Radio România Internațional

Tag: mountains

Nature and Tradition: Țara Făgărașului

The Fagaras Mountains are unique in Europe, with their uninterrupted span of forests and healthy and diverse wildlife. It is an area with an interesting history, with a variety of landforms and with a multitude of local cultures, as we learn from Victoria Donos, head of communication and communities with the “Conservation Carpathia” Foundation.

Victoria Donos: “Geographically, it is spread out on a strip of land. From east to west, it is 82 km long, with the width varying between 12 and 19 km. It includes parts of the Brasov and Sibiu counties. In terms of landforms, apart from the Fagaras Mountains there is a vast amphitheatre, opening to the north towards the Olt flood plain and the Hârtibaci plateau. The Fagaras Fortress is located here, there are old communities once inhabited by Saxons or with still strong Saxon communities, and lots of traditions. It is a special area, well worth exploring and getting known.”

The first stop on our virtual journey is in the village of Mândra, home to the very special Museum of Canvases and Stories.

Victoria Donos “This is where you will learn about the history of this village, the history of the emigration of this community to the United States during the interwar period, and how people have returned and built houses with the money they earned there. If you are interested in meeting craftsmen, I would advise you to stop by Mr. Sorin Petrișor, in the village of Ucea. He is a great enthusiast of old customs. His house is a living museum, where activities that once happened in the homes of Romanian peasants still take place, from weaving to baking bread. He also runs a locally sourced eatery, so if you make an appointment you can also eat a traditional meal. You can continue your journey to Avrig, where the local library hosts weekly gatherings. Nothing is staged, the women in the community meet here and work, do handicrafts, and tell stories. Things are very natural and it is very nice that women take their traditional dresses and come dressed in folk costumes to these gatherings. Also here, in Avrig, you can meet Adrian David, a traditional peasant shoe maker. He is a young man, under 30, and he fell in love with this profession. He repurposed a room in his house into a museum and also teaches this craft to the students of the local Arts and Crafts School.”

Țara Făgărașului is just a part of a much larger area around the Fagaras Mountains. The entire area is so interesting that every year it is celebrated in a festival. Fagaras Fest is a festival of the mountains and the people of the Fagaras Mountains, says Victoria Donos, head of communication and communities with the “Conservation Carpathia” Foundation.

Victoria Donos: “The festival was organised for five editions in another community around the Fagaras Mountains, from the north to the south of the Fagaras Mountains. This year, we want to stop in a community that will permanently host the festival, because we believe that this festival can have an even greater economic impact on people’s lives, and at the same time become a tradition for a place in Fagaras Country or another community around the Fagaras Mountains. We are running a competition, to which 35 communities from around the Făgăraș Mountains, in the counties of Argeș, Brașov, Sibiu and Vâlcea have been invited to take part. This week we will assess all the projects we have received. In a first stage, we will shortlist 3 communities to visit, because it is very important for us to see the place, to assess the openness of the community, the tourist sites and how local people can get involved in organising this festival.”

The latest 2 editions were also attended by foreign tourists, who appreciated above all the wealth of experiences that this festival offers:

Victoria Donos: “They were surprised to see how many guided tours there were. For example, we had guided tours focusing on birds, insects, bats, the forest, wildlife. Together with Salvamont, the mountain rescue service, we went on some trails in the forest and discovered some more special places. Then, some tourists camped out in a tent, others stayed in guest houses in the area. All accommodations units were booked within a radius of 50 km. I remember the surprise and pleasure with which those foreign tourists talked about the guest houses that preserved the authentic spirit of the place. They spoke very nicely about the houses in Porumbacu, about the meals they were offered, about the items they saw there and about the hosts. Interactions with the hosts are very important.”

Another programme of the Conservation Carpathia Foundation is to create tourist packages that include various experiences in Țara Făgărașului and around the Făgăraș Mountains, in general. Victoria Donos, head of communication and communities:

Victoria Donos “For example, we have Mrs. Viorica Olivotto, from Ușoara, who sews traditional blouses and who is a living human treasure. It is very good for more people to know her, to take part in the workshops that she organises for tourists and, why not, tourists may leave small contributions so that she can carry on. Then, in the town of Lisa, there are small whirlpools that are a UNESCO treasure, and where a family continues a tradition of several hundred years. It is good for tourists to know about them, to include them in their visits to Romania.”

Țara Făgărașului remains a fairy-tale destination, where authentic traditions and spectacular landscapes intertwine. It is the perfect place for those seeking the tranquillity of nature and rural charm. (AMP)

6 February 2025
Environmental reconstruction in the Făgăraş Mountains

The project’s target this spring amounts
to 100 hectares and benefits from financial support from the European
Commission through its LIFE programme. 435 thousand seedlings are being planted
in four environmental reconstruction areas: at Groapele, a region affected by
massive logging and arsons, Dobroneagu, Valea Dambovitei and Leresti. The
seedlings of local species either come from Carpathia nurseries or are
purchased from local producers. Here is Mihai Zota, conservationist director
with the aforementioned foundation.

Mihai
Zota: I can tell you there is a
long way from planting these seedlings to a real forest, particularly in our
case as we are trying to rebuild the natural forest environments, which existed
in this area but have been cut down. It was a certain trend back in the
communist era, but also after it, to replace forests of beech and sycamore with
spruce as spruce was believed to be a species which takes to the soil faster
and its timber can be used in constructions. We are now doing some history
research in an attempt to identify the real forests that were covering these
areas in ancient times and try to rebuild them accordingly. This aspect is very
important to us because we believe that nature knew better than us, people,
which are the right type of trees to cover a certain area, as this process
happened in millions of years. And whenever man intervenes, nature fights back
and we are witnessing all sorts of unwanted phenomena, like the appearance of
huge swarms of insects, windsnaps, windthrows etc.

Mr. Zota is actually referring here to an
environmental reconstruction instead of reforestation because the process of
creating a new forest entails many more activities besides the actual planting
of trees.

Mihai
Zota: We are conducting tests
on various hectares in all these areas in an attempt to identify how many
natural seedlings we are having on the ground. Seedlings appear naturally after
any logging, but they are not enough to make the forest regenerate by itself. We
always find seedlings from various species after deforestation. Afterwards we
are making comparisons between what was the forest like many years ago and then
we drew our conclusions what species to plant so that we rebuild the forest
like it was back then. We are not trying to outclass the engineering skills of
mother nature but we are making some predictions because research shows that in
the next 50 years, forests are likely to go up at least 100 meters, covering
more land uphill. And if we are now seeing beech trees at 14 hundred meters up
in the Fagaras mountains, in 50 years we are going to see it at altitudes of 16
hundred meters. So, we are trying to take into account these phenomena,
influenced by global warming of course. After we have identified the
composition and the number of seedlings we are going to need, we do our work in
two big stages, in spring and autumn. Why we need two stages? Because we have
noticed, that due to climate changes, the period of time we can plant these
seedlings has shortened.

The seedlings used in this project come
from two nurseries and greenhouses and they have been grown naturally in good
conditions, without chemical additives used. So, the process of building a
forest from scratch isn’t simple at all and needs maintenance works for at
least seven years. Without the proper monitoring and constant maintenance, such
barren areas are difficult to be built into real forests. Besides all its
environmental functions, a forest like this can sustain an entire social
system. 120 daily workers and scores of forestry employees are presently being
involved with suchlike reforestation projects.

(bill)

26 August 2022
The Romanian Passion for Mountain Trekking

Romania is famous for the beauty of its natural landscapes and its wildlife, mostly due to its mountains. The chain of mountains that traverses the country from north to west offers a wide variety of ways to enjoy mountaineering, from easy trails in cool forests to difficult ascents on rocks and crests. There are plenty of resorts and cabins at all altitudes, from depressions to coasts and peaks, providing accommodation for people who go there just to take a break or to combine relaxation with physical exercise. No wonder that in summer, as well as in winter, mountain trails are full of tourists who prefer the wilderness to the comfort of a hotel or hostel. Among them is Ilinca Stoenica, a certified mountain guide who graduated from the School of Tourism Geography, well known online for the blog she has been keeping for years. Her three sons, one still a baby, have been raised with a love of mountaineering, just like she was. She insists that a love of mountaineering starts in childhood, and this is part of what she is trying to educate people about on her blog.

Ilinca Stoenica: “A child should be exposed to nature from the start, maybe not necessarily the mountains, but the outdoors. This does not mean that parents should take newborns to wild mountain peaks, but nature outings should be a regular occurrence at any age. In terms of education, there is no better schooling than the outdoors. Even though every one thinks of movement, fitness and health when they talk about nature, this is essential for more than physical development. That matters, of course, but in the outdoors you develop both cognitively and emotionally. Cognitively, you are faced with a whole range of issues that you have to solve by yourself, you have to improvise, which children need. Emotionally, it increases ones tolerance for frustration and it increases the ability of relating to the other. That is why they say that friendships tied in the mountains last a lifetime.”

In Romania, unfortunately, most initiatives to promote mountain education are private, such as Ilincas: “At this point in Romania there is no coherent policy for outdoors education. There are small private initiatives, such as mine and there are others too, but not many. There have been discussions attended by mountaineers and teachers to introduce a new school discipline called Education in Nature. However, everything is still up in the air, because the curriculum is still cluttered, and you need qualified teachers for a new discipline. It was a question of who is going to train them and certify them. It is a vicious circle. “

At the end of last year, the European Statistics Office published a tally of countries which brought some good and surprising news: Slovaks and Romanians are the most passionate about mountaineering among European Union member countries. In 2016, the mountains were one of the main attractions in 13% of personal outings by EU residents. The most passionate were Slovak citizens, 25% of their trips involved visiting the mountains, followed by Romanians, who went to the mountains in 24% of their trips. Next in line are citizens from France and Italy, with 19% of trips spent in the mountains.

Here is Ilinca Stoenica with comments on this list: “I cant say I can correlate this with the reality in the field. There are two aspects. First of all, clearly, the number of mountain climbers has gone up. In addition, we start seeing more guided tours, which contribute to an increased appetite for nature outings. Access to adequate equipment is much better. When I started climbing it was much harder to procure quality technical equipment than now. I am referring to high quality waterproof jackets too. Now we no longer have that problem.”

Precisely due to this growing interest in mountain trekking, the issue deserves more study, says Ilinca Stoenica: “We dont have centralized statistics for mountain tourism in Romania. Mountain tourism in itself is hard to capture in statistics, because tourists go to the mountains mostly on their own. They provide their own transportation, bring their own tents, and they are very hard to tag. If they dont get accommodation at a place that keeps track of tourists and sends statistics up the chain, or if they dont go into a national park or a protected area where they get entrance tickets, they wont be included in statistics. There are plenty of people that elude statistics altogether. In my opinion, many of the figures included here come from places that skiers get accommodation in, mainly in winter, and counting the number of nights stayed over or the number of beds occupied in resorts. In fact, you have to make a difference between going to the mountains and going up the mountains. This list makes us proud, and I dont want to minimize its importance. But at the level of professional associations, such as the Mountain Guide Association of Romania, they are trying to get more realistic statistics, although it is hard to capture into a statistic everyone who goes to the mountains individually.”

It is not only Romanians who go trekking in the Carpathians, but lots of foreign tourists too, including Slovaks, who lead in the number of mountain climbers.

Here is Ilinca Stoenica: “In the summer, at the top of the Fagaras Mountains, you cant find a single Romanian. Three quarters of the people you encounter there are foreigners from neighboring countries. There are lots of Czechs, Slovaks, and Poles, who come to Romania because we still have wild natural sites here. The trails are limited in access, with some places to pitch a tent, but not in protected areas, where there are restrictions.”

23 January 2019
Prahova Valley

As a tourist area, it has its beginnings in the 19th century. That is when Peles Castle was built in Sinaia, and King Carol I established his summer residence there. This sparked a proliferation of mountain resorts, and today we look at what they have to offer to tourists nowadays.

Oana Constantinescu, secretary of the Association for Promoting and Developing Tourism in Prahova, has more: “The main tourist objectives I would recommend to a foreign tourist on Prahova Valley are Peles Castle and Cantacuzino Castle. Peles Castle in Sinaia has been the residence of royalty in this country since it was built. Cantacuzino Castle itself is an architectural jewel. It was built in the early 20th Century by Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino. I would also recommend Babele and the Sphynx, two stone formations, monuments of nature, in the Bucegi Mountains. They are the more impressive as they are natural. I would also recommend the Caraiman cross, which lies at high altitude.

Oana Constantinescu continues her presentation of this area, situated at the foot of the mountains: “Prahova Valley begins with the Posada area. The most popular resorts are Sinaia, Busteni and Azuga, but we recommend Breaza and Campina. There are lots of events here, and we also have architectural monuments, superb ones, such as the Iulia Hasdeu Mansion in Campina, and you can also find there traditional garb, such as peasant blouses made in workshops that use ancient techniques for decoration. The resorts of Sinaia, Busteni and Azuga are the most sought after by skiers and museum lovers. We have a novelty in this sense, too. In 2017 we opened the Sinaia Town Museum. It showcases the history of the town from its foundation, all the way to the present day. The museum lies in Stirbey Florescu Palace.

Prahova Valley is an area famous for winter sports, but there is a place where tourists can see for themselves how traditional clothing is made, right in the homes of the local craftsmen. Here is Oana Constantinescu again: “In Breaza we have workshops that provide tourists with a wholesale experience. They can watch the work that the craftsmen do, and, of course, they have access to a gift shop where they can purchase the finished products, colourful peasant shirts for men, women and children. Tourists can get information off dedicated websites, or from tourist information centres.

As much as a third of tourists visiting Prahova stop in Busteni, the second most popular resort in the area, according to Mihai Colesi with the Center for Tourist Information and promotion of Busteni, presenting us with the skiing situation: “The Kalinderu 1 and 2 ski slopes are functional, as well as the beginner slope. The Kalinderu 1 also has a night schedule. The Kalinderu 1 slope is 1,500 m long. It is not a long-range slope, and is aimed at medium and advanced skiers. The Kalinderu 2 slope falls into the same category. They are pretty fancy, with protection and signalling systems, and modern installations overall. We have four seat ski lifts. At the bottom of the slope we have rental centres for all seasonal winter sports enthusiasts.

Prahova Valley is the most popular vacation venue in Romania. As a result, events abound. Oana Constantinescu, Secretary of the Association for Promoting and Developing Tourism in Prahova, has told us about it: “The first event takes place in a few weeks. It is the Honey Fair in Campina, which runs between February 16 and 18, followed by a cheese festival, the Sinaia Forever Festival, as well as the Winter Airsports and the Sinaia Trophy. There is also a festival dedicated to fancy automobiles, bringing here vintage cars that are all fully functional. Prahova Valley is a venue for all seasons. In winter we enjoy the skiing amenities, but in any other season we have a wide range of activities available, mostly dedicated to trekkers and climbing enthusiasts. We also have lots of parks. You have many trails available, including for cycling. We have MTB cycling competitions, among them the best being in Campina. We have adventure parks in Busteni, as well as in Sinaia.

Oana Constantinescu recommends the Wine Route in particular. It follows an old Roman wine-trading route, which traversed Europe. You can visit the famous vineyards of the county, with stopovers at mansions and monasteries. For one day on this trail, starting in Bucharest, it costs 80 Euro per person, with availability for groups of up to 8. Large groups get discounts. Transportation is included in the price for going from Bucharest to Sinaia and Dealu Mare, with wine tasting, lunch and entry to tourist objectives, tour guides included as well. You get picked up at 9 AM and get back by 6 PM.

Oana Constantinescu: “The Wine Route is a tourist trail in the Dealu Mare- Urlati area. You can taste all the local wines where they are made. A tour like this lasts for a day. You can go from wine cellar to wine cellar, tasting the wines, seeing how they are made, as well as the vineyards. It is a unique experience, with the whole range of wines available. Our area boasts mostly red wines. For tourists in a hurry we have a few wine cellars in Azuga. You are eagerly awaited in Prahova Valley, we have a lot to offer, and we enjoy having visitors.

We have extended the invitation, it is up to you to follow up.

8 February 2018
December 26, 2017 UPDATE

CHRISTMAS – In Romania, Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Christians celebrated, 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 on Tuesday, 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 Romanias 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 on Wednesday 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 the 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 Tukey 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)

26 December 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)

26 December 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)

24 December 2017