charges. Among them are the former chief of the anti-terrorism and anti-mafia directorate Alina Bica, who requested asylum in Costa Rica, the former head of the tax authority, Serban Pop, and former Social Democratic ministers and MPs Dan Şova and Constantin Niţă. They have been released, until final rulings are passed on their appeals. The argument put forth for the suspension of their sentences was that the membership of the 5-judge panels passing the rulings had not been set correctly.



    DEFENSE – A new session of the Romanias Supreme Defense Council will be held on the 28th of December, to analyze the requests made by the National Defense Minister Gabriel Les, concerning some vacancies in the leadership of the Romanian Army, the Presidential Administration announced on Friday. On Wednesday, Gabriel Les had announced that he would not extend the term of the current Chief of Staff, Nicolae Ciuca, whose contract expires on the 31st of December. The previous meeting of the Council was held on December 19th to approve the 2019-2028 army equipment programme and the means and forces to be deployed next year for missions and operations abroad.



    RUSSIA – Romania is open to a dialogue with Russia on topics that do not come in violation of international sanctions, the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu said on Radio Romania. He explained that one of the goals of the Romanian presidency of the EU Council is to have the Black Sea area acquiring the status of priority area, both in terms of security and also economically. “Lately, we have been very much concerned about the growing Russian military presence in the Black Sea area and on the eastern borders of the EU and NATO. That is why, one of the topics that Romania will focus on while holding the presidency of the EU Council is the Black Sea area and the fact that this is a priority issue for the EU” Teodor Melescanu has stated.



    ICE HOTEL – On December 23, the only ice hotel in Romania will be opened at Balea Lac in the Southern Carpathians. The official inauguration of the entire compound, to also include an ice church and several igloos, will take place next February. The ice hotel, built entirely of ice blocks, is located at an altitude of 2034 meters. This year, the theme that has inspired the hotels decoration is Frozen Love, promoting love and passion for nature, fresh air and trekking in the winter season. A perfume inspired from this theme will also be launched. Bookings for tourists who want to experiment sleeping at minus 2 degrees Celsius were made months in advance, especially by Britons. The Ice Hotel has been built every year, starting 2005.

  • December 21, 2018

    December 21, 2018

    REVOLUTION – Today Romania commemorates 29 years since the anti-communist Revolution extended from Timisoara to Bucharest and the whole country. On December 20th, 1989, after several days of repression by the Communist authorities, the people of Timisoara took to the streets in great numbers. The army withdrew to the barracks and from the balcony of the Opera House in Timisoara the people declared Timisoara the first city of Romania free of Communism. On December 21st, the anti-Communist revolution extended to Bucharest and culminated on December 22nd with dictators Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu fleeing Bucharest. Over 1,000 people died and some 3,000 others were wounded in the shootings in Romania, the only Eastern Bloc country where the communist regime was toppled violently and where the communist leaders were executed. 29 years on, the prosecutors’ investigation into those events has not been finalized and the culprits are still at large. Initially classified, the revolution file was reopened in 2017 after the judges decided that the previous investigations had been very superficial. Military prosecutors announced the extension of criminal procedures, in rem, in relation to crimes against humanity. Military prosecutors have indicted former president Ion Iliescu in the “Revolution” case.




    ICE HOTEL — On December 23 the only ice hotel in Romania will be opened at Balea Lac in the Southern Carpathians. The official inauguration of the entire compound, to also include an ice church and several igloos will take place next February. The ice hotel, built entirely of ice blocks, is located at an altitude of 2034 meters. This year, the theme that has inspired the hotel’s decoration is Frozen Love, promoting love and passion for nature, fresh air and trekking in the winter season. A perfume inspired from this theme will also be launched. Bookings for tourists who want to experiment sleeping at minus 2 degrees Celsius were made months in advance, especially by Britons. The Ice Hotel has been built every year, starting 2005.




    JUDICIARY – Romania’s Supreme Court has continued to suspend the serving of prison sentences received by several high-level officials under corruption charges. Among them are the former chief of the anti-terrorism and anti-mafia directorate Alina Bica, who requested asylum in Costa Rica, the former head of the tax authority, Serban Pop, and former Social Democratic ministers and MPs Dan Şova and Constantin Niţă. They have been released, until final rulings are passed on their appeals. The argument put forth for the suspension of their sentences was that the membership of the 5-judge panels passing the rulings had not been correct. The supreme court held drawing of lots sessions for the 5-judge panels 3 times this year, when the Law on the organisation of courts was modified, further to a Constitutional Court decision, at the request of the Government and following an objection by the Social Democratic Party president Liviu Dragnea, who is tried for corruption at the Bucharest Court of Appeals.




    MOLDOVA — The European Commission has called on the Republic of Moldova to take immediate and concrete action against corruption, money laundering and illegal migration, or face the risk of seeing the accord allowing Moldovan citizens to travel visa free to EU countries, suspended, according to a EC report presented recently in Brussels. Radio Chisinau has reported that the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration has taken note of the evaluation and recommendations of the European Commission, pointing out that the report also mirrors the positive evolutions in this country. The Republic of Moldova was the first state of the Eastern Partnership to receive a liberalized visa regime with the EU on April 28, 2014.




    GOVERNMENT — The Bucharest Government made up of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) is today holding a new meeting. Although not included on the agenda, the Cabinet might also discuss the emergency decree on the fiscal measures announced recently by the Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovoci and contested by the head of state Klaus Iohannis, the right-of-center opposition, the banking sector and the energy and communication companies. Teodorovici announced so called taxes on greed leveled on banks, depending on the evolution of interbank loans, as well as a package of measures for energy companies — a contribution equal to 3% of turnover, capping natural gas prices, and price controls for electricity prices. The fiscal and budget measures for 2019 presented by Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici sent the market plummeting to minus 7%.


    (Translated by Elena Enache)

  • December 6, 2018 UPDATE

    December 6, 2018 UPDATE

    Brussels — The Romanian minister of labor and social justice Marius Budai on Thursday took over symbolically the presidency of the Council for Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs in the context of Romania’s holding the half-yearly presidency of the EU Council as of January 1, 2019. Marius Budai presented the other labor ministers from the EU states Romania’s priorities in the field of labor and social affairs for the first 6 months of 2019: mobility of labor force, health and job security in the context of new occupations and the reduction of pay differences between women and men. Also on Thursday in Brussels, the Romanian interior minister Carmen Dan had meetings with her counterparts from Bulgaria, Great Britain and Germany, on the sidelines of Thursday’s meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA). The next JHA meeting is to be hosted by Bucharest from 6 to 8 February 2019. In the field of internal affairs, the priorities of the Romanian presidency of the EU Council include the continuation of important files currently in full development as well as migration, external border management and consolidation of the EU’s internal security. In turn, the healthcare minister, Sorina Pintea, met with the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety. The 5 priorities in the healthcare field will be: antimicrobial resistance, vaccination, equal access to medicines for the EU patients, patient mobility and E-Health.



    Paris — France is a strategic partner for Romania with direct investments of 2.3 billion Euros, and the presence of some of the most important French businesspeople is a proof of France’s confidence in the potential of the Romanian economy- said Thursday in Paris the Romanian finance minister Eugen Teodorovici. He participated in the French-Romanian economic forum organized by the French ministry of economy and finance. This is the biggest economic event unfolding as part of the France-Romania Cultural Season which is in full swing. In turn, the French minister of economy and finance Bruno Le Maire said that he supported Romania’s fast accession to the OECD and appreciated the very good bilateral cooperation in the run up to Romania’s presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2019.



    Visit — Climate changes are due to human action and that is why we have the responsibility to mend what we have damaged — said Thursday in Bucharest, the European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella. He participated in a conference on the presentation of the model of the new Center of Excellence for Environmental Protection in Bucharest. The building will be 100% eco-friendly and will be located in Bucharest. The purpose of the Romanian authorities is that this entity should receive accreditation from NATO. On January 1, 2018 there were 24 accredited Centers of Excellence around the world dealing in environmental protection, 26 of the 29 NATO members being involved in the centers’ activity.



    Ice hotel — The only Ice Hotel in Romania started being built at Balea Lake, at 2,034 meters altitude in the Southern Carpathians. The temporary construction will be made entirely of ice blocks extracted from the biggest glacier lake in Fagaras Mountains. This year the theme for decorating the rooms is ‘Frozen Love’, the hotel promoting love and respect for nature and Fagaras Mountains. The hotel’s 16 rooms will have names and will be decorated with ice sculptures inspired by the area’s most beautiful places. For the first time this year a perfume of the Ice Hotel will be launched. The hotel is to be opened on December 23. The Ice Hotel has been built every winter starting in 2005.



    Reshuffle — The Romanian PM Viorica Dancila announced that the Government will notify the Constitutional Court on Friday in relation to the government reshuffle, after President Klaus Iohannis told her in a phone conversation on Thursday that he would not make a decision until next week regarding the nomination of new ministers to the transport and regional development ministries. Previously, the head of state said he did not finalize the analysis of the new nominees for the respective ministries, namely Olguta Vasilescu and Mircea Draghici. In late November Klaus Iohannis accepted six changes of ministers proposed by the prime minister for the defense, labor, economy culture, communications and youth and sports. He showed discontentment with the fact that, in two years of governing, the ruling coalition changed around 70 ministers, which is too much in his opinion.



    Extradition — On Thursday the Court of Appeal in Bucharest postponed for December 14 debating the case of the extradition of the Turkish journalist Kamil Demirkaya who is currently living in Romania. The Turkish authorities have accused him of belonging to the movement led by Fetullah Gulen. The journalist has defended himself saying that he is not a terrorist and that he hoped not to be extradited because the justice system is not functioning in Turkey where the people under investigation are often tortured. The Romanian MEP Cristian Preda has called on the Justice Ministry to stop the extradition procedure, writing on his Facebook page that the Turkish journalist was critical of Erdogan’s regime. Also the opposition Save Romania Union asked the Romanian authorities to stop the extradition process and the former president Traian Basescu claims Romania should behave like a member of the EU where the right to free expression is observed. (translation by L. Simion)

  • February 10, 2018 UPDATE

    February 10, 2018 UPDATE

    INFLATION – The National Bank of Romania has revised upward, to 3.5%, the inflation rate forecast for the end of the year, the governor of the National Bank of Romania, Mugur Isărescu, has announced. According to an earlier forecast, the inflation rate was estimated at 3.1%. Isarescu explained the main engine of economic growth is consumption, a situation which has had negative effects on the trade deficit which increased by 30% in 2017. Mugur Isărescu has also mentioned some structural problems with a significant impact on the economy, among which tensions on the labour market, the growing difference between the level of imports and exports, the fiscal and income policy which is currently being pursued and whose effects are likely to disappear only as of next year.



    MEDICINES – The process of introducing the European Medicines Verification System (EMVS) has officially been launched in Romania. The system will become operational in all EU member states next year. Consequently, as of February 9, 2019, only the medicines which respect the new security regulations in the field will circulate across the EU. The relevant authorities, representatives of the line industry and pharmacists say the initiative is essential in ensuring the patients safety and health, given that there is a growing risk of fake products entering the commercial chain. According to the new regulations, pharmacists will no longer be allowed to open medicine boxes and to sell only a few tablets, if patients make such a request.



    TOURISM – The most exquisite Romanian tourist project, the ice hotel at Bâlea Lake has been officially inaugurated, in the presence of the Canadian ambassador to Bucharest, Kevin Hamilton. The theme of the ice hotel this year is music. The 14 rooms and igloos are decorated with ice statues featuring such famous artists as Madonna, Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley. Tourists had the opportunity to get accommodation in the ice hotel as early as December 2017. A double room costs 100 Euros. Those who want to only visit the hotel should pay a ticket worth 3 Euros for adults and 2 Euros for children. Tourists can reach Bâlea Lake, at an altitude of over 2,000 m, by cable car, which covers a distance of 3,700m, over Balea Valley. The ice hotel is the only of its kind in Romania.



    JOINT DRILLS – One hundred Romanian troops will take part, as of Monday in joint military exercises alongside some 200 military from the United States, Moldova, Bulgaria and Ukraine. The exercises will be unfolding for five days, at a military base in Babadag, in Tulcea County, south-eastern Romania.



    MALTA – The Romanian Foreign Ministry has confirmed, based on data provided by the representatives of the consular office in Catania (Sicily, Italy) that a Romanian citizen died and another one was injured during a storm which hit Malta on Saturday. Romanias Consulate in Catania is monitoring the situation, is in permanent contact with the local authorities as well as with the Romanian national who has sustained injuries, providing the necessary consular assistance. The two Romanian nationals were travelling by a van which was hit by a falling tree. Gale force wind and torrential rain hit Malta, submerging roads, after months of low-level precipitations.



    WINTER OLYMIC GAMES– The first of the 28 Romanian athletes taking part in the Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, which come to a close on February 25, on Saturday ran in the first competitions. They took part in the cross-country skiing, luge and biathlon events. PyeongChang in the Taebaek Mountains got the right to organise the Winter Olympic Games after having submitted its candidacy three times, in 2010, 2014 and 2018. It is the first edition of the Winter Olympic Games and the second edition of the Olympic Games hosted by South Korea. PyeongChang is also the third Asian city to host the Winter Olympic Games, after Sapporo in 1972 and Nagano in 1998, both in Japan. Over a period of more than two weeks, PyeongChang will host 102 sports events. This edition of the Olympic Games is attended by over 2,900 athletes from 95 countries.

  • February 10, 2018

    February 10, 2018

    INFLATION — The National Bank of Romania has revised upward, to 3.5%, the inflation rate forecast for the end of the year, the governor of the National Bank of Romania, Mugur Isărescu, has announced. According to an earlier forecast, the inflation rate was estimated at 3.1%. Isarescu explained the main engine of economic growth is consumption, a situation which has had negative effects on the trade deficit which increased by 30% in 2017. Mugur Isărescu has also mentioned some structural problems with a significant impact on the economy, among which tensions on the labour market, the growing difference between the level of imports and exports, the fiscal and income policy which is currently being pursued and whose effects are likely to disappear only as of next year.



    MEDICINES — The process of introducing the European Medicines Verification System (EMVS) has officially been launched in Romania. The system will become operational in all EU member states next. Consequently, as of February 9, 2019, only the medicines which respect the new security regulations in the field will circulate across the EU. The relevant authorities, representatives of the line industry and pharmacists say the initiative is essential in ensuring the patients’ safety and health, given that there is a growing risk of fake products entering the commercial chain. According to the new regulations, pharmacists will no longer be allowed to open medicine boxes and to sell only a few tablets, if patients make such a request.



    TOURISM — The most exquisite Romanian tourist project, the ice hotel at Bâlea Lac is being officially inaugurated today, in the presence of the Canadian ambassador to Bucharest, Kevin Hamilton. The theme of the ice hotel this year is music. The 14 rooms and igloos are decorated with ice statues featuring such famous artists as Madonna, Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley. Tourists had the opportunity to get accommodation in the ice hotel as early as December 2017. A double room costs 100 Euros. Those who want to only visit the hotel should pay a ticket worth 3 Euros for adults and 2 Euros for children. Tourists can reach Bâlea Lac, at an altitude of over 2,000 m, by cable car, which covers a distance of 3,700m, over Balea Valley. The ice hotel is the only of its kind in Romania.



    JOINT DRILLS — One hundred Romanian troops will take part, as of Monday in joint military exercises alongside some 200 military from the United States, Moldova, Bulgaria and Ukraine. The exercises will be unfolding for five days, at a military base in Babadag, in Tulcea County, south-eastern Romania.



    WINTER OLYMIC GAMES– The first of the 28 Romanian athletes taking part in the Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, which come to a close on February 25, are today running in the first competitions. The Romanian athletes will take part in the cross-country skiing, luge and biathlon events. PyeongChang in the Taebaek Mountains got the right to organise the Winter Olympic Games after having submitted its candidacy three times, in 2010, 2014 and 2018. It is the first edition of the Winter Olympic Games and the second edition of the Olympic Games hosted by South Korea. PyeongChang is also the third Asian city to host the Winter Olympic Games, after Sapporo in 1972 and Nagano in 1998, both in Japan. Over a period of more than two weeks, PyeongChang will host 102 sports events. This edition of the Olympic Games is attended by over 2,900 athletes from 95 countries.

  • December 26, 2017

    December 26, 2017

    CHRISTMAS — In Romania, Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Christians celebrate today, on the second day of Christmas, the Synaxis of the Theotokos, which is a celebration of Mary, the Mother of God. This is one of the oldest feast days devoted to Virgin Mary, dating back to the 5th Century. The Synaxis of the Theotokos is the assembly of believers to honour the one through whom the incarnation of God was possible. Also today, Roman Catholic Christians celebrate St Stephen, the first martyr.





    HOLIDAYS — Thousands of Romanians are spending their winter holidays in the mountain resorts in Valea Prahovei region in the south, in Maramures in the north-west of the country and in Bucovina, in the north-east. Sinaia and Buşteni, on Prahova Valley, are among the most popular resorts in the country at this time of the year. In Bâlea Lac, in Făgăraş Mountains, at over 2,000 m altitude, the new Ice Hotel, the only one of its kind in Romania, was opened on Sunday. Most of the tourists having booked a room here come from abroad.




    ROYAL HOUSE — The Royal House of Romania attended on Tuesday the Christmas service held at the Orthodox church in Săvârşin, the west of Romania. The royals are on 40-day mourning after the death of Romania’s last king, Michael I. He passed away on December 5, aged 96, and was buried on December 16, in Curtea de Arges, southern Romania, where the other 3 monarchs of Romania are also interred. Tens of thousands of people took part in the national funerals of the one they regard as a model of dignity, honour, devotion and love for the country.




    CONSULTATIONS — The PM of Romania, Mihai Tudose, has agreed to hold talks tomorrow with representatives of over 40 NGOs involved in the street protests against the controversial changes in the justice laws. The organisations had sent the PM an open letter expressing their willingness to contribute to dialogue, consultation and solutions, in full compliance with the rule of law, democratic principles and fundamental human rights. They say there have been major deficiencies in the dialogue and consultations between lawmakers and society with respect to the justice laws and the changes of the criminal codes. On Friday, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjorn Jagland, sent a letter to President Klaus Iohannis, urging him to request an official opinion from the Venice Commission with respect to the legislative reform endorsed by Parliament. Previously, the embassies of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden to Bucharest issued a joint letter calling on all stakeholders in the judiciary reform process to avoid measures that would weaken the independence of the judiciary and the fight against corruption. In response, the Foreign Ministry said strengthening the rule of law and fighting corruption are among the priorities of the Government of Romania. In turn, the leaders of ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania, Liviu Dragnea and Calin Popescu Tariceanu, respectively, promised that the Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, and Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu would inform embassies properly with respect to the legislative changes in this field.




    EU — The German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said that if the EU managed to get a smart deal with Britain that governs relations with Europe after Brexit, it could be a model for other countries. The German diplomat added that Turkey and Ukraine are not likely to get full EU membership very soon, which is why the EU should consider alternative forms of closer cooperation. Gabriel also suggested that such an approach could take the form of a closer customs union with Turkey. Although the current situation proves that that country is still rather far from joining the EU, recent moves by Ankara indicate willingness to improve relations with Brussels, the German official also said. Shortly before Christmas, Turkey decided to free a German pilgrim after nearly 9 months of detention, and a German journalist who had spent 7 months in custody over alleged ties with a terrorist organisation.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • December 24, 2017

    December 24, 2017

    TALKS – The Prime Minister of Romania, Mihai Tudose, accepted to meet the representatives of 43 NGOs active in the street protests initiated against the planned changes in the justice laws and the criminal codes. In a Facebook post, Tudose voiced his openness to dialogue and suggested that the meeting took place on December 27. The 43 organisations sent an open letter to the Prime Minister, expressing their willingness to contribute to dialogue, consultation and solutions, in full compliance with the rule of law, fundamental human rights and the democratic principles. New street protests were held on Saturday night in Bucharest and other Romanian cities, against the bills designed to amend the justice laws. On Friday, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland sent a letter to the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis, urging him to request an opinion from the Venice Commission on the legislative reform already endorsed by Parliament.




    CHRISTMAS – For Christian believers, today is Christmas Eve, with the last preparations for the Nativity, one of the greatest feasts of the Christian world. A widespread Christmas Eve custom in Romania, a mostly Orthodox country, is carolling, a ritual involving ceremonial texts, dances and gestures. The carollers symbolise the angels and shepherds who were the first heralds of the birth of Jesus. The Christmas Eve dinner differs from one part of the country to another, but in all regions it comprises fasting dishes and must be blessed by a priest first.




    HOLIDAYS – Thousands of Romanians will be spending their holidays in mountain resorts. At the top of the travel destinations these days are the resorts in the Prahova Valley region in the south of Romania, such as Predeal, Sinaia and Buşteni, where occupancy rates are around 80%. In Bâlea Lac, in Făgăraş Mountains, the new Ice Hotel, the only one of its kind in Romania, has opened today. Most of the tourists having booked a room here come from abroad. Music is the chosen theme of this 13th ice hotel built at over 2,000 metres in Făgăraş Mountains. Each of the 15 rooms has been decorated with snow and ice sculptures representing Romanian and international music stars.




    POLICE – In Romania, nearly 23,000 police, gendarmes and fire fighters are working every day throughout the Christmas holiday. Special attention will be paid to preventing public order incidents, fighting anti-social conduct, streamlining road traffic and check point transit, as well as to the management of emergency situations. Police workers and gendarmes will be present especially in crowded places like fairs, train stations, tourist resorts, as well as around over 16,400 churches, where special religious services will be held. Bulgarian-speaking Romanian policemen will also be part of joint patrols with their counterparts from the neighbouring Bulgaria, in the mountain resort of Bansko, until next March, providing support and assistance to the Bulgarian police. This is the 8th winter season when such joint missions are organised in Bulgaria.





    TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, number 1 in the world, plays today against the Czech Karolina Pliskova, no 4 WTA, in the Intercontinental World Tennis Championship finals in Thailand. On Saturday in the quarter-final, Halep defeated Britains Johanna Konta, 2-0, while Pliskova outplayed Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, no 7 WTA. Ostapenko and Konta are playing on Sunday for the 3rd place in the competition.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)