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(Photo source) Very distressing (and pretty darn shameful) news today from Sibiu: The lovely Brukenthal Palace (a complex of six museums) has had to partially close its doors to the public due to lack of funds through budget cuts - according to THIS article in today's Bucharest Herald (slightly edited below), the gas has been cut off, there's one light bulb per office and the heating was switched off four days ago... 'A dramatic situation at the National Brukenthal Museum in Sibiu: The museum will be partially closed due to financial... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) April 1st 2013 marks 72 years since the Fantana Alba massacre in Northern Bucovina near the village of Fantana Alba, today in the Ukraine. Between 200 and 2,000 civilians were killed when their attempt to cross the border from the Soviet Union to Romania was met with open fire by Soviet border troops. Although according to some data no more than 48 civilians were killed, local witnesses assert a much higher toll of 2-3,000, claiming that survivors were tortured, killed, or buried in mass graves. Other survivors were... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) After a battle that has lasted nigh on three years between Bucharest City Hall who wanted to 'move' Matache Hall (Hala Matache) and NGOs trying to save it from demolition, oprescu's rats slunk out of their holes after dark last night (around 10pm, according to reports) and began to rip the roof off, shunning daylight like common thieves. There was no approved PUZ and therefore no legal demolition permit could possibly have existed at the time the so-called 'work' began and thus, once again, we are looking at the... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) What could have been a superb event for Romania abroad has turned into a scandal. How sad it is when culture becomes so polluted by ineptitude, politics, self-gratification and incompetence that those who really DO represent culture feel obliged to back away... The 33rd Salon du Livre in Paris is rapidly approaching and several notable Romanian authors have decided not to attend Paris's greatest literary event of the year in protest of ICR's degradation in the hands of its 'director' (entre guillemets), Andrei Marga. ... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) And so, Romania hopes to have the remains of its most famous sculptor, Constantin Brancusi, returned to his native land. A court decision will be taken here in France in two weeks time. Puiu Hasoti, a previous Romanian Minister of Culture and National Heritage, told French RFI that hopes of returning the remains of Brancusi to Romania rest on the goodwill of the French Government. "The government is calling upon a cabinet of Parisian lawyers to obtain all the necessary decrees and legal permits necessary so that... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) Wow! Bucharest has gone nuts for St Patrick's Day this year, what with turning the Casa Nebunului green, concerts, a ball at the Marriott and other such shenanigans! Fantastic! Check out THIS video :o) There are five whole days filled with a variety of events throughout the capital which started Friday evening with the ball, and then there's a whole heap of stuff organised in partnership with the Irish Embassy running through until Tuesday. I wish I were there to see mad leprechauns bouncing around the Old Town with... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) I watched the winning entry for the selections chosen to represent Romania at this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden in May, Florin Cezar Ouatu, with a mixture of amazement and horror. I couldn't, to be honest, believe what I was hearing... a falsetto prancing about the stage dressed like Adam Ant and singing terribly off-key. The opening bit was far too low for him and then, loe and behold, he turned into what one can only describe as a crazed Madame Doubtfire on hormones... Aoleeeeeeeeeeeeu!! See the video of... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) The latest scandal to rock Romania (there's always one) has lead to massive diplomatic failure for any hopes of Schengen accession along with calls for Titus Corlatean, the present foreign minister (doesn't deserve capitals), to resign from his post. Corlatean stated that if the European Commission postpones viewing the Schengen issue, Romania would not insist on a review. What's that meant to be? Blackmail? A mega sulk? He clearly doesn't understand how diplomacy works. How can such an imbecile possibly end up in the... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) This time of year is packed to the brim with wonderful traditions in Romania. To mark the beginning of a new life cycle through the arrival of spring, Mărțișor is held on March 1st which, according to the old calendar, is also the Spring Equinox. It is specific to Romania and Moldova and dates back 8000 years, although similar customs are found in Bulgaria (Martenitsa), Albania (mărțiguș), Italy and Greece. So, here is some background for Mărțișor (from the word for the month of March - Martie, with the endearing... [Lire la suite]

Really, you couldn't make it up... Two former Romanian Agriculture Ministers, Decebal Traian Remes and Ioan Avram Muresan, were sentenced yesterday to three years in prison without parole for corruption (bribes and influence-peddling) in what has become known as The Sausage Case. The High Court's decision is final. According to the DNA prosecutor’s indictment, on 13th and 23rd September 2007, Remes, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development at the time, received promises for mici and palinca worth 1,500 RON (wow! How much... [Lire la suite]