Romanian Headlines 5

Transcription

Embassy of Romania in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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th
No. 5/ 5 Year
st
16 – 31 of March 2012
th
Politics
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President Basescu in Seoul: Romania to contribute 30,000 Euros to IAEA funds
The Executive has adopted the 2012-2015 National Anticorruption Strategy
Romanian-UK talks at MAE focus on boosting cooperation under Strategic Partnership
Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu attended the swearing-in of the Republic of Moldova President
Minister Cristian Diaconescu‟s meeting with Hungary‟s Foreign Minister János Martonyi
Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu visit to the Italian Republic
Romanian - initiated Resolution on human rights, democracy and the rule of law
The fourth edition of the Black Sea Defence and Aerospace
Exchange of good practices between Argeş County Council and Hammersmith and Fulham Council
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PM Mihai-Răzvan Ungureanu has met with representatives of Arcelor Mittal
Next three-year estimates put EBRD local annual investments at EUR 500 ml
Technical assistance from EIB and WB with a view to boosting the absorption of European funds
Young Romanian entrepreneurs to be extended over 5 million Euros in 2012 assistance
Norwegian support of about 306 million Euros for Romania's environment, renewable
energy, cultural heritage
IMF approves the 4th review of precautionary agreement with Romania
Mihai Tanasescu, from IMF to EIB
LSE strengthens ties with Romania ahead of asset sales
Romania sells copper mine to Canadian group
Land station for Romania-Bulgaria gas pipeline to be completed next May
Vulcan signs 54-million-dollar contract with Kuweit Oil Company
Eurostat: Romania ranks 2nd in terms construction output rise
Belgian companies interested in Romanian Mail privatisation
Gold and silver for Murfatlar at Vinalies Internationales in Paris
660 million Euros out of European funds invested in viticulture and winemaking
Romanian breweries make 17 M hl in 2011
Delhaize to Invest $160 Million in Romania Chain
Ford hires 500 workers at Craiova-based plant
Renault Group protecting Romania's water resources
Rombat purchased by Metair Intl Holding for 43 mln Euros
Largest Apple store in South-Eastern Europe opens in Romania
Pound trades at 5.25 lei
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Romania‟s presence at the International Francophonie Day celebration in Trafalgar Square
Romanian Easter Traditions at the Horniman Museum
Romanian Highlights at the London Book Fair 2012
Alexandrina and the Miracles of Everyday Life
Romanians at Poet in the City: the Anthology
Devil in Paradise: Forest Fruit by Alexandru Tatos at the Romanian Cinematheque
Fairytale Images and Books
After the New Man: Photographic Exhibition by Dana Popa
The Glory and the Limits of the Body: Bio-art Exhibition by Christian Paraschiv
Bucharest Calling! Ioana Paun presents new work in London
The Body Adorned: Folk Romanian Costume, Inspired by Queen Maria‟s Style
Europafest 2012 brings two times more good music – It‟s all about live quality music!
LEARN ROMANIAN IN ROMANIA
Economics
Culture
Arundel House, 4 Palace Green London W8 4QD UK Phone: 0044 (0)20 7937 9666 Fax: 0044 (0)20 7937 8069
e-mail: [email protected]
web site: www.london.mae.ro
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
Politics
President Basescu in Seoul: Romania to contribute 30,000 Euros to IAEA funds
President Traian Basescu announced in Seoul that Romania pledged to contribute 30,000
Euros to the funds of
the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA).
'In
my
speech,
I
pledged that Romania
will
contribute
an
amount of 30,000 Euros
to the completion of the
IAEA funds, in order to
have the necessary
financial resources to
carry out the training
sessions
for
the
personnel working in
nuclear plants in other
states,
including
in
Romania,' the head of
state said at the Nuclear Security Summit.
The Romanian President said that the accident at the Fukushima plant has triggered the
public's distrust in nuclear power put at peaceful use as a viable solution, and that the states
participating in the Seoul nuclear safety summit had mainly committed to improving the security
of their nuclear installations.
''The obligation and the commitment undertaken by the states attending the summit were
related in the first place to our all-encompassing obligation to improve the security of our
nuclear installations, to do this in a transparent manner and convince the citizens that the
security and safety of the installations is so high that they pose no risk to individuals, to
communities. I think that is one of the essential points and (...) this subject needs to be
approached in a courageous manner, yet understandable to the population in each country
where the authorities, the state own nuclear installations, but this applies for the private sector
as well,'' President Basescu said after the summit.
According to the Romanian President, in 2006, the Pitesti-based research reactor switched from
high-enriched uranium to low-enriched uranium, using a much less dangerous nuclear fuel. The
President said that Romania was the first country to repatriate the nuclear fuel by air and not by
the traditional means - train, ship or truck, which proves its determination to 'steer clear of
nuclear vulnerabilities.'
President Basescu said that Romania belongs to the select club of 32 countries that fully run a
nuclear fuel cycle from extracting the ore, producing the fuel rods, power generation, fuel burnup and storage after use in the reactors of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant (country southeast). In this context, Basescu said that in order to strengthen the country's administrative
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capacity, the National Customs Authority was provided with radiation monitoring equipment and
specialized equipment.
According to him, Romania has an integrated customs system for border security operating on
its eastern border, the largest of its kind in the European Union. The system has a complex
architecture, comprising 308 items of equipment, apparatus, systems and control devices that
provide for a very efficient customs control and allow the real-time monitoring of the customs
checks performed. The system is mainly designed to prevent the unauthorized traffic of
radioactive material, particularly from the East to Western Europe. (ActMedia, March 28, 2012)
The Executive has adopted the 2012-2015 National Anticorruption Strategy
Bucharest, 20 March/ Government of Romania – Press office/ On today‟s meeting, the
Executive has adopted the 2012 -2015
National
Anticorruption
Strategy,
document which has as premises the
stability of the legislative and
institutional anti-corruption framework
as well as the allocation of appropriate
resources for the well-running of these
institutions, the Justice Minister, Mr.
Catalin Predoiu has announced at the
end of the Executive meeting.
One of the characteristics of this
strategy is the focus on prevention and
education. One of the objectives of the
Strategy is protection of mechanisms
by which there are signalled corruption
cases or possible corruption cases,
before they happen.
The difference between this strategy and the former ones consists in the comprehensive,
integrated and general character, Mr. Catalin Predoiu has stated.
“Prevention implies an education of public system employees, an awareness of the harmful
character of corruption, both for institution and society, and for the person committing corruption
deeds. In other words, it is a quality shift in the anticorruption policies and action: we pass from
a simple finding, investigation respectively to punishment of corruption deeds, to a larger effort
of prevention and education of employees in public institutions, in the sense of rejecting the
corruption deeds”, the Justice Minister has explained.
The strategy adopted today by the Executive ensures the implementation of recommendations
formulated by the European Commission, in the sense of elaborating a comprehensive and
multidisciplinary framework to aim at all state powers, therefore, both Executive and legislative
and judiciary and local authorities, business environment and civil society.
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Minister Catalin Predoiu has added that “the Executive will raise, through Prime Minister, the
problem of adoption of a political statement by Parliament, whereby, to assume formally, the
objectives of the strategy and to implement them, since the recommendation within the
Cooperation and Verification Mechanism was in the sense that not only Government but also
Parliament assumes these objectives. Within the public debate, Parliament was represented
within technical working meetings, and undertook these objectives at technical level”, Justice
Minister has added.
In turn, the Spokesperson for the Executive, Mr. Dan Suciu has showed that through the
adoption of the National Anticorruption Strategy, the Executive accomplishes an important
component of the Programme for Government, that aiming at the fight against corruption.
Romanian-UK talks at MAE focus on boosting cooperation under Strategic Partnership
Bucharest, March 26/ MFA Press Office/ On 19 March 2012, Foreign Minister Cristian
Diaconescu received Martin Harris,
ambassador of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
to Bucharest.
The discussion focused on specific
ways to step up the cooperation
between the two states, in the
framework
of
the
Strategic
Partnership. Both the actions to be
undertaken and the areas holding
out a high cooperation potential
were reviewed.
Both sides agreed that the
economic field must be given a
great deal of attention, as specific actions to promote Romania in the British business
environment are going to take place in the ensuing period.
On a European level, the current challenges confronting the European Union and its member
states generate many possibilities for bilateral cooperation in the service of such shared goals
as economic growth, competitiveness of the European economies and job creation. The issues
of EU enlargement, with an emphasis on the Western Balkans, and of the Eastern Partnership
were also tackled in the context of European cooperation.
Policies at the Black Sea – Enhancing Regional Cooperation”
Bucharest, March 29/ MFA Press Office/ Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu opened, on 29
March 2012, the conference “EU Policies at the Black Sea – Enhancing Regional Cooperation”,
highlighting the need for intensified regional cooperation between coastal states and the states
in the wider Black Sea area, and for greater EU involvement in stimulating such cooperation.
The opening of the MFA-organized conference was attended by EU Commissioner for Maritime
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki, in Romania at the invitation of the Romanian side, as
well as by Minister of European Affairs Leonard Orban.
The head of the Romanian diplomacy stated it was time to start a reflection process conducive,
in future, to the EU assuming a
comprehensive view on the region,
by drafting a genuine European
Strategy for the Black Sea,
modelled on the Black Sea Synergy
and complementing the Strategy for
the Danube Region. “We wish to
see
a
multidimensional
development of the Black Sea area,
for the benefit of the costal states
and in the long-term interest of the
European Union, in fields like
transports, energy, environment
protection, maritime safety, cultural
exchanges (…) Coherent action at
the Black Sea would be yet another
proof of the EU’s capacity to assume successful projects in neighbouring zones,” said Minister
Cristian Diaconescu.
In her turn, European Commissioner Maria Damanaki underscored the strategic importance of
the Black Sea in the region and its contribution to stimulating economic growth, and agreed that
realistic, specific regional cooperation solutions were needed. Moreover, she insisted on a
comprehensive and integrated solution that should facilitate cooperation not only between
member states but also between member states and EU partner states on the Black Sea coast.
In his address in the opening of the conference, Minister of European Affairs Leonard Orban
showed that EU commitment in the region should be increasingly consistent and substantial, on
a par with the development potential held out by the Black Sea and the challenges it generates.
Minister Leonard Orban spoke in favour of an integrated EU policy for the Black Sea, as the
Danube and the Black Sea regions are correlated.
The conference continued with a working session moderated by State Secretary Luminiţa
Odobescu, and attended by: Marian Tutilescu, State Secretary, head of the Schengen,
European Affairs and International Relations Department of the Ministry of Administration and
Interior; Ömür Şölendil, Turkey‟s ambassador to Bucharest; Simion Nicolaev, director of the
Grigore Antipa National Institute of Marine Research; Peter de Ruiter, president of the
Netherlands – Romania Chamber of Commerce and partner of PwC Romania; Lavinia Macarov
from the Ovidius University in Constanta. The speakers focused on maritime safety and
migration, Turkey‟s perspective as to regional and scientific cooperation, the role of Romania as
an Eastern gate to the EU, cooperation for sustainable development and governance in the
Black Sea region.
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Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu also had a meeting with Commissioner Maria Damanaki,
the two officials underscoring the strategic importance of the Black Sea for the European Union
and bringing up the need for more structured cooperation, starting from specific projects in
various fields.
Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu attended the swearing-in of the Republic of
Moldova President
Bucharest, March 23/ MFA Press Office / Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu attended on 23
March, in Chişinău, the ceremonies
marking the swearing-in of the
President of the Republic of Moldova,
Nicolae Timofti.
On the occasion, the head of the
Romanian diplomacy conveyed to the
high official of the Republic of Moldova
a congratulatory message from the
President of Romania, as well as
wishes of success in fulfilling his
mandate. He also conveyed the
Romanian President „s invitation for the
President of the Republic of Moldova to
visit Bucharest at a time to be agreed upon jointly.
The President of the Republic of Moldova thanked the President of Romania for the message
and expressed his special appreciation of the fact that Traian Basescu was the first head of
state to congratulate him on his election. President Timofti reiterated the particular appreciation
of the multiple support Romania has been granting the Republic of Moldova and gave
assurances that during his term in office the relations between the two countries would intensify
even more.
Minister Cristian Diaconescu’s meeting with Hungary’s Foreign Minister János Martonyi
Bucharest, March 20/ MFA Press Office /Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu met on 20 March
2012 with the Foreign Minister of
Hungary, János Martonyi, who was on
an official visit to Bucharest.
The two officials hailed the constant
development of Romanian-Hungarian
bilateral relations, particularly in the
economic field, in the context of the
10th anniversary, this year, of the
Strategic Partnership. “Cross-border
cooperation is a priority for both
countries and I welcome the political
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and economic availability to implement most specific and active project,” said the head of the
Romanian diplomacy. The Romanian side reiterated the interest in continuing the projects
involving the interconnection of energy and transport networks, in order to further support the
major energy infrastructure projects Nabucco and AGRI.
In connection with the European priorities, the officials assessed the shared goals on the EU
agenda related to the new, 2014-2020 Financial Perspective, the Cohesion Policy, the Common
Agricultural Policy, EU enlargement, the Eastern Neighbourhood, the EU Strategy for the
Danube Region. Moreover, they underscored the importance of stepping up cooperation in the
field of absorption of European funds.
The heads of the two diplomacies welcomed the decision of the European Council in early
March 2012 to set September 2012 as deadline for a decision on Romania‟s accession to the
Schengen Area, the Hungarian side reiterating on the occasion their support for fulfillment of
that goal. In the context, Minister Diaconescu thanked his Hungarian counterpart “for the
support granted during the Hungarian Presidency, and also now, for the accession of Romania
to the Schengen Area.”
Moreover, the ministers reiterated the two countries‟ support for the enlargement process and
for the Union‟s initiatives related to the Eastern Neighbourhood, highlighting the progress of
partner states in getting closer to European values.
The two officials also had an in-depth exchange of views on the issues of the Romanian
minority in Hungary. “The core of the relations between Romania and Hungary with respect to
the issue of minorities represents a highly encouraging argument, very well grounded in the
European values and standards, and I believe that the relevant efforts made in the course of
time are bearing fruit and today the two countries can serve as an example of cooperation from
this angle,” said the Romanian Foreign Minister. In the context, Minister Cristian Diaconescu
showed that the Romanian side watched attentively the legislative process in Hungary that had
an impact on the Romanian minority. The head of the Romanian diplomacy reminded of the
importance of completing the Protocol of the 8th session of the Romanian-Hungarian Expert
Committee on collaboration in the field of national minorities.
Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu visit to the Italian Republic
Bucharest, MFA Press Office/ On 27
and 28 March 2012 Foreign Minister
Cristian Diaconescu was on a working
visit to Italy, to hold talks with Italian
counterpart Giulio Terzi di Sant‟ Agata
and with Minister for European Affairs
Enzo Moavero Milanesi. The Rome
visit is part of the regular high-level
dialogue with the Italian side, in the
context of a bilateral relationship of
Enhanced Strategic Partnership.
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The agenda of the talks featured topical bilateral issues, with an emphasis on development of
cooperative relations in the political and economic field, and European issues such as economic
governance, EU enlargement and energy security.
Also were approached the recent developments in the Southern and Eastern neighbourhoods of
the Union, as well as aspects related to preparing NATO‟s Chicago Summit.
The head of the Romanian diplomacy also met the Deputy Mayor of Rome, and the
representatives of the Romanian community and of the Romanian religious establishments in
Italy.
Romanian - initiated Resolution on human rights, democracy and the rule of law, adopted
by Human Rights Council
Bucharest, March 23/ MFA Press Office / MFA welcomes the adoption on 23 March in Geneva,
by the United Nations Human Rights Council, of a Resolution on human rights, democracy and
the rule of law initiated by Romania.
This is the first resolution on this subject since the Human Rights Council was created in 2006.
The resolution is the broadest and most comprehensive text negotiated in a multilateral
intergovernmental body, containing the description of the principles, values and mechanisms
defining democracy and the rule of law in the context of human rights. It introduces for the first
time, in the Human Rights Council, the theme of the connection between the three basic
elements: democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The resolution also offers the
conceptual foundation for disseminating in the world the modern concept of democracy and, at
the same time, the foundation for Romania‟s effort and concrete initiatives to transfer the
lessons learned during the transition to democracy to the states in North Africa and the Middle
East, for instance, that in the last year have embarked on such processes.
That the value of the resolution is acknowledged is attested by the number of votes in the
Human Rights Council (43 pros, two abstentions and two absences from the 47 member states
of the Human Rights Council), as well as by the impressive number of co-authors (124 states)
from all continents, irrespective of development level, local traditions and cultural values.
The relevance and topical character of the theme derive from the current international dynamic,
marked by the multiplication of popular movements in defence of the right to freedom and
human dignity and from the fact that more and more states are opting for the values of
democracy as basic landmarks in the development of their society.
In promoting and drafting the text of the resolution, Romania benefited from widespread
regional cooperation. Following Romania‟s demarches with the potential stakeholders, a core
group was set up that headed the negotiating process: Romania (the East European Group),
Morocco and Tunisia (the African Group), Norway (the Western Group an other states), Peru
(Latin American Group), Qatar (Asian Group).
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The initiative represents a major Romanian contribution to the activity of the Human Rights
Council, where Romania holds a second term (June 2011 – December 2014), as well as proof
of this country‟s involvement in the multilateral effort to promote and protect human rights.
Concurrently, the resolution promoted by Romania falls fully in line with the European Union‟s
efforts to promote democracy and human rights worldwide, as a priority dimension of the EU‟s
external relations.
The fourth edition of the Black Sea Defence and Aerospace
Between 16 - 18 May 2012, there will take place in Bucharest the fourth edition of the Black Sea
Defence and Aerospace (BSDA) exhibition and international conference dedicated to defence,
national security, domestic security and aeronautic industry.
The ministry of economy, commerce and business environment take part in BSDA 2012 with
their own presentation to promote the activity of the companies in the Romanian industry of
defence, the image and the interests of Romania within the Euro-Atlantic structures, as well as
the identification of investment opportunities and commercial partners for the development of
future actions of collaboration in the domain.
The event will gather prestigious companies from the country and abroad, which will present
military technique products for terrestrial defence, air and maritime defence, civil aviation and
products for the safety and the domestic security.
Black Sea Defence and Aerospace 2012 will take place in the Romaero unit and it is organized
by TNT Productions Romania with the support of the governmental authorities of Romania and
the Embassy of the US to Bucharest. (ActMedia, March 27, 2012)
Exchange of good practices between Argeş County Council and Hammersmith and
Fulham Council
Embassy of Romania – London/ On 12 -16
March 2012, a delegation of Argeş County
Council visited London for an exchange of
good practices with local authorities from
Hammersmith and Fulham Council. The
delegation was headed by Mr Gheorghe
Davidescu, the Governor (Prefect) of Argeş
County.
This visit is a first part of the EU funded
programme ”European Integration of Local
Administration Officers through Development
of Project Management Abilities”. In the
second part, a seminar will be organized in
Piteşti (3-6 April 2012), focussing on a
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successful project, presented as a model by an expert from Hammersmith and Fulham Council.
The delegation was received by the Mayor of the London Borough of Hammersmith and
Fulham, Mrs Francis Stainton, and met with experts in order to discuss various topics of interest
such as: structure and objectives of the County Council, financing, local development strategies,
management quality, communication with citizens, corrective actions.
The delegation had also an exchange of views with HE Dr Ion Jinga, Ambassador of Romania
in London, and with members of the Embassy of Romania.

Economics
PM Mihai-Răzvan Ungureanu has met with representatives of Arcelor Mittal
Bucharest, 29 March/ Government of Romania – Press office/ PM Mihai –Razvan Ungureanu
has met with a delegation of Arcelor Mittal
at Victoria Palace. He has noticed the long
–term commitment of Arcelor Mittal as well
as the important role the steel plant plays in
Galati, from social standpoint too. Also, he
has outlined that facing all current
challenges can be done using the
functional market framework.
The representatives of Arcelor Mittal have
reconfirmed the long term interest of their
operational presence in Romania and the
strategic role of Galati steel plant in the
perspective of market development in the
Black Sea area. Also, they have presented the economic evolution of the steel plant over the
last years, in the context of international economic crisis, as well as the economic challenges
they have to meet in this period.
The delegation has been led by Mr. Sanjay Samaddar, CEO Arcelor Mittal – Business Division
East. He was accompanied by Mr. Bruno Ribo, CEO Arcelor Mittal Galaţi, and Mr. Ionel Borş,
Country Manager Romania. Lucian Bode, Minister of Economy, Trade and Business
Environment has also attended the meeting.
Next three-year estimates put EBRD local annual investments at EUR 500 ml
Supporting the growth of the Romanian business sector is one of the priorities of the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EBRD officials said at the presentation of the
financial institution's new strategy for the support of the Romanian economy.
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'EBRD continues to support Romania's efforts with implementing the necessary reforms, both
by investment and dialogue with the
Romanian government. According to our
estimates, in the coming three years we will
invest in Romania about 400-500 million
Euros every year, with a view to supporting
the development of Romanian economy,' said
Jean Marc Peterschmitt, EBRD managing
director, Central and Southeastern Europe.
EBRD will encourage direct investments of
foreign capital in the corporate sector and will
support local businesses, both through direct
investments and through private equity funds,
focusing on sectors with added value, such as industry, agriculture and new technologies,
specified the financial institution.
EBRD plans to expand its activity in the municipal infrastructure sector, facilitating the setting
into practice of commercial principles and competition, and getting the private sector involved in
public transportation and municipal services. To this aim, the Bank will work closely with the
Romanian authorities, seeking co-financing opportunities for EU structural funds. The bank's
operations in infrastructure and energy will focus on strengthening Romania's energy security
and on helping put state-owned companies into private hands. The EBRD will also promote the
transition to a low carbon economy, through investments in renewable energy.
Since the beginning of its activity in Romania, the EBRD has invested over 5.5 billion Euros in
various sectors of the economy, mobilizing additional investments of nearly 10 billion Euros.
(ActMedia, March 26, 2012)
Technical assistance from European Investment Bank and World Bank with a view to
boosting the absorption of European funds
Bucharest, 27 March/ Government of Romania – Press office/The Executive has adopted two
Decisions transposing in the Romanian
legislation the Memoranda which the
Government signed with the World Bank
and the European Investment Bank for
technical assistance to be granted to
Romania, with a view to boosting the
absorption of structural and cohesion
funds, Minister of European Affairs,
Leonard Orban has stated at the end of the
Executive meeting. “The aim of these
memoranda is to ensure expertise by the
two international financial institutions on
two components: an expertise related to
the current absorption during 2007 -2013 of structural and cohesion funds, and on the other
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hand, for the preparation for 2014 -2010”, Minister has stated, reminding that requirements will
very much increase over the next years, and funds will be much difficult to absorb during 2014 2020 than in the current programming period. Memoranda have been signed by the Minister of
European Affairs, Mr. Leonard Orban, on January 26. Minister Leonard Orban has added that
after the entry into force of the two Executive Decisions, the aimed Ministries will conclude
services agreements with the two financial institutions, for each of the specific fields identified
as needing assistance in the dialogue with these institutions.
The field Minister gave some examples of areas where the two institutions will provide
assistance to the Romanian institutions. World Bank will provide assistance to Romania in the
modernization of the cadastral system, analysis of the national legislative framework on public
investment, rationalization of public investments, development of the capacity for economic
analysis for public policy development, support for the completion of strategy on climate
change, developing strategies for poorer regions and disadvantaged communities, strategies for
combating poverty and unemployment, studies on economic and social situation of Roma.
With respect to the support provided by the European Investment Bank, Minister Orban has
mentioned environment protection, as well as areas where can be used financial engineering
instruments. The EIB also will provide support for the management activity of the Managing
Authority for Transport Operational Programme, and for the activity of the National Company of
Highways and Roads in Romania.
"We are in negotiations with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and we
hope that, no later than April, we can reach an agreement on assistance which the financial
institution will provide to us," Mr. Leonard Orban has stated.
On the other hand, European Affairs Minister Leonard Orban has stated that today, the
Government has established to provide technical assistance, in order to support major
infrastructure projects, in environment, energy sectors, financed by EU funds and prioritized by
the Government.
In this respect, the Government has mandated the Ministry of European Affairs to enter into
technical assistance projects with economic operators, companies, local authorities
implementing major projects.
"There was decided, in a first step, the setting up of a task force made up of operational teams
of experts in areas such as environment, transport, public procurement, to provide technical
assistance to beneficiaries with a view to speeding up the absorption of European funds.
The project will be developed within the technical assistance facility, as two subsequent
contracts, aimed at environmental projects and road infrastructure, “the Minister has outlined.
The two contracts will be launched by the end of this month and will be contracted in May. They
will last for 6 weeks and an estimated budget of around 85,000 euro or 72,000 euro without
VAT.
In a second stage, within six months, the Ministry of European Affairs will sign a framework
agreement for services with operators that implement large projects. This agreement will be
concluded for a period of two years, grouped by type of project and type of support activities.
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Technical assistance providing activities will focus on procurement management advice,
checking the reports and bills for service and works providers, drafting the file of the refund
application, guidance, resolving legal issues, etc..
Minister Leonard Orban estimated that the estimated amount for financing framework
agreement will be about 4.6 million euro, for a support for the 100 projects aided by up to 150
days of technical assistance.
"We hope that through these measures we can support the implementation of major projects,
whether they concern road infrastructure, environment, and energy and so on," Minister of
European Affairs has stated.
Young Romanian entrepreneurs to be extended over 5 million Euros in 2012 assistance
The National Agency for the Implementation of SME Projects and Programmes (AIPPIMM) will
earmark RON 21 million (5 million Euros) for young Romanians aged 35 years and below who
wants to set up in business, AIPPIMM Deputy Chairman Dumitru Nancu reports.
'Under this 5-million-euro programme, 4,500 start-ups were established in 2011 that created an
average of 10,000 new jobs. The programme will continue this year for the same amount,'
Nancu told a conference on entrepreneurship as a modern solution, organised by Deputy Chair
of the State Assets Realisation Agency (AVAS) Cristina Chiriac.
Under the 2012 programme for young entrepreneurs sponsored by the AIPPIMM, 1,896
business plans have so far been registered, 360 of which were also submitted. Submission is
conducted on line to cut the red tape to a minimum.
Nancu also said that out of the 4,500 start-ups, most are operating in the IT fields. Auto services
come second, followed by construction and bread making. Under eight programmes of the
AIPPIMM for 2012, RON 116 million are earmarked, compared with only RON 15 million in
2009.
The programme provides financial assistance to young entrepreneurs of up to 50 percent of the
business turnover that should not exceed RON 10,000; the entrepreneurs qualify for loans
capped at 80 percent of 100,000 Euros and also for exemption from paying social security
contributions.
'Our initiative, conducted jointly with the Association for Community Promotion and
Development, is designed to provide legal and technical assistance to young people seeking to
open their first start up. Entrepreneurship becomes increasingly more important and young
people have to get involved, as there are very few young people in Romania having chosen in
the past to open their own business, compared with 61 percent of young Americans and 45
percent of young Europeans,' said Chiriac. (ActMedia, March 28, 2012)
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Norwegian support of about 306 million Euros for Romania's environment, renewable
energy, cultural heritage
Romania will receive about 306 million Euros through the European Economic Area (EEA)
Financial Mechanism 2009-2014, and the
Norwegian Financial Mechanism 20092014,
after
two
memoranda
of
understanding were signed at Victoria
Palace.
The European Affairs Minister Leonard
Orban, on behalf of the Romanian
Government, signed the MoU with the
Government
of
Norway
for
the
implementation
of
the
Norwegian
Financial Mechanism 2009 - 2014, and a
Memorandum of Understanding with the governments of Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, to
implement the European Economic Area (EEA) Financial Mechanism 2009 - 2014.
On behalf of Norway, the documents were signed by Gry Larsen, Secretary of State in the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oslo and, on behalf of Iceland, by this country's Ambassador to
Romania Sturla Sigurjonsson.
Of the total financial contribution of nearly 306 million Euros, an amount of 190.75 million euros
is available through the EEA Financial Mechanism 2009-2014 and 115.20 million through the
Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009-2014.
The signed memoranda establish a general framework for granting non-repayable assistance to
Romania afferent to the European Economic Area (EEA) for projects in areas such as
environmental protection, renewable energy, cultural patrimony preservation and strengthening
civil society.
The two financial mechanisms - the EEA Financial Mechanism and the Norwegian Financial
Mechanism - aim to help reduce economic and social disparities within the EEA and to
strengthen relations between donor countries (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) and
beneficiary states. (ActMedia, March 22, 2012)
th
IMF approves the 4 review of precautionary agreement with Romania
The International Monetary Fund's Executive Board approved the fourth review of the
precautionary agreement and will unlock for Romania the next tranche worth 505 million Euros,
Romania's representative to the IMF Mihai Tanasescu told Agerpres.
The IMF made available for Romania nearly 2 billion, this tranche included, Romanian
representative to IMF said.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
'Romania's progresses have been praised at today's discussions. The Executive Board
suggested the continuation of the fiscal consolidation, so that the budgetary deficit according to
the ESA standards not to exceed the 3 percent limit in 2012, and also to speed up structural
reforms in the health domain, transports and the energy sector, that could turn into economic
growth engines if faster implemented,' Mihai Tanasescu pointed out.
Furthermore, the IMF Board praised the way in which the National Bank of Romania adopted a
proactive approach on the banking sector, which is stable, well-capitalized and well-supervised.
They also called for attention and pro-active reaction to possible external risks.
The stand-by agreement between Romania and the IMF began on March 31, 2011 and it is a
precautionary one, amounting to 3.1 billion SDR, namely 3.6 billion Euros, accounting for about
300 percent of the quota Romania has at the IMF. (ActMedia, March 22, 2012)
Mihai Tanasescu, from IMF to EIB
Bucharest, March 26/ The Diplomat/ Mihai Tanasescu, the
current Romanian representative at International Monetary
Fund (IMF), will take over the responsibilities as VP of the
European Investment Bank (EIB) for a six-year mandate,
joining the other seven VPs of EIB. He will replace Greek
Plutarchos Sakellaris as he will coordinate the EIB
operations in markets as Greece, Cyprus, Denmark,
Ireland, South Africa and African, Caribbean, and Pacific
Group of States (ACP).
Since
1997,
Tanasescu
has
been
Romania‟s
representative at World Bank until 2000, when he became Minister of Public Finances, a
position held until 2004. He was the initiator in Romania of flat tax in 2003, when he suggested
a value of 23 percent. Since 2007, Tanasescu is Romanian representative for IMF.
LSE strengthens ties with Romania ahead of asset sales
LONDON, March 28 | Wed Mar 28, 2012 8:34am EDT
(Reuters) - The London Stock Exchange has agreed to help promote Romanian companies to
London investors as it looks to strengthen its ties with central and eastern Europe, an important
source of new listings activity in recent years.
There has been increasing competition among stock exchanges to attract business from the
region, where privatisations have boosted share sale volumes, with the Warsaw Stock
Exchange pushing to establish itself as a CEE listings hub.
The Romanian government plans to raise nearly $2 billion this year from the sale of full or
minority stakes in a raft of state-owned companies as part of an aid deal led by the International
Monetary Fund.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
The LSE said it had signed an agreement with the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BSE) that would
see the pair combine forces on a Romania investment forum to boost interest in Romanian
companies among London-based investors.
With Britain's economy facing a slow recovery, bankers working on share sales expect foreign
firms to be a key driver of fundraising activity in London, and the tie-up could see the LSE
attract dual listings from Romanian companies.
The LSE, which will support the BSE during investor road shows of Romanian privatisation
candidates, said it would also provide training and coaching to members of the BSE, as well as
government ministries and Romania's privatisation office.
Among assets up for sale are a 20 percent stake in flagship airline carrier Tarom, as well as
listings of coveted gas producer Romgaz and hydro and nuclear power producers Hidroelectrica
and Nuclearelectrica.
As part of the agreement, LSE-owned index-provider FTSE will also look at developing indices
for the Romanian market. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Jodie Ginsberg)
Romania sells copper mine to Canadian group
Romania sold its biggest copper mine, Cupru Min Abrud, to Canada's Roman Copper Corp. for
200.8 million Euros ($266 million) in a step forward for a long-delayed privatisation programme,
the economy ministry said. The state-owned company has estimated reserves of 900,000
tonnes of copper, or about 60 percent of the European Union state's estimated copper reserves.
The minimum price was set at 263.3 million lei ($80 million). (ActMedia, March 27, 2012)
Land station for Romania-Bulgaria gas pipeline to be completed next May
Romania and Bulgaria are building a 23.8 million euro gas pipeline to link the two neighbours,
Minister of Economy, Trade and Business Climate Lucian Bode says in an interview with
Agerpres.
The minister announced the Romanian side will complete the land station - the Gas Metering
Station based at Giurgiu - next May.
'Linking the natural gas transport systems of Romania and Bulgaria was one of the topics
tackled at the joint meeting of the governments of Romania and Bulgaria last autumn. The
project of the pipeline to link Romania and Bulgaria is one of importance for the two countries,
with its total value, also including eligible values for EU co-funding standing at 23.8 million
Euros, out of which 11 million Euros for Transgaz S.A. and 12.8 million Euros for
Bulgartransgaz E.A.D..The co-funding given by the European Commission via the EEPR
programme is of a maximum 8.9 million
Euros for both beneficiaries - 4.6 million Euros for Transgaz and 4.3 million Euros for the
Bulgarian side', Bode explained.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
The two companies approved the roadmap on Feb. 24, 2011 and the Joint Agreement on the
common acquisition of the services for work designing and execution was closed on July 20,
2011, the minister said.
'At this moment, on the Romanian section, SNTGN Transgaz S.A. Medias has completed the
technical project for the Romanian side, namely Giurgiu Gas Metering Station (GMS) and the
land section located between Giurgiu GMS and the point on the Romanian bank where the
pipeline crosses under the Danube River waters. The international tender was conducted and
was won by S.C. INSPET Ploiesti and building works at Giurgiu GMS are currently under way,
with the deadline for the contract completion being May 2012', Bode explained.
He added it is planned, in the next three to four months, to issue the announcement for the
public acquisition for building the Bulgarian side of the land section, with the completion
deadline according to the Financing Decision being June 30, 2012.
The contract for the Bulgarian section was signed on Sept. 27, 2011, and the works for
designing Ruse-based GMS started afterwards, according to information supplied by the
Romanian Economy Ministry. The announcement for the acquisition of pipes, valves and PIG
stations for the Bulgarian side of the land section was issued on Feb. 24, 2012. (ActMedia,
March 22, 2012)
Vulcan signs 54-million-dollar contract with Kuweit Oil Company
Vulcan Romanian Company, a member of the Tender Group, has won a 54-million-dollar
contract following a tender organized by
Kuweit Oil Company for the production of
210 pumping units and the corresponding
spare parts.
The contract will be carried out over a 5year period and the production of the first
pumping units will begin in about a month,
after the design works are completed.
This one adds to other two important
contracts signed by Vulcan since the
beginning of the year: one contract worth 4
million Euros with Black Sea Company of
Dubai for producing pressure boilers to be
delivered to Iraq, and another contract
worth 1.2 million Euros, signed with Wincke Belgian Group, for assembling some pressure
equipments in Serbia.
In the coming period, the company will sign a 7.5 million euro contract with Babcock Volund, for
the production of two boilers for the City Hall of Copenhagen, and is having advanced talks with
____________________________________________________________________________________________
a company in Israel for the assemblage of some power plants on gas, which could bring some
other 15 million Euros to the Romanian company.
'We enjoy the trust of the large energy operators abroad, traditional partners of Vulcan.
However, we shall continue the offensive on the new markets, the customers' direct approach
and the maintenance of some competitive prices, which should bring us new contracts in the
second half of the year, Vulcan Company Director General Adrian Volintiru said.
Vulcan produces boilers for power plants, industrial equipment and pumping units, being the
largest supplier in this sector in Europe and one of the world leaders. The pressure parts are
produced in accordance with the international ASME, PED, EN standards and with the
Romanian standards.
Vulcan Company, has approximately 900 employees, it registered a 23-million-euro turnover in
2011 and estimates an about 30-million-euro turnover for the first quarter of this year.'This year
we have as target reaching a 35-million-euro turnover,' Adrian Volintiru pointed out. (ActMedia,
March 28, 2012)
Eurostat: Romania ranks 2
nd
in terms construction output rise
Romania ranked second in the European Union in terms of January 2012 construction output
rise year over year. In the construction sector, seasonally adjusted production fell by 0.8 percent
in the EU17, Euro area - Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy,
Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland.
Compared with January 2011, output in January 2012 dropped by 1.4 percent in the euro area
and by 1.0 percent in the EU27 - EU17 plus Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Latvia,
Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, according to data
released by the Eurostat European 6 statistics office.
Among the member states for which data are available for January 2012, construction output
fell in nine and rose in six. The largest decreases were registered in Slovenia (-19.7 percent),
Portugal (-11.9 percent) and Spain (-11.5 percent), and the highest increases in Poland (+34.2
percent), Romania (+14.9 percent) and Sweden (+7.3 percent). Building construction declined
by 0.9 percent in the Euro area and by 0.8 percent in the EU27, after +9.4 percent and +7.3
percent respectively in December 2011. Civil engineering decreased by 1.7 percent in the euro
area and by 1.4 percent in the EU27, after +9.1 percent and +12.4 percent respectively in the
previous month.
Among the member states for which data are available for January 2012, construction output
fell in seven and rose in eight. The largest decreases were registered in the Czech Republic (20.1 percent), the United Kingdom (-13.8 percent) and Italy (-7.8 percent), and the highest
increases in Slovenia (+17.4 percent), Germany (+4.3 percent) and Portugal (+2.5 percent).
Building construction dropped by 1.5 percent in the euro area and by 4.6 percent in the EU27,
after -0.3 percent and -3.3 percent respectively in December 2011. Civil engineering rose by 1.6
percent in the euro area, but fell by 2.2 percent in the EU27, after -3.9 percent and -3.5 percent
respectively in the previous month. (ActMedia, March 20, 2012)
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Belgian companies interested in Romanian Mail privatisation
The Belgian companies are interested in the privatisation process of the Romanian Mail
National Company, Belgium's Ambassador Philippe Beke said at a meeting with Romanian
Communications Minister Razvan Mustea-Serban.
The Romanian minister assured the Belgian ambassador that the entire privatisation process,
pledged under an agreement with the International Monetary Fund, will be transparent, fair and
all potential investors will benefit from equal treatment, the Ministry of Communications and
Information Society said in a release to Agerpres.
The two officials tackled topics and priorities on the Communications Ministry agenda, with
Mustea-Serban speaking about the Digital Agenda, the Ronet project aimed at getting
broadband Internet to the rural areas and Ghiseul.ro (meaning „the counter') platform for the
online payment of taxes. Ambassador Beke stressed Romania is one of the most promising
markets.
According to a Memorandum with the IMF, the Romanian authorities, by end-June, must find a
strategic investor to take over a 20 percent stake in the Romanian Mail following a share capital
increase. The original deadline for the company's privatisation by share capital increase was the
end of this March.
The Romanian Mail has significantly cut losses over the last year, from 28 million euros in 2010
to 4.3 million Euros at end-2011. The company reported gross profit of 1.4 million Euros in this
January, up 16.6 percent on December 2011. (ActMedia, March 21, 2012)
Gold and silver for Murfatlar at Vinalies Internationales in Paris
Murfatlar Romania got a gold medal and four silver medals at the 'Vinalies Internationales'
competition in Paris, an event also
known as the 'World Wines
Competition,' reads a release sent by
the company's representatives. Out
of 3,900 samples, 45 were sent by
the Romanian producers.
The Murfatlar wines which won
prizes in Paris area Sable Noble
coupage white 2011 which received
the gold medal and the Sable Noble
Cabernet Sauvignon Rose, Dry
Murfatlar Sauvignon Blanc 2011, red
Lacrima lui Ovidiu, Chardonnay 'Late
Harvest' 2006, silver medals.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
'These other three medals won in Paris join those awarded to wines in 2011 at Berliner White
Trophy and Chisinau earlier this year. This is a signal given clearly and directly to consumers,
the 2011 wines in the Murfatlar vineyard are exceptional. Consumed either as young wines or
kept for collections, they will enchant during a lot of wine tasting events in the future as well,'
Murfatlar Romania managing director Cosmin Popescu said.
Murfatlar Romania, the leader of the wine market in Romania, has a market share of 25
percent. Its turnover at the end of 2011 was 185 million lei. The company budgeted a turnover
of 200 million lei for the current year. Murfatlar Romania administers more than 3,000 ha at the
moment, representing the largest surface cultivated with grapevine belonging to a single wine
producer. (ActMedia, March 20, 2012)
660 million Euros out of European funds invested in viticulture and winemaking
The viticulture and winemaking sector in Romania has achieved a great performance as
regards the absorption of
European funds, with almost
660 million Euros invested
so far, said Emil Dumitru,
councillor within the National
Interprofessional Viticulture
and
Winemaking
Organization (ONIV), during
the conference in the
opening of the International
Wine
Salon
Vinvest
Timisoara.
'The
viticulture
and
winemaking
sector
in
Romania has witnessed a
major transformation once
we joined the European
Union. This is a well organised sector, which managed a great performance in drawing
European funds as almost 660 million Euros have been invested in the sector. We have high
quality plantations and that is why we have to promote the wine production in Romania, to
educate the consumer and present to them quality wines, with brand names and geographical
indications. All these cannot be done without the contribution of the wine producers in Romania
who have made significant investments in vineyards, winemaking and wine cellars. We must
fight so as the Romanian wine should not remain stuck at a certain potential, and we should
capitalize on it, because it is on par with the wines produced in countries with tradition in
winemaking,' Emil Dumitru said.
The ONIV representative said that Romania reports a deficit in the intra-community trade with
wines, but this is not related to the quality wines.
'Romanian people generally consume local wines. There is a deficit in the intra-community
trade, but not for the quality wines but for the table wines. We have a plantation rate of 4,000 ha
____________________________________________________________________________________________
a year from 2007 onwards with only 500 to 700 ha cultivated each year, and most of the
plantations retrieved after the 90s were left derelict. During the upcoming Common Agricultural
Policy, Romania will be granted a national financial package meant for the viticulture and
winemaking sector, helping us reach 120,000 ha cultivated with premium grapes, out of the
entire 180,000 ha of vineyard, by 2020,' added the ONIV councillor.
The data provided by the Ministry of Agriculture reveal that the total surface cultivated with
grapevine for wine in Romania is 181,767.7 ha, only 27,716 ha of which are cultivated with DOC
grape varieties (controlled designation of origin) and 15,853.25 ha with GI varieties
(geographical indication).
Within the intra-community trade, Romania sold 7.59 million litres of wine in 2011 but bought ten
times more, namely 79.8 million litres. In the intra-community states, the wine export of
Romania was 2.02 million litres in 2011 and the imports were 3.3 million litres.
The Romanian people consume an average of only 26 to 27 litres of wine a year, higher than
the previous years, when the statistics indicated only 24 litres, whereas the consumption in
double in Europe, of 55 to 56 litres per capita a year. The Romanian people preferred the white
sweet wines a few years back, but the red wines have lately reduced the gap, also in the
surfaces cultivated with DOC varieties.
Romania ranks fifth in Europe in terms of surface cultivated with grapevine but on 14th to 16th
in point of production. (ActMedia, March 27, 2012)
Romanian breweries make 17 M hl in 2011
The Romanian breweries made 17 million hl beer in 2011, the same as in the previous year,
while Brewers of Romania Association sold over
15.6 million hl, the Association's general manager
Constantin Bratu said.
'Whilst the beer market reached 20.2 million hl, in
2008, it dropped to 17 million in 2010, but we are
pleased that the brewers stabilized the market
through their efforts, in 2011,' Bratu explains,
adding that 96 percent of the beer for sale is
made in Romania, and imports from Europe
registered the lowest figures, namely 0.27 million
hl.
'As much as 98.4 percent of beer drunk in our country is Romanian made, and very few sectors
succeeded this. The beer consumption per capita reached 89 litre, namely by one litre higher, in
Romania, last year, topping the European average consumption amounting to 80 litres,'
stressed the Brewers of Romania Association manager.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
The five brewers members of the Association contributed 272 million Euros to the state budget,
in 2011, by two million Euros more compared to 2010, and invested 61 million Euros, namely16
percent more than in that year.
The five Romanian brewers own ten breweries totalling 76,000 employees and supplied over
4,400 new jobs.
The Association's members provide 90 percent of the beer on sale in Romania.
Brewers of Romania Association was founded in 2004, and currently numbers five of the
biggest Romanian breweries namely Bergenbier, Heineken Romania, Romaqua Group, United
Romanian Breweries and Ursus breweries, and Romanian Hop Growers Association and the
Soufflet Malt Romania, the biggest hope and malt makers joined the Association in 2011.
(ActMedia, March 27, 2012)
Delhaize to Invest $160 Million in Romania Chain
Louis Delhaize SA, the Belgian retailer which owns the Cora hypermarket chain, plans to invest
120 million Euros ($160 million) in Romania this year, Ziarul Financiar reported today, citing
Philippe Lejeune, who heads Cora Romania. Cora plans to invest half of
the money in new stores, as it seeks to open three stores this year to
reach 11 units in the eastern European country, and half to buy land for its
medium- and long-term expansion, Lejeune was quoted saying by the
Bucharest-based newspaper. (ActMedia, March 27, 2012)
Ford hires 500 workers at Craiova-based plant
Ford Motor Company will launch a recruitment process this week to employ 500 workers at the
Craiova-based plant, Ford Romania HR Director Angella Alexander said.
'Ford will mainly recruit basic operators for the production lines, but
at the same time we are interested in increasing our workforce by
hiring some maintenance experts,' the company's official said.
At present, 3,500 employees work at the plant located in the city of
Craiova (southern Romania).
Ford Motor Company bought the majority share package of Automobile Craiova in 2007 and in
2008 took over the plant. After 74 years since the first Ford car was produced in Romania, the
Craiova plant manufactured the first Ford Transit Connect in Sept. 2009.
The plant also manufactures the model Ford B-MAX, available for orders starting March 23, with
the cars to be delivered somewhere at the end of July - the beginning of Aug. Ford will launch
the production of the new model B-Max in June, nearly two years after the initial date and will
produce 60,000 cars in 2012. (ActMedia, March 21, 2012)
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Renault Group protecting Romania's water resources
Dacia and Renault Technologie Roumanie, via the Titu Technical Centre, have invested in the
upgrading and creation of drinking water and waste water treatment systems, the Renault
Group reports in a press release.
The Dacia industrial platform supplies drinking water to the
town of Mioveni, while the Titu Technical Centre has invested
2 million euros in protecting water resources. The drinkable
water is used at the Dacia platform to prepare meals for the
employees, for drinking and for the employees' personal care.
Some of the water is also used in technological processes as
industrial water.
At the Mioveni industrial platform, there is a drinking water station that supplies water to both
Dacia and the 33,000 inhabitants of Mioveni. Investments of 3.4 million euros have been
conducted since 2005 in acquiring lab devices, creating a chlorine gas storage and distribution
station, upgrading the installation of reactive dosage to add a new polymer dosage and
preparation post, as well as in upgrading the water pumping and filtering stations. Investments
will continue in 2012 in upgrading the filters for the drinking water, diagnosing the sewerage
systems using cameras and establishing a biological station for waste water treatment at the
painting department.
The group has invested 6.8 million euros since 2000 in wastewater treatment.The platform also
has a laboratory that monitors the quality of raw, drinking and wastewater. Investments in the
platform have also led to an 87.41-percent drop in the consumption of water per each
automobile manufactured over the past seven years.
The Titu Technical Centre has invested 3 million euros in protecting the local water resources,
and in the next months a station is expected to be commissioned for the pre-cleaning of
household wastewater. (ActMedia, March 21, 2012)
Rombat purchased by Metair Intl Holding for 43 mln Euros
Metair International Holding purchased a majority stake in car battery maker Rombat based in
Bistrita (north of the capital) for 43 million Euros in the biggest transaction
recorded in the Romanian automotive sector so far.
PwC, the Romanian branch and its Romanian-based corresponding law firm
D&B David si Baias provided the financial, fiscal and legal consultancy in this
record transaction for the Romanian car battery market, PwC officials said in
a release.
'Rombat is one of the biggest auto battery makers in Central and Eastern Europe, with a
significant market share both in Romania and with respect to export and it has excellent
____________________________________________________________________________________________
development prospects in line with the overall evolution of the Romanian automotive sector,
which has constantly grown in the last years amid increased exports,' said Sorin David, Senior
Partner, D&B David and Baias, one of the coordinators of the consultancy team involved in the
transaction.
'At the same time, Metair is a South African company that holds stakes in several automotive
companies. Metair is the main car battery maker in South Africa and is conducting a programme
aimed at developing „new generation' batteries. Metair has been cooperating with Rombat for
some time and this transaction proves their long-term commitment to developing the Romanian
auto industry', David added. (ActMedia, March 21, 2012)
Largest Apple store in South-Eastern Europe opens in Romania
The largest Apple store in South-Eastern Europe, with a total area of 260 square meters, 160 of
which are for retail, opens in Romania. The store also has a special area for training and
presentations for Apple users. The company iStyle Bucharest opens the
largest Apple store in Baneasa Shopping City.“The store, conceived
according to the latest Apple standards, needed investments of over 250,000
Euro, to which funds for demo products and the stock of products for sale
were added. The generous area will allow the display of the largest range of
Apple accessories in Romania, with over 7,000 different items,” the general
manager of iStyle Bucharest, Dora Anca Popeneciu declared.
With a network of four stores (one in Cluj, the rest in Bucharest), iStyle intends to open two new
units in the next 12 months.
“In the second part of the year, perhaps in October or November, we will open another store in
commercial centers in Iasi, Timisoara, Constanta or Cluj,” Popeneciu said. iStyle Bucharest is
the only Apple Premium Reseller in Romania. With an experience of over 10 years in selling
Apple products in the local market, the company has registered sales of 6.2 million euro in
2011, on the rise by 27% compared to the previous year.“For this year we have in view to
increase sales by at least 15%, Popeneciu said. She added that the products most sold in point
of quantity are iPhone, iPad and MacBook. (ActMedia, March 29, 2012)
Pound trades at 5.25 lei
The exchange rate of the national leu currency resulting from the quotations announced on
March 31, 2012 by the banks authorized to operate on the currency market is as follows:
CURRENCY
1 British pound
1 euro
1 US dollar
1 Swiss franc
SYMBOL
GBP
EUR
USD
CHF
RON
5.2532
4.3791
3.2805
3.9961
____________________________________________________________________________________________

Culture
Romania’s presence at the International Francophonie Day celebration in Trafalgar
Square
Embassy of Romania – London/ On 17 March 2012, the International Francophonie Day (20
March) was celebrated in Trafalgar
Square.
The event “Le Francais, j‟Adore” took
place in the presence of Mr Abdou
Diouf, Secretary General of the
International
Francophonie
Organisation (OIF), being organised by
the diplomatic missions of the
francophone states in London. The
event‟s objective was to promote
cultural diversity in the context of the
London 2012 Olympics.
The Ambassador of Romania, Dr Ion Jinga, attended the opening reception organised by the
Embassy of Switzerland at the stall of the International Francophonie Organisation. There were
present ambassadors of francophone countries and British officials.
The programme included a concert performed by francophone artists on the stage in Trafalgar
Square as well as a series of activities held at the national stalls of the participant countries.
Romania took part with a stall realized by the Embassy of Romania in London in partnership
with the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism, the Romanian National Tourist Office,
and the Romanian Cultural Institute in London. We would like to take this opportunity to thank
our partners.
At the Romanian stall were exhibited leaflets and brochures promoting cultural Romania and
tourism, as well as traditional hand-made objects. The documentary “Wild Carpathia” was
screened during the whole day. The Romanian stall was located on the esplanade in front of
National Gallery in an extremely visible area. It attracted thousands of people, including the OIF
Secretary General.
Further details regarding the event can be found on the following website: www.lefrancaisjadore.com
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Romanian Easter Traditions at the Horniman Museum
02/04 - 30/06/2012 @ Horniman Museum and Gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill,
London, SE23 3PQ
We herald the coming of Easter in London through some of the most beautiful objects of
Romanian traditional world. The Horniman
Museum, in association with the Romanian
Cultural Institute in London and the
Bucovina Museum in Suceava will display
over 60 uniquely decorated Easter eggs,
as part of the museum's Object in Focus
series. If you want to learn how these
wonderful objects are made, join
the Romanian
Painted
Eggs masterclasses offered
by
two
authentic craftswomen from Northern
Moldova.
Easter is one of the most important
religious festivities in Romania. Some of the traditions derive from pagan rituals, relating to
symbols of new life in the spring. These have merged with Christian meanings. The practice of
dyeing eggs red relates to the story that when the Virgin Mary came to see her son at the
Crucifixion she was carrying a basket of eggs. She laid the basket at the foot of the cross while
she prayed. His holy blood dripped onto the eggs and made them red, so the Lord said: „From
now on you should dye eggs red to remember my crucifixion.‟
Nowadays many colours and patterns are used, some designs carrying religious meanings.
The exhibition presents a colourful selection from the Museum‟s collections and is accompanied
by film showing how to pattern the eggs, used by Romanian craftspeople.
Also at the Horniman Museum, one of the attractions of the The Body Adorned: Dressing
London Exhibition is a superb Romanian traditional costume, with a lavish pattern favoured by
th
the rich peasant families at the beginning of the 20 century. The Horniman Museum has an
outstandingly rich collection of about 800 Romanian costumes, objects and archive photos,
which will form the basis of another exhibition in 2014.
When: 2 April 2012-30 June 2012
Where: Exhibition: Balcony Gallery, Horniman Museum. Free entry. Daily from 10.30am 5.30pm
Workshops: Gardens Pavilion, Horniman Museum. Tickets cost £5. Places must be booked in
advance, using the form below. Call 020 8291 8686 for additional information.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Romanian Highlights at the London Book Fair 2012
16 - 18/04/2012 @ Stand W 205, Earls Court 2
Romania has been a constant presence at the London
Book Fair during the last few years. In 2012, we are
delighted to announce the highlights celebrating
Romanian letters at one of the world‟s biggest publishing
events. From social poetry inspired by Transylvanian
legends, to a quirky anthology of stories and poems
revisiting Bucharest, from the launch of a new Romanian
literary series, to two British writers exploring the
Romanian Wonderland.
The Book of Transylvanian Legends and Communist
Nightmares: Meeting Guest Poet Ion Mureşan
Mon 16 April, 3.30-4.30pm
British journalist Rosie Goldsmith will host an author event to introduce award-winning poet Ion
Mureşan to British and international lovers of poetry. The actress Cristina Catalina will perform
readings in English from Mureşan's The Book of Winter and Other Poems (University of
Plymouth, 2011). In this political anthology translated by Adam J. Sorkin and Lidia Vianu,
Mureşan‟s poetry draws upon Transylvanian legends to explore the way in which Communist
manipulation and monopoly of truth leaves the individual powerless.
Bucharest Revisited Through a Collection of Quirky Stories
Wed 18 April, 11.00-11.45am
Andy Fincham (editor New Europe Writers and author) and Florin Bican (author, The Romanian
Cultural Institute) present Bucharest Tales: A Collection of Central European Contemporary
Writing (New Europe Writers, 2011), an anthology of quirky stories and poems on Romania and
its Capital by native and foreign writers. Contributors include Fleur Adcock, Florin Bican, Mircea
Cărtărescu, JoAnne Growney, David Hill, Dan Lungu, Bogdan Suceavă, Grete Tartler, Lucian
Dan Teodorovici, Stelian Tănase, Jean Harris and more.
In 2005, New Europe Writers began a ten-year project to capture the spirit of a united Europe.
Centred on a city, each volume presents a selection of essential contemporary writing from new
and established authors that captures the vitality and variety of this dynamic place and time.
Bucharest Tales is the fourth of these anthologies, providing a panoramic insight into the
Carpathian Garden and beyond.
Definitions by Octavian Paler Opens Romanian Literary Series
Mon16 April, 1.30-2.30pm
Writer and journalist Octavian Paler‟s collection Definitions is the first title of a Romanian series
to be launched by the independent publisher Istros Books. Presented by Susan CurtisKojakovic (Director Istros Books) and translated by Ileana Ştefănescu and S.D. Curtis, the book
contains poetical “definitions” as intense and succinct as Haikus – condensed descriptions of a
feeling or a moment, they offer us an open door into the larger world of internal reflection.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
“Through the Looking-Glass”: Alice in Romania
Tue 17 April, 2.30-3.30pm
Anthony Daniels (writer and journalist) and Alex Drace-Francis (cultural historian) exchange
views on Romania as a subject of literary interest, in a dialogue moderated by Florin Bican (The
Romanian Cultural Institute, Bucharest). The two British authors have explored Romania in
formal and informal, honest and vivacious ways, and they are now telling the many-sided stories
of a sometimes tormented, sometimes cheerful Wonderland.
Events organized by the Romanian Cultural Institute's National Book Centre with the support of
ICR London.
Alexandrina and the Miracles of Everyday Life
18/04/2012 @ 1 Belgrave Square, SW1X 8PH
Silky-voiced Alexandrina, the elusive diva of arthouse pop, premiers in London in a rare
performance on the occasion of Romania's
presence at the London Book Fair. If you
are tired of browsing books or listening to
readings, join us for the concert of multitalented Alexandrina, poet, painter and
singer-songwriter.
Alexandrina will grace the Institute's stage
with her best tracks from the album
entitled Clay Man. Born in a family of
artists in Chişinău, Moldova, Alexandrina
Hristov is a complex artist being altogether
musician, painter and poet. Her music is
unique due to a combination of jazz, soul, acoustical pop and contemporarily rock to which she
adds some innovative elements.
Cristian Luchian provides a counter-point of moving lights and shapes to Alexandrina's
athmospheric scores. Cristian Luchian has studied Theatre and Television at the Babes-Bolyai
University in Cluj. In the last ten years he has been working as a scriptwriter and visual effects
designer for various plays. From 2006 he has also been the artistic director of the Underground
Festival in Arad.
When: 18 April, 6.30-9.30pm.
Where: Romanian Cultural Institute London
Admission is free but seats are limited. Early booking is well recommended.
Please reserve your seats at T: 020 7752 0134, E: [email protected].
Latecomers will be able to go to their seats in the interval.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Romanians at Poet in the City: the Anthology
18/04/2012@The Romanian Cultural Institute London, 1 Belgrave Square
The bilingual anthology Contemporary Romanian Poetry is the fruit of the very successful mirror
readings with Romanian and British poets,
initiated and developed in 2011 by the
Institute and Poet in the City. The soirées
proved magnetic for their audience, and
this is how the works of Andrei Bodiu,
Denisa Comănescu, Vasile Gârneţ,
Bogdan Ghiu, Claudiu Komartin and
Miruna Vlada were compiled in an elegant,
minimalist-design anthology. Translated by
the distinguished Christopher Bakken,
Florin Bican, Adam J. Sorkin and Virgil
Stanciu, the included poems belong to
different
creative
generations
and
represent a diversity of stylistic and
thematic options: from feminine angst, to
deep melancholy; from modernist vibe, to social satire. However, they all convey the refinement
of Romanian poetry, one of our most lively artistic domains.
Hosted by the Romanian Cultural Institute in London, the launch will be opened by Graham
Henderson, Chief Executive of Poet in the City, and followed by a jazz concert.
Devil in Paradise: Forest Fruit by Alexandru Tatos at the Romanian Cinematheque
26/04/2012@The Romanian Cultural Institute London,1 Belgrave Square, SW1X 8PH
We invite you to the screening of Alexandru Tatos‟ realist film Forest Fruit (1983), which tells a
story of deceit and betrayal set up against a
background of arcadic beauty.
The 17-year-old Amalia (Manuela Boboc), the
daughter of a widower lumberjack with many
children, falls in love with a soldier. An
irresponsible young man, the soldier refuses
to admit that he is the father of the child to be
born, as Amalia was just a fling in his eyes.
Amalia decides to raise the kid all by herself,
but she soon changes her mind… Tender and
ironic, lyrical and sarcastic, offering a
poignant vision of real life, the uniqueness of
Forest Fruit stands in the portrayal of a microworld in which the sublime exists alongside the sordid, in which purity is matched by decadence
and innocence by cynicism.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
After his debut as director in 1974 with August in flames, Alexandru Tatos had an ascending
career, directing a dozen films. Some of his best works are Red apples (1976), Astray (1978)
and Gathering Clouds (1985).
Romania | 1983 | 90min | director: Alexandru Tatos | cast: Ion Besoiu, Manuela Boboc, Tudorel
Filimon, Ion Fiscuteanu, Cornel Mihalache, Mariana Mihut. In Romanian with English subtitles.
The Romanian Cinematheque project is realized in partnership with the National Centre for
Cinematography in Romania (CNC).
When: 26 April, 7 pm.
Where: Romanian Cultural Institute London
Admission is free but seats are limited. Early booking is well recommended. Please reserve
your seats at T: 020 7752 0134, E: [email protected]. Latecomers will be able to go to
their seats in the interval.
Fairytale Images and Books
18/04 - 18/05/2012@The Romanian Cultural Institute London, 1 Belgrave Square
Opening: Wednesday 18 April, 6.30 - 9.30pm
Join us for celebrating Romania‟s presence at the London Book Fair, with a special exhibition of
book illustrations created by the Romanian Illustrators’ Club, which reaches its 7-year
anniversary since they started to concoct
“images that tell stories” – as was the title of
their first exhibition in Bucharest in 2005.
“The Club has over 50 members, but it is not
an institution; at the heart of the Club there are
artists that enjoy talking, drinking tea and
working together” – says Stela Lie, the
coordinator of the Club.
At the beginning, the Club‟s exhibitions
presented mainly works of art, most of them by
professionals
prepared
to
become,
occasionally,
illustrators.
After
various
collaborations with ICR, CreArt, AER- Bookfest,
ARCUB and books printed and edited by themselves, like fanzines, they launched Bookataria
de texte şi imagini – a book for which the artists invited 39 well-known authors to write new texts
that they illustrated with an exuberant creativity.
The exhibition Fairytale Images and Books, conceived by Stela Lie and Irina Dobrescu,
presents for the first time almost everything the Club has created in seven years, each artist
with his/her own books, plus Bookataria 1: fantastic landscapes, out- of-this-world animals,
medieval and digital fairytales characters, sumptuous ballrooms, crinolines and harlequins,
____________________________________________________________________________________________
delicious sweets from grandmother‟s cupboard. An impressive harvest of fresh texts and
images that you must not miss!
The exhibition continues until 18 May, Mon - Fri 10am - 5pm. Free entrance.
After the New Man: Photographic Exhibition by Dana Popa
26/04 - 26/05/2012@Foto8, 1-5 Honduras Street, London EC1Y 0TH
Opening: Thursday 26 April 6.30pm
Fascinated with her homeland, photographer
Dana Popa returns to Romania and looks at the
generation born here just before or after the fall
of the Communist regime. After the New Man is
an intimate portrayal of a society that is slowly
healing, of youth and fleeting memories of a
bygone era that still permeates the selves and
the landscapes. The exhibition is organised in
association with Foto8 Gallery.
Traces of Popa‟s own childhood pervade not
only through the blocks of flats and through the
cars from another era, but in the mindsets of old
and young. This legacy of the recent past and
the ubiquitous Western-inspired ideals of lifestyle
and consumerism construct a portrait of a displaced generation, struggling to reconcile their
place in history.
The exhibition brings together Popa‟s own socially engaged work with her old family
photographs and remnants from the past.
Dana Popa (b. 1977) studied a Masters degree in Documentary Photography at the London
College of Communication. Her work focuses on contemporary social issues with a particular
emphasis on human rights. „Not Natasha‟ was Popa‟s first major body of work, which looked at
the effects of sex trafficking on girls and families in The Republic of Moldova who had firsthand
experience of it. The project has been exhibited around the UK, Europe and US and was
published as a book (Autograph ABP, 2009). Popa is based in London.
Related Events
Artist‟s talk with Dana Popa - Tuesday 1 May, 6.30pm.
The exhibition continues until 26 May 2012. Opening hours: Mon - Fri 10am - 6pm; Sat 11am 4pm.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
The Glory and the Limits of the Body: Bio-art Exhibition by Christian Paraschiv
15/03 - 13/04/2012@The Romanian Cultural Institute,1 Belgrave Square, SW1X 8PH
Opening: Thu 15 March, 6.30pm@1 Belgrave Square
With the London Olympics 2012 approaching fast, the
human body – its performances and its limits – becomes
the focus of reflection and debate this year. Christian
Paraschiv, one of the most famous Romanian artists
abroad, expresses his vision in a flux of works under
construction since the „90s, bearing the title Skin & Body
and encompassing painting, sculpture, drawing, scanned
imagery, installations, photo montage, video elements, art
books.
The artist traces the concepts of corporeality and identity
to our biological core: in the specific form of bio-art that he practices, his own cells, prelevated in
a laboratory, give birth to an artificial skin, fixed in latex and wood resins. For Paraschiv, the
skin is the contour of the body in the world, an ensemble of signs which can be technologically
represented: if scanned, it is the trace of corporeality decomposed into fragments – body-inpieces – like a puzzle making up a new body, another individual.
Alongside his suite of scanned panels, painted in resins and gold leaf, the artist covers the
human skull in lead, makes his self-portrait via crosswords or impresses his body on
transparent gelatine, in multiple copies – all unique representations of the biological and
metaphysical, the scientific and metaphorical, the limited and glorious body.
“Paraschiv is baroque in his art, his creative uproar finding its counterpoint in his long exercised
analytical spirit. The ideas and life itself, the profane and the sacred, his own body and the
social body, the present and history are blended in his work. His art starts a dialogue with
science, by making use of state-of-the-art technology. Paraschiv exposes us to an explosion of
artistic information that represents a show in itself.”
Adrian Guţă, critic, in the monography Black is the colour of language, 2011
Christian Paraschiv (born 1953) became known in the „80s as an exponent of the generation
which radically transformed Romanian experimental art, leading the path towards international
aesthetic postmodernism. He left Romania in 1986 and moved to Paris, where he is
represented by the Oudin Art Contemporain Gallery. Individual exhibitions (selection): Black Is
the Colour of Language, 1986-2011, Oudin Art Contemporain Gallery, Paris; Bio Art Skin &
Body 1990-2011, Oudin Art Contemporain Gallery, Paris; Body for Space, recent works 20072008, Oudin Art Contemporain Gallery, Paris; Retrospective 1977-2007, MNAC, Bucureşti;
Nomos/The Body, ICR Paris, Oudin Art Contemporain Gallery, Paris.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Bucharest Calling! Ioana Paun presents new work in London
05/03 - 06/07/2012@Theatre Royal Stratford East
Our former artist-in-residence, theatre director and performance artist Ioana Păun, will work
across all areas within the Theatre Royal
Stratford East, being inspired by the theatre's
life, its artists and its community. She will create
new work to be presented in June 2012.
Ioana Păun, born in 1984, is a theatre director
and performance artist based in Bucharest and
a member of the réaltympanica site-specific
collective and Romanian based tangaProject
theatre group. She graduated from the MA
programme at Goldsmiths College in London
and UNATC in Bucharest. Ioana's latest work is
revolving around public space and social
dynamics that she explores and represents
using everyday culture resources: trenSformers (creative interventions in Romanian trains,
documenting regional perceptions), X Street (a headphone live art piece where the audience,
driven in a minibus through the London 2012 Olympics neighbourhood, penetrate private places
through sound) or L-V:8-16 (a show based on the collective experiences of her generation from
the „90s onward). She is also interested in teenage culture in Romania and is currently devising
two high school projects with other Romanian young artists. She is also working with
réaltympanica on a video live streaming project, creating site specific reconstructions of different
European realities in a foreign country. The project has a pilot phase in Pécs, Hungary, during
Europe Mania Festival.
The Body Adorned: Folk Romanian Costume, Inspired by Queen Maria’s Style
24/03/2012 - 06/01/2013@Horniman Museum and Gardens,
100 London Road SE23 3PQ
One of the attractions of the The Body Adorned: Dressing
London Exhibition at the Horniman Museum is a superb
Romanian traditional costume, with a lavish pattern favoured
th
by the rich peasant families at the beginning of the 20 century.
The Queen Maria of Romania herself used to wear similar
costumes at some public events, as a sign of her attachment to
her adopted country. The Horniman Museum has an
outstandingly rich collection of about 800 Romanian costumes,
objects and archive photos, which will form the basis of another
exhibition in 2014.
The Body Adorned: Dressing London exhibition reveals how a
diverse population clothe and adorn their bodies to find their
place in the metropolis. Over time, saris, tattoo parlours, nail
____________________________________________________________________________________________
bars, distended ears and scarification have become a visible, everyday part of the London
cityscape. But how did cultural adornments become integrated into urban London life? The
exhibition considers how the movement of people, objects and ideas influenced London dress in
the past and explores body adornment in today‟s world city of London.
In April 2012, the Horniman Museum will launch a display of Easter Decorated Eggs in the
Balcony Gallery, part of the Object in Focus Series. The special temporary display will be
accompanied by two sessions of craftswoman-led workshops on Painted Eggs.
When: 24 March 2012-06 January 2013
Where: Temporary Exhibition Space, Horniman Museum. Free entry.
Europafest 2012 brings two times more good music – It’s all about live quality music!
The only festival in Europe gathering 4 music genres jazz, blues, pop and classical is held every
year in Bucharest bringing a
positive image for Romania. Under
the slogan It’s all about live
quality music!, the International
Festival Europafest is an event
lasting 16 days. It begins on May 4
with a concert devoted to Europa
Day, organized in partnership with
the European Commission Office
in Romania and will end on May
19 with Europafest Gala, when
winners will be announced to the
public.
Besides the two events marking
the beginning and end of the
festival, Bucharesters will participate in ten other events among which jazz, blues, pop concerts,
the 6th Bucharest edition of International Jazz Competition with 138 participants of 38 countries
and Caffe Festival, concerts in unconventional areas.
Over 300 guests from 45 countries are expected at the event ‚ Armenia, australia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, South Korea, Croatia, Equator,
Switzerland, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Great Britain, Norway, Holland, Poland, Moldova, Romania, Russia,
Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, USA, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, Hungary.
Since 2005 the festival has been held under the High Patronage of their Royal Highnesses
Princess Margareta and Prince Radu. (ActMedia, March 30, 2012)
____________________________________________________________________________________________
LEARN ROMANIAN IN ROMANIA
Romanian Language, Culture and Civilization
Braşov, Romania
th
rd
th
18 edition, July 3 – 28 , 2012
Program Coordinator:
Ana Borca: [email protected]
(4) 0317 100 672; Fax: (4) 021.230.13.73
Director of the Domestic Programmes Department
Oana-Valentina Suciu
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: + 40 31 71 00616, Fax: + 40 31 71 00606
THE ROMANIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE
Domestic Programs Department
38, Aleea Alexandru 011824, Sector 1 – Bucharest
http://www.icr.ro/cursuri_brasov

Romanian Headlines 5

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