by Monica Apostol

Devin Townsend Project (photo), Riverside, Lacuna Coil and You and Me At Six are the top four confirmed bands for the 12th ARTmania Festival, which returns with an exceptional line-up in the Great Square in Sibiu during July 28-29th. Symphonic, progressive, heavy or classic, the 12th edition of the festival promises, for two days, six concerts with the best-rated bands, the favorite of the great international festivals, a mix of styles and genres, which responds to the expectations of the community interested, year after year, in this summer event.

Tickets can be purchased by clicking HERE!

Riverside is a rock band from Warsaw, Poland. It was founded in 2001 by friends Mariusz Duda, Piotr Grudziński, Piotr Kozieradzki and Jacek Melnicki, who shared a love for progressive rock and heavy metal. Riverside can be described as a blend of atmospheric rock and metal elements, resulting in a sound similar to that of Porcupine Tree, The Mars Volta, Opeth, and Dream Theater, while still maintaining an identity of their own “I put it above everything. I hear it everywhere. It is music that makes me want to enjoy life not only inside the world created in my mind. And it is also because of it that I sometimes appear to be a totally unreal man,” tells Mariusz Duda.

One day near the turn of the millennium, during a short drive, Piotr Kozieradzki played Marillion in his car for Piotr Grudziński. While drummer Piotr ‘Mitloff’ Kozieradzki had played in two death metal bands, Dominion and Hate, and Piotr Grudziński had played guitar in a metal band, Unnamed, they both shared a deep affection for progressive rock. They were already friends with producer and keyboardist Jacek Melnicki who also owned his own studio. The three decided to experiment with progressive music but they needed a bass player to complete the lineup. Mariusz Duda, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist from the band Xanadu, agreed to attend a rehearsal in late fall of 2001 at the request of Jacek. Reactions to this first meeting between the four experienced instrumentalists were extremely positive.

Devin Garrett Townsend is a Canadian musician, songwriter and record producer. He was the founder, songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist in extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad from 1994 to 2007 and has an extensive career as a solo artist. Townsend was discovered by a record label in 1993 and was asked to perform lead vocals on Steve Vai’s album Sex & Religion. After recording and touring with Vai, Townsend was discouraged by what he found in the music industry, and vented his  anger on the solo album Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing released under the pseudonym Strapping Young Lad. He soon assembled a band under the name, and released the critically acclaimed City in 1997. Since then, he has released three more studio albums with Strapping Young Lad, along with solo material released under his own independent record label, HevyDevy Records.

Townsend’s solo albums, a diverse mix of hard rock, progressive metal, ambient, and new-age, have featured a varying lineup of supporting musicians. In 2002 he formed the Devin Townsend Band, a dedicated lineup which recorded and toured for two of his solo releases. In 2007, he disbanded both Strapping Young Lad and the Devin Townsend Band, taking a break from touring to spend more time with his family. After a two-year hiatus, he announced the formation of the Devin Townsend Project. Across all his bands and projects, Townsend has released twenty-three studio albums and three live albums. Townsend’s trademark production style, featuring a heavily multitracked wall of sound, has been compared to the styles of Phil Spector and Frank Zappa. His versatile vocal delivery ranges from screaming to an opera-esque singing, and his songwriting is similarly diverse. Townsend’s musical style is rooted in metal, and his albums are written to express different aspects of his personality.

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Romanian President Klaus Iohannis turns 58 today. Born on June 13, 1959 in Sibiu to a Transylvanian Saxon family, Klaus Iohannis speaks fluently English and German. He is married to Carmen, who is English teacher in Sibiu.

After graduating the German school, he went to the ”Samuel von Brukenthal” High School in Sibiu and in 1978 he was admitted to the Physics Faculty within ”Babeș Bolyai” University in Cluj-Napoca.

He started teaching physics in 1983 and after five years he became teacher at ”Samuel von Brukenthal” High School where he also graduated.

After 15 years as teacher, Iohannis was appointed deputy general school inspector in Sibiu (1997-1999) and general school inspector from 1999 to 2000.

He became member of the Democrat Forum of the Germans in Romania (FDGR) in 1990 and he has led the organization for over one decade.

He held four consecutive mandates as mayor of Sibiu, being elected in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012. He was mayor until December 2014, when he became president of Romania.

During his second term as mayor, Sibiu became European Capital of Culture in 2007.

Klaus Iohannis launched the autobiography in Sibiu in 2014, called “Step by Step” in which he recalls the key moment of his public life. In 2015 he launched his second volume “The first step”.

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The Luxembourg premier Xavier Bettel has met Romanian PM Sorin Grindeanu on Friday, at Victoria Palace. Grindeanu welcomed Bettel at the Government HQs with military honors.

The Luxembourg premier stated in a press conference with Sorin Grindeanu that there are political crises in all countries, but what is important is to urgently identify a solution to regain stability. Bettel said that he has come to meet Sorin Grindeanu, who is the prime minister in office.

“My visit takes place in a moment when what an investor from my country is looking for is missing. I have to be very frank with you. It’s hard to convince an investor in my country to invest in Bucharest, if the question is how will the politics in Romania will go on, who is going to be in office, what will Romania do,” Bettel stated.

“There are political crises in all countries, it happens. It’s important for you to regain stability as soon as possible and to have functioning institutions, with partners that we can count on at European level. What we wish for you is to find as quickly as possible not a short-term or medium-term solution, but a long-term one, so that investments and confidence that should exist among partner states, among investors, could be regained,” the visiting premier of Luxembourg pointed out.

In his turn, the Romanian PM was asked how he had explained the current situation to his counterpart, considering he is leading a Cabinet of resigning ministers.

“As I told you yesterday, everybody came to work. The political situation will be solved next week, by observing all laws and the Constitution, for this is how a rule of law works. I wish this period of political instability should end as soon as possible, so that we can provide investors with the stability guarantee, for those who want to come to invest in our economy. Providing trust is essential,” PM Grindeanu asserted.

President Klaus Iohannis is also meeting Prime Minister of Luxembourg  at Cotroceni presidential palace in Bucharest today. The two high-ranking officials are also scheduled to pay a visit to Sibiu. Bettel is on a three-day visit to Romania.

“The Romanian President and the Prime Minister of Luxembourg will leave for Sibiu on 17 June, to attend events marking the 10th anniversary of the Luxembourg-Sibiu—European Capitals of Culture moment,” the President’s spokesperson Madalina Dobrovolschi announced.

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The Minister President of Saxony, Stanislaw Tillich, has said on Friday in Sibiu, that Romania would have had international image losses, if PM Grindeanu had resigned.

“If the Romanian Prime Minister had resigned, then Romania would have had international image losses. You have a constitution, you have laws stating the way in which the prime minister is appointed or dismissed, all these do not provide for a party leader to make such a decision. The prime minister took the law in consideration in this case and it is important for Romania’s image that laws are observed in this country,” Stanislaw Tillich said.

Asked if the current political situation in Romania influences the German investors’ interest for our country, he said: “I believe so.”

The Minister President of Saxony, Stanislaw Tillich congratulated PM Sorin Grindeanu for the decision made Wednesday evening not to resign. “I want to congratulate you for the decision made last evening!” Stalislas Tillich said. “It’s not a simple issue, but I went through worse periods,” PM Grindeanu replied.

The Minister President of Saxony, Stanislaw Tillich, is paying a visit to Sibiu on Friday.

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While in Sibiu on Saturday, President Klaus Iohannis has urged the Social-Democratic Party (PSD) to resolve very quickly the current political crisis.

“In respect to the current political situation I can say: this is the last thing we needed. And I have requested the PSD, by all ways of communication, to quickly end this crisis and move forward. It’s sad. We have openness in the world. You have seen that we were very well welcomed in the US. We have openness in Europe. We lack solely a stable government. I hope for a fast way out,” Klaus Iohannis said in Sibiu.

Asked about the PSD censure motion, President Iohannis said: “It’s their problem how they solve it. I don’t teach lessons to the PSD. It’s a large party and I hope they solve their problem very, very quickly.”

President Klaus Iohannis is paying a visit to Sibiu, together with Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel, in order to celebrate a decade since Sibiu was the European Capital of Culture (2007).

On Friday, when welcoming Luxembourg Premier Xavier Bettel at Cotroceni Palace, President Klaus Iohannis said that Romania is facing a difficult situation. The guest said in turn that in the given context it is paramount for Romania to reach political stability as soon as possible.

photo: presidency.ro

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by Monica Apostol

ARTmania festival will be the attraction of this month for the rock music lovers. “I love the wonderful city of Sibiu and its charming Old Town. I am very pleased to go back there for the ARTmania Festival,” mentioned Tarja.

“It was a great joy for me to be invited, over time, for both classical concerts and rock concerts in Sibiu. It means so much to me! For an artist like me, Romania is a very important country, a place where I have always been warmly welcomed wherever I have sung. What I received from the Romanian fans is extraordinary! Thank you all! I can not wait to be back with you again, “further Tarja mentioned, the Finnish soprano and pianist who has achieved international fame as a vocalist for Nightwish and now she is invited to present her new album for the first time in Transylvania.

Tarja, Beyond The Black and Walkways are the latest names confirmed on the poster of the 12th edition of the ARTmania Festival, which has so far announced four other major bands: Lacuna Coil, Riverside, You and Me At Six and Devin Townsend Project.

Tickets can be purchased by clicking HERE!

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A metallic ammunition fragment from a rebound has fallen on a land on the margin of Merghindeal village in Sibiu county, about 300 metres from the margin of Cincu shooting range, without causing victims, the Romanian Ministry of Defence announced.

Official sources stated on Friday morning that the bombshell has been shot during exercises at Saber Guardian 17 taking place in Cincu and landed in the garden of a villager. The local from Merghindeal called 112 reporting the incident.

MApN said later on that the ammunition fragment rebounded on a land on the margins of Merghindeal, about 300 metres away from the Cincu shooting range.

The ammunition has caused no explosion.

A team led by the commander of the Getica National Training Center went on the scene to investigate the causes of the event.

Shootings with artillery ammunition and tanks took place at Cincu shooting range on Thursday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., according to MApN.

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 You Me At Six: “Neither of us has ever been to Romania!”

by Monica Apostol

The boys from You Me At Six are very exciting to sing for the very first time in Romania. “We are waiting for our first concert in Romania! None of the band’s members have ever been to Romania. Not even on vacation! We will use this opportunity to experience as much as possible from the culture of this country. We are waiting for all our fans in Sibiu. It will be an excellent concert. A good opportunity to make other fans too, “You Me At Six band mentioned, a band that will be singing  on Saturday, July 29, at the ARTmania Festival. You Me At Six are the stars of the new wave in the UK, being considered the best live English band.

Symphonic, progressive, heavy or classic, the 12th edition of the festival promises, for two days, six concerts with the best-rated bands, the favorite of the great international festivals, a mix of styles and genres, which responds to the expectations of the community interested, year after year, in this summer event.

Tarja, Beyond The Black and Walkways are the latest names confirmed on the poster of the 12th edition of the ARTmania Festival, which has so far announced four other major bands: Lacuna Coil, Riverside, You and Me At Six and Devin Townsend Project.

Tickets can be purchased by clicking HERE!

The post The English band that sold O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in 3 minutes are going to perform live at ARTmania Festival 2017 appeared first on The Romania Journal.

The investment for Sibiu-Pitesti motorway will reach EUR 3.34 billion (RON 15 billion), a Transport Ministry normative draft, posted on the ministry’s website, reads. For comparison, the Master Plan adopted last year had included investments amounting to EUR 1.6-1.8 billion.

Annex 1 points to an overall value of the contract of RON 15.06 billion, i.e. EUR 3.34 billion at an exchange rate of RON 4.5241 for EUR 1.

According to the Master Plan, adopted by government decision 666/2016, the Sibiu-Pitesti motorway needed investments amounting to EUR 1.6-1.8 billion and was to be funded by European funds in a 75% share.

The normative draft claims that “against the feasibility study conducted in 2008, several revisions have taken place, mainly on reinvestigating the land and studying the route options” according to the issues in the area.

The deadline for submitting proposals and observations to the Transport Ministry regarding the normative draft is July 28, 2017.

The post Transport Ministry normative draft – EUR 3.3bn for Sibiu-Pitesti highway, twice against the Master Plan appeared first on The Romania Journal.

Almost 3.6 million Romanians consider moving over the next five years and 66.5 percent of them would still prefer Romania, the most attractive cities being Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara and Brasov, according to World Bank’s “Magnet cities – Migration and Commuting in Romania” report.

More than 15 percent of people in Romania would consider moving to Cluj-Napoca. Today, however, this Functional Urban Area (FUA) represents just 2.3 percent of the total population in the country. Cluj-Napoca is not alone in serving as an attractive urban destination – many people also expressed interest in moving to Bucharest (14.4 percent), Timisoara (11.9 percent), Brasov (11.5 percent), Sibiu (5.16 percent), or Iasi (4.3 percent).

“Although cities are critical for the performance of the Romanian economy, there is no coherent National Urban Development policies in place, nor are there any state-funded programs targeting cities. Unless urban development becomes a priority for the national government, it is likely that many growth and investment opportunities will be missed in the coming years,” WB reads.

According to the report, 90 percent of firm revenues in Romania are generated by the functional urban areas of Bucharest and the 40 county capitals – meaning if these urban areas do not function well, neither does the Romanian economy as a whole.

However, while 32.5 percent of new housing units built between 1990 and 2015 in Romania where constructed in the suburban and peri-urban areas of these FUAs, there has been no concerted effort to develop metropolitan infrastructure or public transport systems that would enable the efficient movement of people. Despite 20 percent of national firm revenues being generated in the suburban and peri-urban areas of these FUAs, virtually no integrated, metropolitan business infrastructure has been developed, WB analysts note.

In 2011, only 31 percent of the stable population in Romania (around 6.2 million people) changed their residence inside the country at least once during their life time. However, Romania has one of the highest emigration rates in the EU. Overall, 1.8 million Romanians were commuting for work to another locality in 2011, countrywide. Of those, 1.2 million commuted to the FUAs of Bucharest and the 40 county capitals. Large industrial centers, such as Ploiesti and Pitesti receive more commuters, while service driven economies, such as Cluj-Napoca and Iași, receive more migrants.

However, Romania still has a long way to go. Romania has the second lowest GDP per capita in the EU after Bulgaria – with 15,200 Euro/inhabitant in 2014 representing only 55 percent of the EU average (up from 41 percent in 2007). Currently, Romania has a 7-10 year development lag over other Central and Eastern European countries like Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, or the Czech Republic and a 35 year development lag over OECD counties.

“Without strong and competitive cities, Romania will not be able to bridge this development gap,” WB report concludes.

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President Klaus Iohannia will attend the largest meeting of the Transylvanian Saxons after 1989, due in Sibiu August 4-6 where about 12,000 representatives of the Saxon communities from Romania, Germany, Austria and USA are expected.

The president of the Transylvania organization of the FGDR (Democratic Federation of Germans in Romania), Martin Bottesch has announced in a press conference on Wednesday that the largest meeting of the Transylvanian Saxons after ’89 will take place in Sibiu during August 4-6.

“We estimated around 10,000 participants, but signals from Germany point to roughly 12,000 participants. It will be the largest gathering of the Saxons from Romania after the Revolution, with about ten times more participants than in the previous meetings. A similar meeting takes place in Germany every year, with around 20,000 people attending,” Martin Bottesch stated.

He also revealed that president Klaus Iohannis will also come and will take the floor on Saturday around 12:00, on the stage set up in Sibiu’s Big Square (Piata Mare).

Ambassadors, MPs, politicians and other personalities from the participant countries are expected to attend the event.

The reunion will kick off next Friday, August 4 and will comprise around 50 events, with folk costume parade as the most expected one.

There will be also 11 exhibitions, three book launches, music performances and other similar events.

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The vehicles with an authorized weight bigger than 7.5 tonnes is restricted on Wednesday between 12:00h and 20:00h on national roads and highways passing through the 15 counties in the west of the country where a Code Orange for heat has been issued, the National Company for Road Infrastructure Administration (CNAIR) informs.

“On Wednesday, 02.08.2017, between 12.00 and 20.00 hours, on national roads and highways crossing 15 counties in the western part of the country, traffic restrictions will be imposed on motor vehicles with an authorized weight of more than 7.5 tons The traffic restrictions are established on the basis of the Code Orange for heat (maximum frequent temperatures between 36 and 39 degrees C will be recorded) issued by the National Meteorology Administration.The warning is issued for the following counties: Dolj, Mehedinti, Caras-Severin, Hunedoara, Timis, Arad, Sibiu, Alba, Bihor, Cluj, Mureş, Sălaj, Satu Mare, Maramureş and Bistriţa Năsăud,” the CNAIR release issued on Wednesday reads.

Due to the Code Orange set up in several counties in the country, rail infrastructure maintenance staff has announced that on Wednesday, the speed of trains will be reduced by 20-30 km/h against the normal speed.

According to expressdebanat.ro, the CFR staff will carry out additional revisions on the railway network so that passengers can travel in full safety.

“In the hourly intervals in which the rail temperature will exceed 50 degrees C, on the sections where the situation requires it, the speed of the trains is reduced by 20-30 km/h against the normal speed so that the railway traffic takes place in full safety,” a release from CFR Infrastructure reads.

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Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has been repeatedly applauded almost after every sentence, during his speech delivered at the meeting with Transylvanian Saxons on Saturday. It was the first such meeting organized since 1990 downtown Sibiu, the city where Iohannis had been mayor.

“Sibiu is the historical capital of the Saxons in our beautiful Transylvania.” The Saxons have offered examples, as a community to the entire world, the President said, applauded by the audience. The head of state told the youths present in the Grand Square that they are “the fruit of a community which has given many examples to the entire world”.

The ceremony downtown Sibiu started with Romania’s national anthem and with the song of Transylvania.

The head of state said there is a chance to offer to new generations “arguments and facts so that Centenary Romania be rediscovered as a place of opportunity and prosperity”.

“One hundred years ago, together with the Romanian majority, the Transylvanian Saxons saw in Romania of the Grand Union the space of liberty promised to their forefathers. A century on from that moment, in the new European framework we are part of, as President of the country I say that we have the chance to offer the new generation arguments and facts so that Centenary Romania be rediscovered as a place of opportunity and prosperity. I invite you to join this project of freedom and tolerance, where you, the Transylvanian Saxons, regardless of where you came from to Sibiu, are at home!” the President said.

Receiving applause after each phrase uttered in front of the 20,000 Transylvanian Saxons from Europe and the US, Klaus Iohannis urged those present to search for God and not give up freedom.

“The fundamental message of the history of Transylvanian Saxons, that they speak through their cities, their books, their traditions in labour and clothing, is to relentlessly search for God, to never give up the fight for freedom. Let us have, all our lives, respect for others, cherish solidarity and tolerance,” Iohannis said.

photos: presidency.ro

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The National Meteorological Administration has issued on Monday Code Yellow warnings of atmospheric instability, valid for hilly and mountain areas, as well as in Transylvania, Moldova and Maramures.

The first meteorological warning came into force Monday at 13.00h and will expire at 20.00h, affecting the western, northern, central and north-eastern regions and the mountainous areas. Thus, on Monday, especially in hilly and mountainous areas, as well as in Transylvania, Moldavia and Maramures, temporary atmospheric instability will be accentuated and will be manifested by storms, torrential rains, frequent electric discharges and hail. Water quantities will exceed 20 litres/sq m locally and on isolate areas 40-50 litres/sq m. Such phenomena will be in the evening also in the southern regions, but in smaller areas.

At the same time, starting Monday at 20.00h, another Code Yellow alert code will enter into force, valid until Tuesday morning at 8.00h (see the map below). Meteorologists warn that in the south and east of Transylvania, most of Moldavia, the Oriental and Southern Carpathians, and in the northern half of Muntenia and Oltenia, the atmospheric instability will temporarily be accentuated and will be manifested as torrential rain, electric discharges, storms and hail.

Water quantities will exceed 20 litres/sq m and isolated 40 l/sqm.

As of Tuesday afternoon (August 8) locally in Oltenia, Muntenia and Dobrogea the thermal discomfort will be raised, the moisture temperature index will be around the critical threshold of 80 units. In southern Oltenia and southwest of Muntenia the maximum temperatures will generally be between 34 and 36 degrees Celsius, and the thermal discomfort will be high.

 11 counties hit by storms and floods

The fire-fighters have removed 36 trees fallen on the road or on cars, have removed water from one household, 18 courtyards and three basements, 52 roofs being affected by bad weather in recent days, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU) informs.

In the county of Sibiu, in the Poiana Neamţului area, the fire-fighters saved 12 people, eight adults and four children, who were stuck on an island formed in the middle of the Avrig River. They did not need medical care.

At the same time, the Suceava rescuers intervened in Şesuri and Panaci to remove the trees that fell on a forest road and blocked the access of 15 people in four cars.

Damages were also recorded in Mures County, namely in Târgu Mureş, Târnăveni, Sovata, Rostolita, Ernei and Batoş, where, due to the strong wind, the roof of a block, 39 roofs of houses were affected. Also, the Mures rescuers intervened for the release of four trees, one of which fell on the railway.

In Iaşi County, in the localities of Iaşi, Miroslava, Scânteia, Galata and Ciurea, the military intervened after 11 roofs of some buildings were damaged, 21 trees were put down, and three households were flooded.

In Bihor County, Leleşti, Inand and Şuncuiuş, the fire-fighters intervened to remove the water from 15 yards, but also to remove the trees and the poles of electricity that were swept by the wind.

The storms in the past hours affected 23 localities in 10 counties, namely Arad, Bihor, Covasna, Hunedoara, Iasi, Mehedinti, Mures, Sibiu, Satu Mare, Suceava, Vaslui.

The road traffic on national road DN 67 C, Transalpina, in the Urdele Pass area, is very difficult, due to heavy rains fallen Sunday evening, as stones and soil were swept on the road, the national roads company CNAIR informed on Monday.

CNAIR mentions that even at this time high amounts of rainfall are recorded.

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President Klaus Iohannis attended on Sunday the ceremonies occasioned by the 5th edition of the Haferland Week in Criț locality, a cultural festival dedicated to the Saxons of Transylvania.

The head of state, in this private visit, praised the cultural heritage and said he would like to see many more such initiatives of cultural and rural tourism.

“This community is regaining its vigour, the same as the entire region, in fact, and becomes attractive again for the tourists to whom maybe it didn’t have this form of attraction to offer before. (…) This is an extraordinary beautiful example and this is the main reason for my attendance today, for I came to show that we salute such initiatives and we hope that other will take your example as well,” the President stated on Sunday.

The Haferland Week kicked off on Wednesday, with concerts held in fortified churches, theatrical plays, film screenings in open air, traditional shows and brunches with Saxon food, as well as a Saxon ball.

The president recalled the meeting a week ago with the Transylvanian Saxons. “A few days ago I attended the Saxons meeting in Sibiu and I know some of you were there. (…) I wish success to this initiative and I wish for the entire region with beautiful areas, traditions, to attract tourists and I wish others see this endeavour and try it someplace else too,” Iohannis said.

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Transilvania Airport Târgu-Mureş will be rehabilitated by almost EUR 12 million. Among other things, the take-off/landing runway will be repaired as well as the boarding/disembarking platform.

According to a communiqué sent on Thursday by the Mureş County Council, four offers were filed for the airport’s rehabilitation.

“After checking and evaluating the four offers submitted in the public procurement procedure at Transilvania Airport Târgu-Mureş, the winner is the Association PORR Construct SRL and Geiger Transilvania SRL. The value of the works, based on the offer submitted by the company, is of RON 53,535,999.28 (VAT included),” the communiqué reads.

Works will be completed within 108 days of the date of issue of the order.

Transilvania Airport has an area of 2,800 square meters, with eight check-in counters and an air-handling capacity of 400 passengers per hour and 800,000 per year.

The service area includes the counties of Mureş, Harghita, Covasna, partly Bistriţa-Năsăud, Braşov, Suceava and Sibiu with a population of approximately 2.7 million inhabitants.

Transilvania Airport activity is on hold since November 2016, after Wizz Air decided to move all flights to the ‘Avram Iancu’ International Airport in Cluj due to the landing/take-off runway.

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“Enchanting town plazas that date back to medieval times, rolling hills as far as the eye can see, castles cloaked in the mystery of Count Dracula, craggy mountain vistas, and a seemingly infinite array of fortresses and churches.

And don’t forget the Transfăgărășan – arguably the most spectacular road in the world.

Romania’s natural beauty and cultural diversity will surprise you. Bordering the Black Sea in Southeastern Europe, the country’s assets also include the Danube River and Carpathian Mountains,” that’s how a feature released by Huffington Post, signed by Patti Morrow.

The feature presents Bucharest, Sibiu, Saschiz, Sighisoara, Sibiel, Brasov, Biertan, Rupea, Bran Castle, Rupea, Cristain, Rosnov, Peles Castle and so on.

“Named “the world’s best road trip” by Top Gear, the Transfăgărășan (photo) winds through the Fagaras mountain range in a shocking series of white-knuckle hairpin turns and sharp descents. The 56-mile path climbs to an altitude 6,699 feet, slinking past gorgeous views of Vidaru and Balea (glacial) lakes and waterfalls,” the feature also reads.

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Mayor of Copsa Mica, Daniel Tudor Mihalache (PNL) has started on Monday a march to Bucharest as a protest in order to draw the central authorities’ attention to the issue of drinking water in the locality.

The mayor has left for Bucharest with a backpack and a stick. The people he meets are very nice, as he says. The driver of a truck offered him an apple and a bottle of water, and a woman from a village encouraged him.

On the way, he meets with mayors from various communes and posts on Facebook pictures with them.

On Monday evening, he has arrived in Sibiu.

In the first day of the march, the mayor walked 42 kilometres.

The Mayor of Copsa Mica , Sibiu County in Transylvania, announced last week that he intends to travel to Bucharest to discuss with the officials about the drinking water problem in his locality. He hopes to be welcomed by President Klaus Iohannis, Prime Minister Mihai Tudose and the Environment Minister.

He is expected to walk over 300 kilometres and should arrive in Bucharest around September 29.

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Former MISA leader Gregorian Bivolaru has been gone missing again. After the Police in Finland have put out a APB against him in a case where Bivolaru is investigated for human trafficking and sexual abuse, Romanian police officers went to his place in Sibiu county but they didn’t find him.

Apparently, Bivolaru would have fled the country on September 14, right on the day after he had been released from prison.

Imprisoned at Bistrita Penitentiary after the French authorities had extradited him in July 2016 to serve jail time in Romanai in the file where he is charged with sexual intercourse with a minor, Bivolaru has been released on parole on September 13, as prosecutors hadn’t challenged the judges’ ruling to set him free.

There was no interdiction on his name to leave the country after the release.

The former MISA leader has declared the locality of Cisnadioara in Sibiu county as his dwelling place, but sources claimed he would have never stayed there.

On Wednesday night, police officers went to his place, but he was not there.

Finnish authorities have issued an arrest warrant in absentia on Bivolaru’s name and the Romanian police have received the documents on Wednesday. The MISA leader is investigated for human trafficking and sexual abuse.

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Thalia Hall of the Philharmonics in Sibiu will host the fourth edition of the Clara Haskil International Festival during October 27-29, which is the first international project in Romania aiming at bringing the Romanian-born artist into the limelight again.

Valuable artists of the contemporary musical stage will meet classic music lovers in Sibiu within four concerts-three evenings and a matinée.

Compared to the previous editions, the programme of the festival this year is slightly different.

„This year, we dare a new formula: we try to put forward various possibilities emerging when the invited artists accept to tread the boards for solo performances, in duet or trios, or next to an orchestra.

Besides, the repertoire itself is different, ranging from the last works written for piano by Robert Schumann (Gesänge der Frühe op. 133) and by Franz Schubert (Drei Klavierstücke D. 946), up to the Mare Duo in La Major by Schubert, and to the well known Dumky de Dvorak trio. We hope the audience will feel the spirit of the festival this year as well, to appreciate the proposed programme and to join us for the concerts ahead of them during the three days,” said pianist Alina Azario, the festival’s initiator and artistic director.

The Bucharest Symphony Orchestra will join cellist Valetin Radutiu for the Do major concert by Haydn on October 28, then it will perform „Transfigured Night” by Arnold Schönberg, a work very rarely performed in Romania.

Niklas Schmidt will perform the suites for cello solo no.1 and no.2 by J.S. Bach, while the Valentin Răduțiu -Per Rundberg duo will close the festival with Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms and Shostakovich.

Among the major international names attending the festivl this year there are Niklas Schmidt – founder of „Fontenay” trio, Valentin Răduțiu – winner of the second place at „George Enescu” Festival, in 2012, Per Rundberg, renowned Swedish pianist, violinist Adrian Iliescu, pianist Alina Azario and Bucharest Symphony Orchestra, this year conducted by Radu Postăvaru.

New edition of the Clara Haskil’s memoir

One of the 2017 festival’s surprises is the launch of a new translation, released by Humanitas Publishing House, of one the most known biographies of Clara Haskil, after exactly 30 years since the first release in Romania: Jérôme Spycket’s volume.

The tickets for the festival have been already put up for sale and can be bought from the Thalia Hall’s booking office, as well as online at Bilet.ro and Eventim.ro.

The festival’s programme is available at pe www.clarahaskil.ro.

The Clara Haskil International Festival was launched din 2014, at the initiative of pianist Alina Azario and is co-financed by the Sibiu local authorities.

The Romania Journal supports the festival as media partner.

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