This weekly overview brings you the main topics from Romania, in pictures. One of the main stories last week was in the climate & environment section: the launch of a major forest restoration project, attended by Prince Charles. The May 30-June 5 collection also includes a photo of Joe Biden’s nominee for US ambassador to Romania, Bucharest’s new tram, and two of the year’s biggest events - Bookfest and SAGA. (Opening photo: Prince Charles at the event in Sibiu; photo source: MMAP - Ministerul Mediului, Apelor și Pădurilor)

Early last week, the Prince of Wales launched in Romania the largest cross border forest restoration project in Europe. The event took place on May 30 in Sibiu, in the famous region of Transylvania, and was also attended by the Romanian environment minister Tánczos Barna. The project involves more than 100 forest science and practice organizations in 20 countries and includes 12 large-scale forest restoration demonstration sites across Europe. One of the sites is located in the Romanian Carpathian Mountains and is funded by the prince’s Circular Bioeconomy Alliance. 

On June 3, president Joe Biden nominated Kathleen Ann Kavalec for US ambassador to Bucharest. According to the local media, this is the first time the US has nominated a woman for this position in Romania. Kavalec currently serves as head of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina but was posted in Romania before, working as a Cultural Affairs Officer with the US Embassy in Bucharest. She speaks Romanian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Russian.  

Meanwhile, this past weekend, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis was awarded the European Charles IV Prize of the Sudeten German Landsmannschaft for the year 2020. In a message on Facebook, the Romanian leader said he is “particularly honoured” by this award that he accepted “on behalf of the Romanian citizens.” “In the 15 years since joining the European Union, Romanians have shown their commitment to freedom, democracy, unity and solidarity every day. This project remains the only viable option to ensure a Europe of peace, prosperous, more efficient, more stable and more secure. I will continue to be a strong promoter of European values,” his post reads.

Another political highlight of last week was the resignation of Dacian Ciolos from the reformist party Save Romania Union (USR). Ciolos was an important figure in USR, especially as he was also its president for a few months. However, small (but quite many) internal scandals and “different visions” made Dacian Ciolos resign from the top position in February of this year and now even from the party. Together with other MEPs from USR, he said he would join a new political player - REPER.  

On June 1, the government started handing out electronic meal vouchers to low-income Romanians. The move is part of the “Support for Romania” package adopted by the Executive as the country faces record inflation and price hikes. The vouchers are worth RON 250 (EUR 50) and will be distributed bi-monthly until January 2023. They are essentially electronic cards that people will be able to use to buy food. 

Also last week, Bucharest received the first new tram from the batch of 100 purchased by the City Hall. Manufactured in Arad, the new trams were bought with European funds under a contract worth about EUR 200 million. They have five doors and a capacity of 322 passengers (56 seats). “Bucharest got 17 new trams from 1989 until today, and this batch of 100 represents a considerable improvement of our public transport fleet,” mayor Nicusor Dan said. 

On June 1, when Romania celebrated Children’s Day, the City Hall of Bucharest’s District 6 inaugurated the upgraded dam of Morii Lake. Months of modernization works turned the dam into a modern promenade bordered by a running track of around 2 km. According to the District 6 City Hall, thousands of people attended the inauguration event last Wednesday.

The Parliament also opened its doors to children on June 1. Visiting children had the opportunity to see the rooms where the members of Parliament meet and enjoy the activities organized especially for them.

Children’s Day was also celebrated at Victoria Palace in Bucharest - the government building where the prime minister and his cabinet work. The special event brought together Romanian children and Ukrainian refugee children.

Bookfest, the largest book fair in Romania, held a new edition in Bucharest last week - its first after the pandemic break. Organizers estimated more than 100,000 visitors at this year’s edition, but the exact numbers are yet to be released. The fair featured book launches, events for children, industry debates, film screenings, and more. Japan was the guest country of Bookfest 2022.

The festival season kicked off in Bucharest this past weekend with SAGA. DJ Snake, Tiesto, Fisher, Meduza, Afrojack, Marshmello, Black Coffe and Sickick are just some of the top artists who entertained the crowd during the three-day event held at the National Arena. And the organizers have already announced the dates for the 2023 edition - June 23-25.

newsroom@romania-insider.com