Tag: theatre

  • June 27, 2024

    June 27, 2024

    FITS The International Theatre Festival in Sibiu, central Romania, continues today with over 80 events scheduled. The famous US actor John Malkovich will step onto the stage with a show entitled ‘In the Solitude of Cotton Fields’. ‘Uncle Vanya’ by Anton Chekhov is another performance scheduled, and will be put on stage by actors from the National Theatre Satiricus Ion Luca Caragiale from the Republic of Moldova. The Bucharest-based ‘Stela Popescu’ Theatre will be presenting a concert-show directed by Razvan Mazilu and the Austrian Theatre brings in a performance entitled “The Carpathians like Stains on My Skin”. Street performances are expected to animate the medieval squares and pedestrian areas in the city of Sibiu. The programme is completed by gospel concerts and Portuguese Fado performances, while a Spanish troupe is expected to give a concert in Sibiu’s Big Square.

     

    FOOTBALL Romania’s national football side qualified for the round of 16 of the European Football Championship after a one-all draw against Slovakia in Frankfurt on Wednesday night. Razvan Marin scored the equalizer from a penalty shot and his performance pushed the side coached by Edward Iordanescu on top of the group. Our footballers will be up against the Netherlands on the famous Allianz Arena in Munich. Thousands of fans took to the streets of Romania to express their joy for the performance.

     

    NATO The Dutch Premier Mark Rutte is officially the future NATO Secretary General. The 57 year-old politician has benefitted from support from all 32 representatives of the North Atlantic Council, the alliance’s main decision-making body and his mandate is to kick off on October 1st. Rutte will replace the Norwegian chief Jens Stoltenberg and is known for his critical position against Russia and for supporting Ukraine in terms of its NATO and EU accession. The Netherlands is supporting Ukraine also militarily, including with F-16 jet fighters, which have been given the permission to strike Russian targets. Besides the war in Ukraine and the tense international political background, Rutte will have the task of negotiating with a possible US administration led by Donald Trump, if the latter wins the upcoming election where he runs against the incumbent president Joe Biden.

     

    SUMMIT EU leaders are convening today in Brussels in the company of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky for talks on providing weapons to Ukraine and the latest developments in the war with Russia. This has been the second summit after the European Parliament elections early this month and the 27 heads of state and government will continue talks on distributing positions in the main European institutions. Ursula von der Leyen, from the European People’s Party, is favourite for the position of the head of the European Commission, while the former Portuguese premier Antonio Costa, from the Socialists, stands chances to head the European Council. The position of the president of the European Parliament will be shared by the EPP and the Socialists with the first two years and a half held by incumbent president Roberta Metsola from the EPP. The three main political groups are convening separately to decide their position on the final negotiation in the Council. Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis will be attending the EPP meeting while the country’s Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu the Socialists. Also high on the agenda there is the military aid for Ukraine, which has been blocked by Hungary, which is also blocking the distribution by Kyiv of the profits from the frozen Russian assets. The summit also marks the end of the Belgian EU presidency, which will be taken over by Budapest for the next six months.

     

    VISIT The head of the Romanian diplomacy Luminita Odobescu on Wednesday held talks In Warsaw with her Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski on the sidelines of the trilateral meeting Romania-Poland-Turkey. Minister Odobescu has hailed the dynamic and complex character of the Romanian-Polish dialogue, assumed in the Strategic Bilateral Partnership and reflected in a busy agenda of political-diplomatic contacts and an excellent cooperation in the fields of security and economy as well as in sectoral areas. She also expressed the interest for the ongoing capitalization of the investment opportunities offered by the two states as well as in deepening cooperation in fields of mutual interest such as infrastructure, energy, agriculture and education. The Romanian minister has also hailed the effective cooperation at the EU and NATO levels as well as in regional formats. Regarding Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, the Romanian minister reiterated the need for the ongoing multidimensional support, including the military one as well as the importance of reconstructing the country’s infrastructure heavily affected by the war.

    (bill)

  • June 25, 2024

    June 25, 2024

     

    ELECTION The ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party is to make a decision today on the date of the presidential election. The two parties are considering 2 dates for the first election round, September 15th or 29th. The government has until early July to pass an emergency order on the calendar of the presidential election, if the vote is to be held in September. The Liberals insist however that the election should be organized towards the end of the year, although they had initially agreed with a date in September. They argue that holding the election in September would disrupt the start of the new school year, and the campaign would overlap the holiday season. The Social Democrats, on the other hand, rule out any change in the agreed calendar. The 2 ruling parties must also decide whether to have separate candidates for the presidential post. On June 9th, they had a common candidate list for the European Parliament election, but had separate candidates in the local elections.

     

    FOREIGN AFFAIRS The Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu took part on Monday in the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. On this occasion, Mrs. Odobescu highlighted the importance of stepped-up military support for Ukraine and mentioned the decision of Romania’s Supreme Defence Council to transfer a Patriot system to Ukraine.

     

    FUNDING On Monday Romania received close to EUR 1.1 bln from the European Union for projects in the energy sector, particularly for renewable energy production. According to an EU news release, Romania and 9 other countries received total funding of EUR 3 bln, intended for 39 programmes. The largest amount was given to Romania, followed by the Czech Republic (EUR 835 mln) and Poland (EUR 700 mln).

     

    ACCESSION The ex-Soviet republics of Moldova and Ukraine today begin their official EU accession negotiations. The first talks are to be held in Luxembourg, and during this process Chişinău and Kyiv must align their national legislation to the bloc’s regulations. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Brussels, since their recognition as candidate countries, the two states have made general adjustments in key areas, proving their willingness to adapt to the EU legislation. Beginning with these inter-governmental conferences, Ukraine’s and Moldova’s progress in the implementation of relevant reforms will be assessed separately. Analysts believe this could be an advantage for Moldova, which according to the European Commission has made better progress than Ukraine so far.

     

    FORUM The Romanian interior minister Cătălin Predoiu takes part on June 25 – 27 in the Salzburg Forum Ministerial Conference in Laxenburg, Austria. According to the interior ministry, the event focuses on current and future challenges in the field of security and migration, including security and migration challenges for the EU in 2024 – 2029, security along the Danube in the context of digitization, as well as migration and migrant smuggling.

     

    THEATRE The Performing Arts Market opened today in Sibiu (central Romania) as part of the famous Sibiu International Theatre Festival. Currently in its 27th edition, the Performing Arts Market has, this year as well, face-to-face, hybrid and online components. More than 80 officials for cultural organisations and institutions in over 30 countries convene in Sibiu to establish contacts and implement joint projects. The Festival founder and president, Constantin Chiriac, says this is the only performing arts market in Romania and in Eastern and Central Europe.

     

    FOOTBALL In the European Football Championship hosted by Germany, the last matches in Group D and C are scheduled for tonight. In Group D, the Netherlands take on Austria and France play Poland, while in Group C, England plays against Slovenia, and Denmark against Serbia. Romania concludes its Group E matches on Wednesday in Frankfurt, with a game against Slovakia. In the same group, Belgium is scheduled to play against Ukraine. All 4 teams in the group have 3 points each, with Romania still first-placed in the group thanks to a better goal difference. A draw against Slovakia is enough for the team to move up into the eighth-finals. (AMP)

  • June 23, 2024 UPDATE

    June 23, 2024 UPDATE

    PENTECOST Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christians in Romania Sunday celebrated the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles of Jesus, a feast day also known as the Pentecost and in Romanian as “Rusalii”. The Pentecost is a symbol of the establishment of the Christian Church, 50 days after the Resurrection of Christ and 10 days after Ascension Day. Believers evoke the moment when the Holy Spirit gave the 12 Apostles the gift of speaking many languages to preach to the crowds, and when the first 3,000 people were baptised, thus establishing the first Christian community.

     

    FOREIGN AFFAIRS The Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu takes part on Monday in the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg, focusing on the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, the developments in Georgia. The EU foreign ministers will also have an informal exchange of opinions with their counterparts in the Western Balkans, as part of a working luncheon. According to the Romanian foreign ministry, talks on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine will focus on the recent developments on site and the support the EU must provide to Ukraine, particularly in the military area. The participants will also discuss new restrictions against Russia and Belarus, the EU-Ukraine security commitments and will assess the Ukraine Peace Summit held in Switzerland on June 15-16.

     

    MOLDOVA The Republic of Moldova’s Sovereignty Day was marked in Romania’s neighbouring country on Sunday. Since it adopted its Sovereignty Declaration on June 23, 1990, Moldova has struggled with difficulties, but it has remained a peaceful and democratic state, in which the Moldovan nation has been sovereign and has decided the fate of the state, the country’s president Maia Sandu pointed out. She added that the citizens will decide whether to join the EU in a referendum scheduled for this autumn. In her address, Sandu also said that the years of independence have taught Moldova democracy and freedom cannot be taken for granted and must be defended every day.

     

    TIFF The winner of this year’s Transylvania International Film Festival is the Indian film “Girls Will Be Girls”, directed by Shuchi Talati, a drama on the condition of women in a repressive system. Another Indian film, “The Adamant Girl,” by Vinothraj Palani, received the jury’s special award. The Indian director was also awarded at TIFF in 2021, for his debut work, “Pebbles”. Also at the TIFF Gala, the director Sebastián Quebrada won the best director award for “El Otro Hijo.” The best actor award went to the Iranian Hasan Pourshirazi, for his performance in “The Old Bachelor”, while “Dismissed” by Horia Cucută and George ve Ganćaard was voted the best feature in the Romanian Film Days.

     

    EU Next week the European Union starts its accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. The EU Council’s Belgian presidency announced the official opening will take place on June 25, and that the 2 countries’ accession roadmaps will be assessed separately. The EU Council brings together the 27 Member States, which have already approved the accession and negotiation frameworks for the 2 candidate states. Chişinău and Kyiv submitted their candidacies shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

     

    FOOTBALL Romania lost 2-0 to Belgium, on Saturday night in Cologne, but remains top placed in the most evenly balanced group at the European Football Championship. Romania, Belgium, Slovakia and Ukraine all have 3 points each ahead of the last round in Group E, with better goal differences for Romania and Belgium. Romania’s decisive match for qualification in the eighth-finals is scheduled on Wednesday against Slovakia, in Frankfurt. Moving up into the next stages of the competition are the top 2 teams in each group and the best 4 third-ranking teams in each group. (AMP)

  • June 23, 2024

    June 23, 2024

     

    PENTECOST Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christians in Romania celebrate today the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles of Jesus, a feast day also known as the Pentecost and in Romanian as “Rusalii”. The Pentecost is a symbol of the establishment of the Christian Church, 50 days after the Resurrection of Christ and 10 days after Ascension Day. Believers evoke the moment when the Holy Spirit gave the 12 Apostles the gift of speaking many languages to preach to the crowds, and when the first 3,000 people were baptised, thus establishing the first Christian community.

     

    DIPLOMACY Romania has made progress towards inclusion in the US “Visa Waiver” programme, the Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu told Radio Romania, at the end of a visit to Washington. According to her, “there has been substantial progress in the legislative area, with the relevant legislation already adopted by the Romanian side. There has also been progress in terms of visa renewal, so as to get the visa refusal rate below 3%. I am taking this opportunity to further request support for visa renewal, because we need as many approved visas as possible, a lot is still to be done and we hope we will be able to reach this goal as soon as possible.” In Washington, the Romanian diplomacy chief had a number of meetings with senior US officials, including the secretary of state Antony Blinken.

     

    MIGRANTS Eleven migrants from Bangladesh, Syria, Ethiopia and Egypt have been caught trying to cross the Romanian border into Hungary illegally. They were hiding in metal rolls carried on a lorry driven by a Turkish national. The illegal migrants, aged 15 to 40, were trying to get into the Schengen area. They are now probed into for attempted illegal border crossing, while the driver may be charged with migrant smuggling.

     

    FITS The 31st Sibiu International Theatre Festival (FITS), offers the public on its 3rd day a wealth of theatre performances, music, circus and exhibitions. Today’s highlights include an organ concert by Stefan Donner, a circus performance titled “YouGur”, and the play “Scandal behind the scenes”. According to the organisers, the 10-day festival comprises 830 events: theatre performances, music, dance, circus, exhibitions and public reading sessions will bring together over 5,000 artists from 82 countries.

     

    EU Next week the European Union starts its accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. The EU Council’s Belgian presidency announced the official opening will take place on June 25, and that the 2 countries’ accession roadmaps will be assessed separately. The EU Council brings together the 27 Member States, which have already approved the accession and negotiation frameworks for the 2 candidate states. Chişinău and Kyiv submitted their candidacies shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

     

    FOOTBALL Romania lost 2-0 to Belgium, on Saturday night in Cologne, but remains top placed in the most evenly balanced group at the European Football Championship. Romania, Belgium, Slovakia and Ukraine all have 3 points each ahead of the last round in Group E, with better goal differences for Romania and Belgium. Romania’s decisive match for qualification in the eighth-finals is scheduled on Wednesday against Slovakia, in Frankfurt. Moving up into the next stages of the competition are the top 2 teams in each group and the best 4 third-ranking teams in each group. (AMP)

  • June 22, 2024 UPDATE

    June 22, 2024 UPDATE

     

    WEATHER Weather experts in Romania have issued a number of alerts for Sunday, June 23, concerning extreme heat and significant heat stress in most of the country. A code red alert for extreme heat will be in place the south of Romania. The heat wave will be persistent and temperatures will be extremely high for the 5th consecutive day, reaching 38-39 degrees Celsius, with lows around 20 degrees.

     

    EMPLOYMENT The number of public sector employees in Romania in April 2024 was 1,292,549,up 3,009 since the previous month, according to data made public by the finance ministry. Of the over 826,000 employees in the central public administration, more than 600,000 were working in institutions fully funded from the state budget. The largest number of such positions was reported in the education ministry (302,230), followed by the interior ministry (123,859), defence ministry (73,818), finance ministry (24,762) and health ministry (18,156). Working in local public administration institutions this April were 466,308 people, of whom 286,443 in institutions fully funded from local budgets and 179,865 in institutions fully or partly financed from other revenues.

     

    DISINFORMATION The Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed in Washington a Memorandum of Understanding on countering information manipulation. Among other things, the document provides for the coordinated development of relevant strategies, as well as for the involvement of independent media, civil society and the academia in fighting disinformation. According to a news release, the two officials have also reviewed the progress made by Romania towards inclusion in the Visa Waiver Programme, and have reconfirmed their commitment to close cooperation in view of reaching this goal as soon as possible. During her visit to the US, organised in the context of celebrating 20 years since Romania joined NATO, the Romanian diplomacy chief also had meetings with the National Security Council senior director for Europe Michael Carpenter, with whom she discussed items on the Romanian-US economic and security agenda, as well as regional developments and preparations for the forthcoming NATO Summit in Washington. Also, during a meeting with Samantha Power, USAID administrator, Luminiţa Odobescu highlighted the two countries’ shared interest in strengthening the resilience of partners in the Black Sea region, with a focus on the Republic of Moldova.

     

    ORGANISED CRIME The Romanian interior minister Cătălin Predoiu had a meeting with the British ambassador to Bucharest, Giles Matthew Portman. The talks focused on measures to be taken in order to curb transnational organised crime. According to the interior ministry, another topic approached by the 2 officials was improving the efficiency of police work, including institutional reforms, so as to handle current challenges. Predoiu highlighted the very good cooperation between the two countries, as well as the opportunities to further develop it under the Romanian-British Strategic Partnership. The Romanian official pointed out that border protection is a priority for Romania, whose goal is to strengthen and protect the Schengen area. Mr. Predoiu also mentioned that the implementation of the Pact on migration and asylum would be both a challenge for the Member States, and an opportunity to improve national migration and asylum management systems.

     

    FESTIVAL Sibiu, in central Romania, is hosting the 31st International Theatre Festival (FITS). For 10 days, the public can choose from as many as 830 events, including theatre performances, music, dance, circus, exhibitions and public reading sessions, which bring together over 5,000 artists from 82 countries. Internationally acclaimed actors, directors and writers such as John Malkovich, Tim Robbins, Pippo delBono and Neil LaBute are also expected to attend. Many of the international productions in FITS may be viewed online this year, on the online platform “Scena Digitală” of the Sibiu “Radu Stanca” National Theatre, the main organiser of FITS 2024. “In terms of the number of participants, the number of partners, the diversity of projects in the festival, I believe this is the most complex cultural event in Romania and a major one at international level,” said the culture minister Raluca Turcan, who attended several events in the Festival, including the opening of the Romania-Poland Cultural Season, the first in the history of the 2 countries’ bilateral relations.

     

    SWIMMING The Romanian swimmer David Popovici defended his gold at the 200m freestyle event in the European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade, after also winning the 100m freestyle race. The next challenge for the Romanian swimmer is the Olympic competition, in which Romania will be represented by 93 athletes. The latest one to qualify is the wrestler Răzvan Arnăuţ, in the 60kg Greco-Roman category, after the International Olympic Committee disqualified several Russian and Byelorussian athletes. (AMP)

  • June 22, 2024

    June 22, 2024

     

    WEATHER A code red alert for extreme heat is in place today in 5 counties in the south of Romania, with temperatures expected to reach 38-39 degrees Celsius. On Sunday the heat wave is predicted to stay in place and even extend to the capital city Bucharest as well. Later this afternoon, heavy rainfalls and storms are expected in the northern part of the country.

     

    DISINFORMATION The Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed in Washington a Memorandum of Understanding on countering information manipulation. Among other things, the document provides for the coordinated development of relevant strategies, as well as for the involvement of independent media, civil society and the academia in fighting disinformation. According to a news release, the two officials have also reviewed the progress made by Romania towards inclusion in the Visa Waiver Programme, and have reconfirmed their commitment to close cooperation in view of reaching this goal as soon as possible. During her visit to the US, organised in the context of celebrating 20 years since Romania joined NATO, the Romanian diplomacy chief also had meetings with the National Security Council senior director for Europe Michael Carpenter, with whom she discussed items on the Romanian-US economic and security agenda, as well as regional developments and preparations for the forthcoming NATO Summit in Washington. Also, during a meeting with Samantha Power, USAID administrator, Luminiţa Odobescu highlighted the two countries’ shared interest in strengthening the resilience of partners in the Black Sea region, with a focus on the Republic of Moldova.

     

    ORGANISED CRIME The Romanian interior minister Cătălin Predoiu had a meeting with the British ambassador to Bucharest, Giles Matthew Portman. The talks focused on measures to be taken in order to curb transnational organised crime. According to the interior ministry, another topic approached by the 2 officials was improving the efficiency of police work, including institutional reforms, so as to handle current challenges. Predoiu highlighted the very good cooperation between the two countries, as well as the opportunities to further develop it under the Romanian-British Strategic Partnership. The Romanian official pointed out that border protection is a priority for Romania, whose goal is to strengthen and protect the Schengen area. Mr. Predoiu also mentioned that the implementation of the Pact on migration and asylum would be both a challenge for the Member States, and an opportunity to improve national migration and asylum management systems.

     

    FESTIVAL Sibiu, in central Romania, is hosting the 31st International Theatre Festival (FITS). For 10 days, the public can choose from as many as 830 events, including theatre performances, music, dance, circus, exhibitions and public reading sessions, which bring together over 5,000 artists from 82 countries. Internationally acclaimed actors, directors and writers such as John Malkovich, Tim Robbins, Pippo delBono and Neil LaBute are also expected to attend. Many of the international productions in FITS may be viewed online this year, on the online platform “Scena Digitală” of the  Sibiu “Radu Stanca” National Theatre, the main organiser of FITS 2024.

     

    SWIMMING The Romanian swimmer David Popovici defended his gold at the 200m freestyle event in the European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade, after also winning the 100m freestyle race. The next challenge for the Romanian swimmer is the Olympic competition, in which Romania will be represented by 93 athletes. The latest one to qualify is the wrestler Răzvan Arnăuţ, in the 60kg Greco-Roman category, after the International Olympic Committee disqualified several Russian and Byelorussian athletes.

     

    FOOTBALL Romania’s national football team plays against Belgium tonight in Cologne, in Group E of the European Football Championship. A draw against Belgium would give Romania enough reasons to hope for a qualification in the eighth-finals. On Friday, Ukraine, which lost its first match in this tournament, 3-0 to Romania, defeated Slovakia 2-1. Romania, Ukraine and Slovakia have 3 points each in Group E, while Belgium has no points yet. More than 20,000 Romanian fans will support the team in Cologne tonight. This is Romania’s 6th participation in the Euro, after the ones in 1984, 1996, 2000, 2008 and 2016. A team of Romanian referees also takes part in this year’s continental competition. (AMP)

  • 23.10.2023 (mise à jour)

    23.10.2023 (mise à jour)

    Aliments – Les autorités de Bucarest ont décidé de prolonger de 90 jours, la mesure du plafonnement de la marge commerciale pour les aliments de base lit-on sur le site du ministère de l’Agriculture. Neuf autres produits ont été ajoutés à la liste, dont le coulis de tomates, les brioches du type « cozonac », ou encore la crème fraîche. Pour rappel, le 1er août dernier, un décret gouvernemental est entré en vigueur portant sur le plafonnement des prix de 14 aliments de base, une décision convenue, préalablement avec les acteurs du domaine. Le premier ministre Marcel Ciolacu affirme que la limitation des prix des aliments a déjà contribué à la baisse de l’inflation, en dessous des 9 % le mois dernier.

    OTAN – La Roumanie continuera à contribuer à l’amélioration de la sécurité régionale et euro-atlantique, y compris par son rôle de pilier de stabilité dans la mer Noire. C’est ce qu’a déclaré, lundi, le président roumain Klaus Iohannis devant les participants à la cérémonie organisée à l’occasion de la mise en opération complète du Commandement du Corps multinational du sud-est, à Sibiu, au centre de la Roumanie. L’occasion pour le chef de l’État roumain de rappeler qu’en 2018, au sommet de l’OTAN de Bruxelles, la Roumanie avait fait part de son intention de compléter l’architecture alliée de commande et de contrôle sur son territoire par une unité terrestre censée consolider la planification et la manière d’opérer des forces et des structures de l’OTAN en Roumanie, à savoir le groupement tactique de l’OTAN pour l’intégration des forces, le Commandement de la division multinationale du sud-est et la Brigade multinationale du sud-est. Le chef de l’État romain a mis en évidence que parmi les objectifs de la Roumanie figuraient toujours la consolidation sur le long terme, de la posture de dissuasion et de défense de l’OTAN en mer Noire. Il a également transmis aux militaires de l’OTAN que l’Alliance était l’organisation politique et militaire la plus forte de l’histoire. Le Corps multinational du sud-est de Sibiu fait partie de la structure des forces de l’OTAN et aura pour mission d’assurer la commande et le contrôle des opérations terrestres de l’Alliance en toute situation, par temps de crise ou de guerre dans le but de renforcer la posture de dissuasion et de défense en Roumanie et en Bulgarie.


    Bruxelles – Les chefs des diplomaties
    de l’Union européenne coordonnent étroitement leurs efforts afin d’identifier
    des solutions pour libérer tous les otages détenus par le groupement terroriste
    Hamas, a déclaré lundi la ministre roumaine des Affaires Etrangères, Luminita
    Odobescu. Dans le cadre du Conseil Affaires Etrangères, la responsable roumaine
    a souligné que les informations étaient extrêmement sensibles et devraient être
    gérées avec un maximum d’attention, parce qu’il s’agit de vies humaines. « C’est pourquoi nous sommes très prudents,
    y compris pour ce qui est de la communication publique, mais nous continuons le
    dialogue avec toutes les autorités des Etats de la région et non seulement de
    la région », a également dit Mme Odobescu. Elle a rappelé que la
    Roumanie avait condamné fermement l’attaque atroce contre Israël et a souligné
    le droit légitime d’Israël de se défendre. « J’ai
    fermement demandé, aux côtés d’autres collègues, la libération immédiate de
    tous les otages, y compris du ressortissant israélien qui a aussi la nationalité
    roumaine » a déclaré la ministre roumaine. « Tous les ministres des Affaires Etrangères ont fait part de
    leur profonde inquiétude sur la situation humanitaire dans la bande de Gaza,
    qui touche la vie de personne innocentes et c’est pourquoi il est très
    important de continuer à fournir de l’aide humanitaire aux civils » a
    affirmé aussi la responsable roumaine. L’exécutif roumain a déjà décidé
    d’envoyer de l’aide humanitaire dans la région. Lorsqu’ici, quelque 260
    personnes de nationalité roumaine et membres de leurs familles ont sollicité d’être
    évacuées de la Bande de Gaza.

    Enseignants – Les salariés du système de l’éducation nationale de Roumanie recevront ces jours-ci leurs bonus annuels obtenus suite à la grève générale, déclenchée à la fin de l’année scolaire précédente. L’argent sera distribué sur des cartes bancaires et la distribution en a déjà démarré, a fait savoir l’exécutif de Bucarest. Plus de 326 000 salariés de l’enseignement bénéficient de ce bonus annuel dont la valeur nette est de 1500 lei, soit l’équivalent de 300 € pour le personnel enseignant et de 500 lei soit, l’équivalent de 100 € pour le personnel administratif. Un autre bonus est accordé pour la carrière professionnelle à compter de cette année scolaire, sur une période de quatre ans. Le gouvernement a encore décidé de prolonger la période durant laquelle les demandes pour des vouchers éducationnels peuvent être déposées. Il s’agit de 500 lei accordés une fois par an aux enfants provenant des familles défavorisées pour que ceux-ci puissent se procurer des fournitures scolaires et des vêtements. Le nombre de bénéficiaires en a été estimé à 410 000.

    Théâtre – La 33e édition du Festival National de Théâtre bat son plein à Bucarest. Le thème choisi pour cette édition, dont l’ouverture officielle a eu lieu vendredi dernier et qui se déroulera jusqu’au 30 octobre, est « Les laboratoires du sensible ». Les productions présentées cette année ont été sélectionnées parmi plus de 150 spectacles présentés en première au cours de la saison 2022-2023, produits par des théâtres d’Etat et des théâtres indépendants de Roumanie.

  • October 23, 2023

    October 23, 2023

    FOODSTUFFS The cap on mark-ups for
    basic foodstuffs will be extended by another 90 days, under a draft emergency order posted on the
    home page of the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry. Nine other products
    will be added to the list, including tomato broth, margarine, yeast, sour cream.
    On August 1 a government order took effect, under which prices for 14 basic
    foodstuffs were capped, following discussions with processors, distributors and
    retailers. PM Marcel Ciolacu said the cap on basic foodstuffs contributed to
    reducing the inflation rate below 9% last month.


    NATO
    Romania will continue to contribute to improving regional and Euro-Atlantic security,
    including, among others, as a stability pillar at the Black Sea, president
    Klaus Iohannis Monday told the participants to the opening ceremony of the
    fully operational NATO Multinational Corps South-East command centre in Sibiu,
    central Romania. The president mentioned that in 2018, at the NATO Summit in Brussels, he
    communicated Romania’s intention to add a land corps to the Allied command and
    control structure in Romania, in order to strengthen the planning and operation
    of NATO’s forces and structures in Romania-the NATO Force Integration Unit, the
    Multinational Division South-East Command and the Multinational Brigade
    South-East. Mr. Iohannis also said that strengthening NATO’s deterrence and
    defence posture at the Black Sea remains a top long-term objective. The
    Multinational Corps South-East in Sibiu is part
    of the NATO force structure and ensures the command
    and control of Allied land operations in any situation, including crises and
    war, to bolster the NATO deterrence and defence posture in Romania and
    Bulgaria.



    FAC The Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu takes
    part today in the Foreign Affairs Council meeting held in Luxembourg. According
    to the Romanian foreign ministry, the agenda includes talks on the situation in
    Israel and the region following the terrorist attacks of Hamas, Russia’s
    aggression against Ukraine and the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The
    EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, will also discuss his visit to China, on October 12 to 14, the Belgrade – Pristina Dialogue, and the Sahel region.
    On the sidelines of the meeting, Luminiţa Odobescu will take part in the
    EU-Central Asia ministerial meeting.


    EDUCATION Public education staff in Romania are to receive
    these days the annual bonus obtained following the strike at the end of the
    previous academic year. Over 326,000 employees in the sector will benefit from
    this annual bonus, amounting to EUR 300 for teaching staff and EUR 100 for
    administrative staff. The government has also decided to extend the deadline
    for the submission of educational voucher applications, through which EUR 100
    vouchers are given once a year to an estimated 410,000 underprivileged children
    for the purchase of clothes and school supplies.


    RALLIES Protesters took to the streets on Sunday as well
    across Europe, to support either the Palestinian or the Israeli cause and the approx.
    200 hostages taken by Hamas. In London, 20,000 people demanded the release of
    the people kidnapped by the Islamists, after the previous day nearly 100,000
    demanded an end to the slaughter in Gaza. In Paris, nearly 15,000 protested
    against Israel’s shelling civilian areas, with similar rallies in Sarajevo and Istanbul,
    while in Geneva the families of the hostages contacted the headquarters of the
    Red Cross and the High UN Commissioner for Human Rights. In Germany, president
    Frank-Walter Steinmaier and PM Olaf Scholz pleaded for the eradication of antisemitism.


    THEATRE Bucharest is hosting the National Theatre
    Festival until October 30th. The theme chosen for this year’s edition is Laboratories
    of the Sensitive. The plays chosen for the festival were selected out of over
    150 performances that premiered in the 2022-2023 season in state and
    independent theatres in Romania. (AMP)

  • October 20, 2023 UPDATE

    October 20, 2023 UPDATE

    SCHENGEN The European Commissioner
    for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, says that the good results obtained by
    Romania and Bulgaria in the management of pilot projects on migration are an
    additional argument in favor of the accession of the two states to the European
    Free Movement Area – Schengen. The statement was made at the Home Affairs
    Council meeting in Luxembourg. Several countries pleaded for Romania and
    Bulgaria’s Schengen accession. Austria and the Netherlands, which opposed the
    accession last December, did not present any argument.


    SUMMIT The transformation of
    Romania’s economy into a green and digital one is a long-term process, which
    requires a strong national plan and must be embraced by all political, business
    and civic forces, the Romanian Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, told the
    participants in the second Climate Change Summit. According to him,
    mitigating the effects of climate change in the short, medium and long run, is
    a priority for the Cabinet. He also stated that in collaboration with the
    private sector, solutions for the future can be developed, so that Romania in
    2030 will be better prepared to deal with climate challenges. In turn, the
    President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, stated that the impact of climate change
    is global and appreciated the fact that part of the Summit is taking place in
    universities. He stressed that young people must have opportunities to
    participate in the process of decarbonisation and acceleration of the green
    transition.


    HEALTH The government of Romania Friday approved three National
    Healthcare Strategies for the next 7 years: a general strategy on public health
    and healthcare, and 2 specific ones, focusing on fighting in-hospital
    infections and on vaccination, respectively. The healthcare minister Alexandru
    Rafila explained that the vaccination strategy encourages lifelong
    immunisation, and is designed to preserve low risks of re-emergence of serious
    diseases like polio, measles and rubella in Romania. He also emphasised that
    the strategy has nothing to do with compulsory vaccination, but assigns tasks
    to public institutions and the medical professionals with respect to information
    and resources. Also on Friday, the government increased the amounts paid to the
    households affected by flooding, landslides and other natural conditions. Money
    has also been earmarked from the reserve fund for carrying on investments in
    transportation and unblocking healthcare payments.


    AID The National Committee for
    Emergency Situations in Romania has decided to provide aid to the population in
    Gaza Strip. The humanitarian aid will consist, among other things, of food,
    water, beds, mattresses and tents. The transport will be provided with the
    support of the Romanian Ministry of Defence and international organisations,
    the Romanian Government has announced.Meanwhile, hundreds of Romanians
    with medical qualifications have enrolled on the health ministry’s website to
    go to Israel and help if necessary, although Romania has not received any
    request in this respect up to this point.


    THEATRE The 33rd edition
    of the National Theatre Festival started in Bucharest on Friday. Until October
    30, under the motto Laboratories of the Sensitive the public will be able to
    watch 30 Romanian productions and 3 foreign plays. The programme also includes roundtables,
    conferences, exhibitions, book launches, reading and radio shows, as well as
    creative workshops and Q&A sessions with artists. (AMP)

  • Les survivantes de la violence domestique

    Les survivantes de la violence domestique

    Si les marques que les coups ont laissé dans la chair des
    victimes symbolisent assez bien la violence domestique et de genre, d’autres
    traces, plus insidieuses, car moins visibles, définissent les effets psychiques
    de ce même fléau. Car, en effet, la violence psychologique fait moins souvent
    les gros titres des journaux, alors qu’elle fait pourtant l’objet d’actes normatifs
    spécifiques, et qu’elle constitue la cause principale de l’incapacité des
    victimes à demander de l’aide et à sortir d’une relation abusive. Et c’est bien
    cette violence psychologique qu’est abordée par la pièce « Restart »,
    « Nouveau départ » en traduction française, écrite et mise en scène par
    Ozana Nicolau, et jouée sur les planches du Centre éducatif Replika de Bucarest.
    Inspiré par les témoignages des victimes qui sont parvenues à se départir d’une
    relation abusive, le spectacle « Restart » constitue le fruit d’une
    collaboration entre plusieurs associations, telles Aleg, « Je choisis »,
    en français, de Sibiu, et Anaïs, de Bucarest. Mais la dramaturge Ozana Nicolau n’a
    pas hésité à puiser aussi dans ses souvenirs d’enfance, s’inspirant des
    histoires d’abus et de violence conjugale dont elle avait entendu parler ou qu’elle
    avait côtoyé à l’époque, ne cessant jamais de s’interroger sur la situation d’impunité
    manifeste de l’agresseur. Et si aujourd’hui la législation roumaine permet la
    délivrance plutôt rapide d’un ordre de protection provisoire aux victimes de
    violence domestique, et que la police se montre réactive face à ce genre de
    situations, l’abus émotionnel semble passer encore et toujours sous le radar. Or
    la pièce « Restart » entend justement mettre sous les feux des
    projecteurs ce type insidieux et méconnu de violence domestique. La dramaturge
    Ozana Nicolau détaille :


    « Vous savez, la violence physique, on la voie, elle
    est flagrante, manifeste, et punie par la loi. Mais si elle arrive à s’installer
    au sein du couple, c’est qu’elle se fonde sur un mécanisme violent bien moins
    connu, et que la loi ignore trop souvent. Et là je parle de la violence
    émotionnelle, un type de violence qu’il est difficile à cerner et à mettre sur
    les bancs des accusés. C’est de cette idée de départ que nous avons voulu
    comprendre ce qui se passe dans la tête d’une femme victime qui, alors même qu’elle
    souffre, se sente toujours coupable. Car elle se fait manipuler, pour qu’elle
    se sente coupable justement, pour qu’elle se sente seule, isolée, sans défense,
    incapable de pouvoir rompre et partir. Une femme
    prise au piège. Et il fallait démonter ce mécanisme psychologique qui rende la
    victime impuissante. Car c’est toujours en soi qu’il faut pouvoir trouver les
    ressources qui nous aident de rompre, de quitter, de se reconstruire. »


    Les deux seuls personnages de
    la pièce sont joués par les actrices Mihaela Rădescu et Nicoleta Lefter. La
    dernière nous explique ce qui l’a poussé à endosser ce rôle de victime avant de
    devenir une survivante de la violence de genre. Nicoleta Lefter :


    « Le rôle m’a semblé dès le départ très pertinent.
    Je connaissais Ozana, et je voulais pouvoir
    collaborer avec elle sur ce projet spécifique. Et puis le personnage en tant
    que tel est très complexe. Il lui fallait une voix qui lui corresponde. Il s’agit
    d’un thème peu abordé dans les théâtres publics. Et les histoires de vie que cette
    pièce raconte sont passablement émouvantes. Et puis, après avoir lu leurs
    témoignages, je les ai rencontrées, certaines de ces femmes, parce que’elles
    sont venues voir e spectacle. Savoir que ces choses sont réelles, que l’on
    raconte la vie des gens qui sont parmi nous, est une chose assez émouvante. On
    se rend compte que c’est important ce qu’on fait. En racontant leur vécu, l’on se
    sente
    investi d’une certaine responsabilité, et on ressente aussi l’énergie que
    les spectateurs nous renvoient en retour. »


    Il est certain que le
    spectacle a le don de susciter l’empathie des spectateurs, émus des
    tribulations des victimes. Et Nicoleta Lefter n’a pas été épargnée, car c’est l’émotion
    qui accompagne d’un bout à l’autre sa performance. Ecoutons-la :


    « J’ai été d’emblée émue par leurs témoignages. Par
    exemple, de cette femme qui raconte qu’après avoir quitté son mari, ce dernier
    l’aura harcelée pendant des années de procédure judiciaire en procédure
    judiciaire. Elle s’était vue happée dans ce tourbillon de plaintes déposées à
    son encontre. Mais aussi tous ceux qui l’avait aidée. Ses parents, ses amis, et
    même des policiers. C’est que la séparation n’est pas toujours la fin du
    calvaire. Et puis, le pire, c’est quand il y a des enfants. Parce que ces
    derniers ne savent pas passer outre la déchirure de la séparation de leurs parents.
    Ils ne disposent pas des moyens nécessaires pour ce faire. Et il y a des
    enfants qui seront traumatisés à vie, qui porteront en eux, dans leur vie d’adulte,
    les séquelles laissées par cette violence psychologique qu’ils ont vécue.
    Aussi, si ces choses ne sont pas traitées correctement, ces futurs adultes
    risquent d’étoffer le rang des victimes, ou celui des bourreaux »
    .


    « Restart » n’est
    pas un coup d’essai pour Ozana Nicolau. Il y a quelques années, elle avait déjà
    monté « Foreplay », une pièce qu’elle avait écrite et fait jouer au
    même Centre éducatif Replika. Faire du théâtre militant, ancré dans le social,
    n’est sans doute pas anodin. Mais quel est l’impact ressenti par le public, mis
    devant ces questions sociétales ? Ozana Nicolau :


    « Je suis confiante.
    L’on soulève des questions. Mais, vous savez, une salle de théâtre compte
    quelques dizaines, ou quelques centaines de spectateurs. Malgré tout, les gens
    sortent de là, ils en parlent, ces thèmes de société se frayent un chemin dans
    l’esprit des gens. J’avais récemment reçu le retour d’une maman, venue avec son
    fils de 14 ans. Elle en était ravie. Son fils ne voulait pas y allait au
    départ, il connaissait le théâtre de marionnettes. Et à la fin de la représentation
    de Restart, il dit à sa maman : « mais si c’est cela le théâtre, j’en
    veux encore ». Et j’avais trouvé cela merveilleux, car ce n’est pas un
    sujet facile pour son âge. Mais je crois que les gens ont envie d’être interpellés,
    d’être secoués lorsqu’ils viennent voir une pièce de théâtre. D’être confrontés
    aux questions de société, ce dont ils rencontrent dans leur quotidien. Le
    théâtre n’est pas un livre de recettes pour mieux vivre, mais il peut poser les
    bonnes questions, montrer certains points de vue, encourager, donner de l’espoir.
    Car l’on voit les autres qui sont confrontés aux mêmes dilemmes, et l’on se
    sente moins seul. »


    Un autre message émouvant nous
    est parvenu de la part d’un autre jeune spectateur, un pré-adolescent, qui,
    après avoir assisté à la représentation de la pièce Restart, a remercié sa mère
    de l’y avoir amené, pour comprendre ce qu’il ne voudrait pas devenir : un
    mari et un père abuseur.



  • Le dramaturge Matei Vișniec, Docteur Honoris Causa de l’UNATC

    Le dramaturge Matei Vișniec, Docteur Honoris Causa de l’UNATC

    Le dramaturge Matei Vișniec, l’auteur roumain
    contemporain le plus présent à l’affiche des théâtres de Roumanie, s’est vu
    remettre le titre de Docteur Honoris Causa en marge des festivités marquant le
    73ème anniversaire de l’Université d’Art théâtrale et de
    Cinématographie de Bucarest. En 2018, Vișniec a été nommé par la France Chevalier
    des Arts et des Lettres. Dans son discours lors de la cérémonie de remise du
    titre de Docteur Honoris Causa, Vișniec s’est penché sur le théâtre indépendant
    et ses artistes et sur la nécessité pour l’Etat roumain de mettre en place une
    stratégie nationale pour les soutenir. Il a également rendu hommage au grand
    critique de théâtre George Banu, décédé en janvier dernier, et a mis en
    évidence sa relation avec la Roumanie et la France, les deux pays où il s’est
    formé et a créé.


    Poète, dramaturge, romancier et journaliste, Matei
    Vişniec est né le 29 janvier 1956 à Rădăuţi, dans le nord de la Roumanie. Il a
    fait ses débuts littéraires en 1972, lorsque la revue Luceafarul publie
    plusieurs de ses poèmes. Il figure parmi les fondateurs du Cénacle de lundi
    ayant à sa tête le critique littéraire et professeur des universités, Nicolae
    Manolescu. Sa bibliographie comporte sept recueils de poésie, sept romans dont
    « Syndrome de panique dans la Ville Lumière», « Amours du type
    soulier, amours du type parapluie » ou encore « Monsieur K
    libéré », un recueil de nouvelles et plus de 50 pièces de théâtre. En 1987,
    il quitte la Roumanie, et arrive en France où il demande l’asile politique. Il
    commence à écrire des pièces de théâtre en français et travaille comme
    journaliste pour Radio France internationale. Après la chute du communisme, en
    décembre 1989, il partage son activité entre la France et la Roumanie, entre deux
    cultures et deux langues. Ses pièces de théâtre sont traduites dans une
    trentaine de langues et sont intégrées dans les répertoires des théâtres de
    plus de trente pays. Le nom de Matei Vișniec figure aussi dans « Le
    dictionnaire des étrangers qui ont fait la France ».




    Matei Vișniec : « Ce dictionnaire est très
    intéressant pour montrer l’ouverture et la force culturelle de la France.
    L’ouvrage répertorie quelque quatre milles noms depuis la Révolution française
    jusqu’à aujourd’hui, donc depuis 1793 jusqu’à nos jours. Il présente les
    étrangers venus en France et ayant eu une contribution significative à la
    culture et à la spiritualité française. Parmi eux, les Roumains dont la
    participation fut extrêmement importante. Les Roumains ont commencé à voyager
    en France vers la fin du XIXème siècle et se sont imposés dans des domaines très
    divers. Je voudrais mentionner un des noms que l’on oublie souvent. Celui d’un
    comédien originaire de Iasi qui, après des études de théâtre, est devenu une
    grande star du film muet et des comédies de boulevard. Son nom ou plutôt son
    nom de scène était Eduard de Max. D’autres
    Roumains figurent dans les pages de ce dictionnaire. Parmi eux, le regretté
    critique de théâtre, George Banu. Il est considéré comme un théâtrologue
    français d’origine roumaine, puisque son œuvre n’est pratiquement écrite qu’en
    français, même s’il a pris soin par la suite de la traduire en roumain pour la
    faire publier en dans son pays d’origine aussi. Ce dictionnaire arrive à mettre
    en lumière la forte contribution des Roumains à la culture française et je me
    réjouis d’en faire partie. Surtout que j’ai écrit une trentaine de pièces de
    théâtre en français, dont plusieurs sont parues chez des éditions importantes
    telles Actes Sud. Mes textes ont été joués des centaines de fois par
    différentes compagnies indépendantes françaises et presque chaque année, au
    moins une de mes pièces est entrée en sélection au Festival d’Avignon. J’ai
    toujours essayé de créer des ponts entre la France et la Roumanie, de
    m’inspirer de ce que la France m’offrait pour encourager les Roumains à faire
    de même. Pour moi, la France a représenté une grande ouverture, elle m’a donné
    des ailes, sans me couper mes racines. Parce que moi, je me suis formé en
    Roumanie, j’ai la sensibilité d’une âme d’écrivain roumain et de l’Europe de
    l’Est et la poésie, c’est surtout en roumain qu’elle fait vibrer mon
    cœur ».




    Depuis 2016, le théâtre
    municipal de Suceava, dans le nord-est de la Roumanie, porte le nom du célèbre
    dramaturge Matei Vișniec.
    Ecoutons-le :




    « A ma connaissance, ce théâtre est le dernier de
    Roumanie créé par des fonds publics. Avant son ouverture il y a sept ans, j’avais
    lancé un festival de théâtre à Suceava avec l’appui de la regrettée poétesse Carmen Veronica Steiciuc, les membres du Rotary
    Club, de l’Association Bucovina, bref autant de personnes aux grandes qualités
    humaines et très enthousiastes. Et grâce à ce festival, on est arrivé à faire
    venir dans la salle de spectacles les habitants de la ville pour leur présenter
    des spectacles importants de toute la Roumanie. C’est grâce à cette
    manifestation qu’on a compris que Suceava avait besoin d’un théâtre de
    professionnels, d’un théâtre d’art, avec des comédiens qui prennent le pouls de
    la ville, qui répondent aux besoins culturels des gens et qui deviennent des
    célébrités locales. Heureusement, ce théâtre existe et c’est formidable de voir
    que les dix acteurs qui vivent à Suceava et qui forment la troupe du Théâtre
    Matei Visniec arrivent à produire au moins quatre spectacles par an.
    D’ailleurs, comme je l’ai déjà dit par le passé, ce théâtre a mis en place
    plusieurs projets importants. »




    Fin mars, le Théâtre national
    Ion Luca Caragiale de Bucarest présente en première le spectacle « Le mot
    progrès dans la bouche de ma mère sonnait faux », d’après un texte de
    Matei Visniec. La mise est scène porte la signature de Botond Nagy, qui a déjà réalisé plusieurs spectacles sur
    les textes de Visniec. Parmi eux, « Le retour à la maison » qui présente
    l’absurdité du sacrifice humain en temps de guerre. Production du Théâtre
    Matei Vişniec de Suceava, le spectacle a été sélectionné dans le
    cadre du Festival national de théâtre, édition 2022.





  • FITS 2023

    FITS 2023

    The city of Sibiu in central Romania is once again the capital city of European theatre, to use an already conventional phrase.



    The Sibiu International Theatre Festival (FITS) hosted by the city every year is widely acknowledged as the largest performing arts event in Romania, designed as a multifunctional body and a creative platform for presenting new drama expression techniques.



    Every year, the programme is exceptionally rich: the most representative productions by major Romanian companies, critically praised international plays, daily street performances in the citys squares and in the fortified churches and medieval citadels around Sibiu.



    According to critics, FITS was the event that secured Sibiu the title of European Capital of Culture in 2007, the year when Romania was admitted into the EU. Thanks to the festivals performance exchange section, the citys “Radu Stanca” Theatre took part in some of the most important drama festivals in the world, including Edinburgh, Avignon, Naples, Brussels, Seoul, Tokyo, Porto and Frankfurt.



    Talking about the founder and president of the festival, the actor Constantin Chiriac, the culture minister Raluca Turcan said he was “a true ambassador of Romanian culture; the Sibiu International Theatre Festival is at present one of the most relevant theatre festivals in the world, and Sibiu, thanks to the festival, is one of the most attractive European cities that manage to grow through culture.” Constantin Chiriac is in fact the first Romanian to receive an excellence award from the Culture Ministry, at the initiative of the former minister Lucian Romaşcanu.



    This edition of FITS, which started on Friday, is the 30th in Romanias 33-year post-communist history. Until 2 July, over 800 events will take place in around 80 venues, bringing together some 5,000 artists and guests from 75 countries. This year, the theme chosen for the festival is “Miracle”.



    According to the media, one of the most spectacular performances was called “The Miracle of the Street,” with hundreds of viewers of all ages in attendance. In spite of the 31 degrees Celsius reported on Friday after noon in Sibiu, the Italian artists managed to transport the public into an entirely different place.



    One of the most touching moments in Sundays programme, the media also report, was the one devoted to the actor Mihai Mălaimare, the author and coordinator of a project called “Heritage”, devoted to the art of living statues. Taking part in the project are students with arts universities in Chişinău, Moldova, Constanţa, Craiova, Iaşi, Sibiu, Târgu Mureş and Timişoara. (AMP)


  • Le FITS 2023

    Le FITS 2023

    Depuis
    quelques jours, la ville de Sibiu est une véritable capitale européenne du
    théâtre puisqu’elle accueille la 30ème édition du Festival international
    FITS, un incontournable sur la carte mondiale des arts du spectacle et de la
    dramaturgie. Conçu comme un véritable organisme plurifonctionnel, l’événement
    invite le public et les artistes à explorer de nouvelles techniques
    d’expression artistique et théâtrale. Cette année aussi, l’agenda du festival
    propose un véritable régal artistique avec, à l’affiche, quelques-unes des
    meilleures productions des théâtres de Roumanie, des mises en scène
    exceptionnelles signés par des noms célèbres de la dramaturgie mondiale, des
    spectacles de rue ou des concerts organisés dans les églises fortifiées
    saxonnes de la région de Sibiu.


    Aux
    dires des critiques, c’est justement grâce à ce festival que la ville de Sibiu
    a été sacrée en 2007, année de l’intégration de la Roumanie à l’UE, capitale
    culturelle européenne. La Bourse de spectacles que le FITS a mise en place a
    permis au Théâtre national Radu Stanca de Sibiu de se rendre à Edinbourgh,
    Avignon, Naples, Bruxelles, Séoul ou Tokyo pour participer à quelques-uns des
    plus importants festivals de théâtre du monde.


    En
    parlant du fondateur du festival, le comédien Constantin Chiriac, le ministre
    de la Culture, la libérale Raluca Turcan, affirme qu’il « s’agit d’un véritable ambassadeur de la
    culture roumaine » Et elle d’ajouter qu’à l’heure où l’on parle, « le
    FITS est un des festivals de théâtre les plus importants du monde qui fait de
    Sibiu l’une des villes européennes les plus attrayantes qui doit son essor à la
    culture ».


    Constantin Chiriac est le premier Roumain qui s’est
    vu remettre samedi, une distinction d’excellence de la part de la nouvelle
    ministre de la Culture, à l’initiative de l’ancien ministre de tutelle, le
    social-démocrate, Lucian Romascanu.



    Inaugurée vendredi, la trentième édition du
    Festival international de théâtre de Sibiu propose jusqu’au 2 juillet plus de
    800 événements réunissant quelque 5000 invités de 75 pays. Cette année, le
    festival se déroule dans 80 endroits et a comme thème « Le Miracle ».
    D’ailleurs, les médias de spécialité notent que l’un des spectacles les plus
    spectaculaires « Le miracle de la rue », a attiré des centaines de
    spectateurs qui ont applaudi longtemps en ignorant la canicule terrible de
    vendredi. Parmi les moments les plus émouvants du programme de dimanche,
    rappelons ceux consacrés au grand comédien roumain, Mihai Malaimare, auteur et
    coordonateur du projet « L’Héritage » dédié à la pratique de l’art
    des statues vivantes. Le projet réunit des étudiants de la faculté d’arts de
    Chisinau, en République de Moldova, et de celles roumaines de Constanta, Craiova, Iaşi, Sibiu, Târgu Mureş et Timişoara.

  • June 24, 2023 – UPDATE

    June 24, 2023 – UPDATE

    PRICES
    Romania is the EU member country with the smallest prices for foodstuffs and soft
    drinks, according to the European Statistics Office. Specifically, in Romania, such
    products were nearly 30% cheaper than the European average. In fact, Romania
    also saw the lowest levels of household end consumer prices. At the opposite
    pole, Ireland, Denmark and Luxembourg are the most expensive countries to live
    in. The most significant differences were in terms of alcohol and tobacco
    prices-such products are over 3 times more expensive in Denmark compared to Bulgaria.
    The latter country also reports the lowest prices in the hospitality industry.


    ENERGY The European Commission approved the takeover
    of the Romanian operations of the Italian utilities group Enel by the Public
    Power Corporation (PPC) in Greece. The EC reached the conclusion that the
    takeover raises no competition concerns, given that the operations of the 2
    companies do not overlap. Enel announced in March it would sell its Romanian
    operation to PPC for EUR 1.26 bln, in a plan to reduce debt and focus on green
    energy. Enel group, which operated in Romania since 2005, is currently a major
    player in energy supply and distribution, in renewable energy and advanced
    energy services. It services over 3 million consumers in 3 major regions in
    Romania. With the takeover completed, the Greek group Public Power Corporation becomes
    the largest player in the electricity market in South-Eastern Europe.


    BLOUSE The Romanian blouse was celebrated this year as
    well on 24 June, both in the country and in Romanian communities around the
    world. The Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse is a cultural diplomacy
    instrument and a means to promote Romanian culture and traditions. The country
    hosted events devoted to the traditional blouse, ia, including an Art Safary
    exhibition of folk costumes in Bucharest, screenings and creative workshops for
    children, as well as a fashion show featuring the traditional blouse as a street
    wear element. Some museums, including the Ethnography Museum in Braşov and ASTRA
    Museum in Sibiu, received visitors free of charge if they came dressed in
    traditional blouses. Last year the Romanian blouse was included in the UNESCO Heritage list.


    THEATRE
    The central Romanian city of Sibiu, a European capital of culture in 2007, is
    hosting the International Theatre Festival, currently in its 30th
    year. This year’s theme is Miracle.
    Until 2 July, 825 indoor and outdoor events
    will take place, bringing together some 5,000 artists and guests from 75 countries.
    All the outdoor performances are free of charge. The festival also keeps its
    online section, which includes 40 shows. The official opening took place on
    Friday night, with the play A Cathedral Full of Organs staged at the Lutheran
    Cathedral of St. Mary in Sibiu.


    HOLIDAY Orthodox and Greek-Catholic
    Christians celebrated on Saturday the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, the
    last Old Testament prophet. St. John the Baptist was born 6 months before Jesus;
    he urged people to repent their sins and baptised them in the River Jordan. John
    also baptised Jesus, presenting him to the world as the Messiah. The Christian
    feast day of St. John the Baptist overlaps a pre-Christian tradition in which
    24 June was devoted to the Sânziene, gentle fairies believed to bring fertility
    and wealth.


    ROWING Romania’s Cătălin Chirilă won the silver in the men’s canoe single
    500m final on Saturday at the European Games in Krakow-Malopolska (Poland). This
    was the 4th medal for Romania, after Bianca Ghelber won the silver in
    the hammer throw event, athlete Andrea Miklos won the bronze in the 400 m race,
    and Ştefan Comănescu also came in 3rd at the 67 kg kumite.
    Romania takes part in the European Games in Krakow-Malopolska, between 21 June
    and 2 July with 150 athletes in 18 disciplines. (AMP)

  • June 24, 2023

    June 24, 2023

    PRICES
    Romania is the EU member country with the smallest prices for foodstuffs and soft
    drinks, according to the European Statistics Office. Specifically, in Romania, such
    products were nearly 30% cheaper than the European average. In fact, Romania
    also saw the lowest levels of household end consumer prices. At the opposite
    pole, Ireland, Denmark and Luxembourg are the most expensive countries to live
    in. The most significant differences were in terms of alcohol and tobacco
    prices-such products are over 3 times more expensive in Denmark compared to Bulgaria.
    The latter country also reports the lowest prices in the hospitality industry.


    RUSSIA In an emergency tv broadcast on Saturday,
    Russia’s president Vladimir Putin said
    an armed uprising by the Wagner paramilitary group would be considered
    treason and that anyone rising against the Russian army will be punished. He also
    added that decisive action will be taken to stabilise the situation in Rostov-on-Don,
    the southern city where the Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claims his fighters
    have taken control of military facilities. Previously, Prigozhin hinted that his mercenaries
    were heading for Moscow, Reuters reports. Prigozhin accused the Russian army of striking a
    Wagner military camp, which he used as a
    pretext for what he called a march of justice, arguing that he had 25,000 men
    ready to fight the evil at the top of the army. Yevgeny Prigozhin was accused of armed rebellion, and
    the authorities ordered he be arrested. Russia’s
    National Anti-Terrorism Committee announced an anti-terrorist alert in and around
    Moscow.


    BLOUSE Every year on 24 June, the Romanian blouse is
    celebrated both in the country and in Romanian communities around the world. The
    Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse is a cultural diplomacy instrument and a
    means to promote Romanian culture and traditions. The country hosts events
    devoted to the traditional blouse, ia, including an Art Safary exhibition of
    folk costumes in Bucharest, screenings and creative workshops for children, as
    well as a fashion show featuring the traditional blouse as a street wear element.
    Some museums, including the Ethnography Museum in Braşov and ASTRA Museum in
    Sibiu, received visitors free of charge if they come dressed in traditional
    blouses. Last year the Romanian blouse was included in the UNESCO Heritage list.


    THEATRE
    The central Romanian city of Sibiu, a European capital of culture in 2007, is
    hosting the International Theatre Festival, currently in its 30th
    year. This year’s theme is Miracle.
    Until 2 July, 825 indoor and outdoor events
    will take place, bringing together some 5,000 artists and guests from 75 countries.
    All the outdoor performances are free of charge. The festival also keeps its
    online section, which includes 40 shows. The official opening took place on
    Friday night, with the play A Cathedral Full of Organs staged at the Lutheran
    Cathedral of St. Mary in Sibiu.


    HOLIDAY Orthodox and Greek-Catholic
    Christians celebrate today the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, the last Old
    Testament prophet. St. John the Baptist was born 6 months before Jesus; he
    urged people to repent their sins and baptised them in the River Jordan. John
    also baptised Jesus, presenting him to the world as the Mesiah. The Christian
    feast day of St. John the Baptist overlaps a pre-Christian tradition in which
    24 June was devoted to the Sânziene, gentle fairies believed to bring fertility
    and wealth. (AMP)