Business Review Issue 11/2014 March 31 - April 6 by Business Review

INTERVIEW: Alexandru Tulai, president of the Cluj IT Cluster, which is overseeing the Cluj Innovation City, tells BR about the technology project, how it will reboot local industries and what it will mean for the development of Transylvania »page 9

ROMANIA’S PREMIER BUSINESS WEEKLY

MARCH 31 - APRIL 6, 2014 / VOLUME 18, NUMBER 11

TAX&LAW SUPPLEMENT WITH BUDGETARY REVENUES DOWN TO 32 PERCENT OF THE GDP LAST YEAR, PUNDITS SAY TACKLING EVASION AND MODERNIZING THE COLLECTION AGENCY ANAF ARE KEY TO INCREASING THE TAX TAKE » INSIDE INSERT

Transylvania’s fortified churches are getting a nip/tuck worth almost EUR 5.5 million through EU funds. But the investment is insufficient to preserve the true value of these landmarks, say campaigners » page 12

NEWS

PROPERTY

Tapping EU cash

Mall systems go

An agreement on how Romania will use the EU funds it has been allocated for the 20142020 period could be reached in three months’ time

Developer Sonae Sierra says it is confident it will secure the necessary financing for its EUR 180 million ParkLake Plaza shopping mall

» page 5

» page 8

Courtesy of Alex Dima / Prin Transilvania

SAXON SITES FORTIFIED BY FUNDS

www.business-review.eu Business Review | March 31 - April 6, 2014

NEWS 3

NEWS in brief ONLINE

EBRD to provide technical assistance for national energy strategy

Three times more taxes paid online by card in ﬁrst two months of 2014

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will assist Romania in drawing up its national energy strategy, announced the department of energy. Razvan Nicolescu, the delegate minister of energy, met with a delegation headed by Riccardo Puliti, general manager for energy and natural resources at the EBRD. The meeting, which focused on the energy sector, was also attended by James Hyslop, the bank’s director for Romania. The international lender was also interested in the government’s progress in listing state-owned energy players Electrica and Oltenia Energy Holding. The Department of Energy said the EBRD supported Nicolescu’s plan regarding the development of a northsouth gas corridor.

The amount of local taxes paid by card online almost tripled in the first two months of 2014 against the same period of 2013, to RON 6.6 million, according to data reported by Visa Europe’s member banks in Romania. “Within the newly developed legal framework, we expect an increase in the number of municipalities that accept tax payments online,” said Catalin Cretu, area manager, Romania & Croatia, at Visa Europe. At the end of last year, a total of 96 municipalities accepted the online payment of local taxes, through ghiseul.ro or their own platforms.

NQE Holdings plans EUR 7 mln of local solar investments Natura Quattour Energia Holdings (NQE) is planning new investments in solar and small-hydro capacities and is currently analyzing biomass projects. Last week, the company started trading on the regulated market of the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB), in the third category. It had previously been traded on the BVB’s RASDAQ market. Argyrios Volis, NQE’s general manager, said the company has three photovoltaic projects in the licensing stage, which require investments of around EUR 7 million. The holding currently operates one solar installation of 1.09MW. It plans to build another 6MW in solar and a smallhydro plant of 1.58MW. Overall, the holding aims to reach 10MW in renewable projects locally, all of which should be completed next year, according to Volis.

Photo: Mihai Constantineanu

ENERGY

Scaling great heights Romanian mountain climber Horia Colibasanu is planning to ascend Mount Everest, without bottled oxygen, this spring. Colibasanu, who has climbed six 8,000-meter mountains so far without supplementary oxygen, left last New telcos may enter market, week for Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, the starting point of the expedition. says ANCOM Colibasanu and his climbing partner, Peter Hamor of Slovakia, will climb The drop in termination rates for mobile Everest via the northern route, from Tibet. Hamor has scaled ten 8,000- and fixed telephony operators in Romania from April 1 will allow new virtual meter summits to date, including several new routes.

TELECOM

and conditions for the implementation of the support scheme for the promotion of high-efficiency cogeneration, based on demand for heating.

IT Huawei to hike investments to EUR 300 mln and boost local headcount by 2018

Huawei intends to up the value of its investments in Romania to EUR 300 million and grow its headcount in the country to 1,000 employees by 2018, said company management after a meeting with Romanian vice-prime minister Liviu Dragnea, who was on an official visit to China, according to Ziarul Financiar. Huawei currently has over 800 Department of Energy to drop employees in Romania. cogeneration tax on electricity At the end of last year, the Chinese exports The Department of Energy has published telecom company announced it would a draft bill seeking to scrap the cogen- invest in research and education proeration tax for electricity exporters, in a grams in Romania, and set up a regional move designed to turn Romania into a center in Bucharest, after the government major electricity supplier in Central and committed to support these investments. The Romanian government approved South-Eastern Europe. The department said the move was in- a memorandum with Huawei Technolotended to support large coal-based en- gies Co. Ltd. which stipulates that the ergy producers and the “efficient use” executive will grant “the necessary supof available energy resources. The draft port for expanding commercial activities bill was drawn up in response to planned to Huawei,” and also received Huawei’s changes in government ordinance commitment to making local investno.1215/2009 establishing the criteria ments in the future, reported ZF.

Huawei opened a Global Services Center in June 2012, following a total investment of EUR 6 million, to serve operators in the pan-European region. The center is the company’s fourth largest in the world, after sites in China, India and Mexico.

Romanians change their smartphone or tablet every two years Local consumers are gadget geeks who are open to trying new technology and change their smartphone or tablet every two years, according to a study conducted by Oktal.ro. “Romanians appreciate technology and are always looking for the newest gadgets. They want their smartphone or tablet to meet a series of requirements: easy to use, multiple functionalities, longlasting battery, nice design, good camera, plus access to different apps and especially social networks,” said Dan Dumitrescu, general manager of Elka-Oktal Group. The research described Romanian consumers as fickle and yet price-sensitive. They spend on average RON 1,000 on smartphones and RON 800 on tablets. Before making a purchase, they carefully research the product, consult their friends and use online tools to compare prices and offers.

private operators to enter the market, said Catalin Marinescu, president of the telecom authority, ANCOM, quoted by Agerpres. The three companies that won telecom licenses in the 2012 tender – Cosmote Romania, RCS&RDS and 2K Telecom – are obliged to host mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in their network. In December, ANCOM announced the new drop in mobile and fixed termination rates. Fixed termination rates will be cut from 0.67 to 0.14 eurocents/minute, while mobile termination rates will be reduced from 3.07 to 0.96 eurocents/minute.

MOST READ www.business-review.eu 1 Made in Romania: the facelift of the Pegas brand of bicycles

2 Hugh Laurie concert in Romania this July

3 Romania teams up with Bulgaria for Turnu-Magurele-Nicopole hydropower plant project

4 American Superconductor moves part of its production from China to Romania

5 Benevo postpones the construc-

tion of Victoria City mall until summer of 2014

www.business-review.eu Business Review | March 31 - April 6, 2014

4 NEWS FMCG

WEEK AHEAD March 31 Tax&Law 2014 Now on its 13th edition, Tax&Law is the flagship Business Review event, gathering expert panelists, who will tackle the hottest fiscal and legal issues of the Romanian business market in a practical manner for companies. Aimed at a highly select audience, the annual forum, organized by Business Review, attracts over 100 participants, top expert speakers and officials. This edition will include six CPD units provided by ACCA, five hours of professional training from the CCF and four hours of professional training from the INPPI. For details on registration, log on to business-review.eu/brevents or email events@business-review.ro. Pullman Hotel Bucharest, New York Hall

Beer market hits eight-year low on low incomes, tax, bad weather

Going flat: the beer market has been hit by squeezed purchasing power

April 1 A new fuel excise tax comes into effect, adding 7 eurocents per liter of gasoline or diesel fuel. According to sources in the industry, the new tax will lead to a price increase of RON 0.3-0.5 / liter of fuel.

April 3 Manager, Leader or Entrepreneur? Which leadership directions is most beneficial to employees? Being a manager, a leader or an entrepreneur? Dorin Bodea, general manager of Result Romania, hosts a special event aimed at top managers in Romania. The event starts at 9.30 and will be split into two sessions with high-ranking speakers talking about the effects of leadership and management on performances. Log on to the result.ro website for information on how to obtain an invitation. Hotel Intercontinental, Fortuna Room.

April 7 Register by April 7 for the Focus on Employment & HR event from Business Review to secure your Early Bird Discount of 15 percent from the full price of EUR 140 + VAT. See what legal changes are planned in the human resources field and hear the experts’ take on these issues during this special Business Review event. For details regarding registration, log on to business-review.eu/brevents or email events@business-review.ro.

7% of Romanian employees are paid cash in hand, higher than the EU average of 3 percent, according to a recent Eurobarometer survey

omanians drank 16.3 million hl of beer in 2013, more than 10 percent less than the previous year, according to the Brewers of Romania Association. The association’s five main members – Bergenbier, Heineken Romania, Romaqua Group, United Romanian Breweries and Ursus Breweries – account for over 90 percent of the beer sold in the country.

“Despite the efforts of local brewers to maintain the positive trend reported in 2012, the beer market reported a significant contraction in 2012. Consumers’ low income levels and distrust in the state of the economy, fiscal pressure and unfavorable weather in the summer were the key factors that led to the market decline in 2013,” said Onno Rombouts, president of the Brewers of Romania

Evolution of Romanian beer market (million hl) 2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

15.2

17.7

19.4

20.2

17.6

18.2

16.3

Source: Brewers of Romania Association

association and managing director of Heineken Romania. Per capita consumption stood at 81 liters last year, according to the association. The market’s progress in 2014 depends on the authorities drawing the right conclusions and supporting the sector, says the industry body. “Following last year’s drop, we are counting on the Romanian authorities to ensure fiscal predictability and a fair tax approach for the fermented drinks sector,” added Rombouts. The beer sector already contributes 60 percent of all the excise tax revenues collected by the state for alcohol products, twice the European average, according to the association. Also, the excise tax represents half of a beer’s shelf price. With 98 percent of the beer drunk in Romania being produced locally, the industry is an important player in the economy and the evolution of consumption directly impacts brewers’ business, according to the association. For example, last year’s decline led to local producers reducing their investment budgets by EUR 10 million. Their total investments amounted to EUR 62 million in 2013. Over the years, Brewers of Romania members have invested some EUR 1.25 billion in Romania. The association’s members employ over 4,250 people in the 12 breweries they operate. ∫ Simona Bazavan

INSURANCE

Small firms hit hardest by insolvencies, says Euler Hermes C redit insurer Euler Hermes said last week that the biggest share of compensation requests from the companies it insures came from micro- and small-sized enterprises in 2013. More than 85 percent of damage claims came from firms active in construction, the food industry, retail, textiles and transport. “The number of notifications of payment delays of 60 days is concerning. There has been an increase on the previous year (…) and this has been triggered not only by insolvencies but also for other reasons leading to prolonged non-payment,” said Cristina Rusuleanu, general manager of Euler Hermes Romania.

She added that the credit insurer has paid out compensation to companies with a combined turnover of over EUR 275 million, out of which EUR 100 million was the share of insolvent businesses. More than half were granted compensation due to prolonged non-payment, and 39 percent as a result of insolvency. Banks are still holding back from financing SMEs and the fiscal framework is not helping them too much either, according to Cristina Olteanu, head of information and grading at Euler Hermes Romania. “SMEs are not insuring their receivables although they account for up to 60 percent of their balance sheet,” said Olteanu.

The credit insurer has this week launched an insurance product for commercial credit called Simplicity, which protects small companies from the risk of nonpayment by its own customers. Based in Paris, Euler Hermes has operations in over 50 countries, employing more than 6,000 people. It is a subsidiary of Allianz. The credit insurer reported a consolidated turnover of EUR 2.5 billion last year, insuring global business transactions worth EUR 789 billion. Euler Hermes holds an estimated 50 percent market share in Romania, according to company representatives, who added that no official figures were available. ∫ Ovidiu Posirca

www.business-review.eu Business Review | March 31 - April 6, 2014

NEWS 5

EU FUNDS

Government approves draft Partnership Agreement for EU funds for 2014-2020 R omania’s draft Partnership Agreement for EU funds for 2014-2020 will be formally sent to the European Commission (EC) by the end of March after it was approved by the government last week, announced the minister of EU funds, Eugen Teodorovici. An agreement over the way Romania will have access to the EU funds allocated for 2014-2020 could be reached in three months’ time, he added. During this period, the EC can send local authorities any

observations regarding the document’s content. The documentation on the operational programs will be formally sent to the EC in May, but the financial allocation for the programs has been decided, except for the Operational Programme for Fisheries, said the minister. Also, depending on the final EU absorption rate for the funds allocated for the 2007-2013 framework, Romania can access another EUR 1.82 billion. During a public debate last week, the minister said that this time around

Romania’s allocation of EU funds for 2014-2020 Operational/development Programme Funding Large Infrastructure National Rural Development Regional Human Capital Competitiveness Administrative Capacity Cross-border Cooperation Technical Assistance

EUR 9.5 bln EUR 8 bln EUR 6.6 bln EUR 4.2 bln EUR 1.2 bln EUR 553 mln EUR 452 mln EUR 265 mln

Romania’s approach to EU funds would be to focus on projects that will directly impact the economy, especially production and exports. “Otherwise, we will reach a much higher absorption rate that what we have today, but at the end we will see that the impact on the economy was not the desired one,” he said. There will be clear specifications about what can be financed through EU funds and what cannot, both for the private and public sectors, stressed the minister. Projects such as hair salons, flower shops and parks will no longer be viable for financing. “The more we allocate money to those areas which will truly generate substantial growth, the more we will have the necessary money to finance other areas with needs in Romania. This is an approach for all member states, not just Romania,” said Teodorovici. The absorption of EU fund available for the 2007-2013 framework presently stands at 34 percent but the target is for it to hike to 80 percent by the end

EU funds minister, Eugen Teodorovici

of 2015, “should the same approach be maintained”, said Teodorovici two weeks ago, during a Mediafax event. He added that the boost in absorption was possible after remedying issues in the EU funds system, the reform of which he wants to complete this year. ∫ Simona Bazavan

www.business-review.eu Business Review | March 31 - April 6, 2014

6 WHO’S NEWS

WHO’S NEWS BR welcomes information for Who’s News. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity. Get in touch at simona.bazavan@business-review.ro Barbara Cygler

41, has been appointed general manager of GlaxoSmithKline Romania. French citizen Cygler has been working in the pharmaceuticals sector for 15 years, spending the last two at GSK Romania as business unit director for the retail division and subsequently specialty care business unit director. She graduated from the Ecole Superieure de Gestion and holds a master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Marketing.

Sorin Ioan Blaga

is the new managing director of local consumer engagement agency Wave Division. For 13 years he worked at Philip Morris Romania where his last position was marketing director for Romania and Bulgaria. He also worked for four years for

Rompetrol Group as marketing and communication VP. For one year, Blaga was the marketing director of Adevarul Holding. He is an associate professor at SNSPA’s Faculty of Communication and PR.

Valeriu Nistor

has been elected to continue as president of AmCham. He is the country director of IBM Romania. AmCham’s board of directors and auditing committee for 2014-2015 will also include Radu Florescu (the CEO of Saatchi&Saatchi) and Bogdan Ion (the country manager of EY) as vice-presidents. James Stewart (vice-president, responsible for treasury and capital markets at Raiffeisen Bank) was elected treasurer. The other board members are: Cristian Agalopol (vice-president, SFS head Romania & Bulgaria; SEE5 sales coordinator at Citibank), Cristian Colteanu (president & CEO Romania, Bulgaria & Republic of Moldova at General Electric), Jacopo Murzi (administrator at

Janssen Pharmaceuticals Companies of Johnson & Johnson), Daniela Nemoianu (executive partner at KPMG Romania), Nadia Crisan (managing partner at McGuireWoods Consulting Romania), Kostas Loukas (general manager of Microsoft) and Ionut Simion (partner at PwC). The auditing committee members are Manuela Furdui (managing partner at Finexpert), Serge Gonvers (partner at Mazars) and Florentina Grigore (partner with RSM Scot).

founded center in Bucharest, which will be officially inaugurated in the first half of 2014. Popa has worked in the management of major IT&C companies in Romania and Europe for 30 years. Between 2004 and 2012, he served as CEO of Endava in CEE. He graduated from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest and attended senior management programs in Great Britain, Belgium and France.

Edwin Warmerdam

Eugen Serbanescu

has been appointed tax partner in the fiscal consultancy department of Mazars Romania. He worked at PwC in the Netherlands and Romania for over 15 years, going onto hold key management positions in the corporate real estate sectors. He has over 23 years of experience in the fiscal and financial sector, of which 16 have been dedicated to local operations. He specializes in the real estate, financial services and energy sectors.

Marian V. Popa

59, was appointed manager of DB Global Technology, a recently

will be the new general director of Alcatel Lucent Romania from April. Serbanescu was previously regional sales director, Central and Eastern Europe, for Info Vista and director for sales and business development, Central and Eastern Europe, at Tekelec. He also worked for Nortel Networks for more than seven years. Aged 44, he has 18 years of professional experience in telecommunications.

www.business-review.eu Business Review | March 31 - April 6, 2014

FOCUS 7

MARKETING

Made in Romania Policolor In the Made in Romania series, BR presents some of the iconic brands that have put the country on the international trade map, with a focus on those whose origins go back to the Communist period. This week the focus is on Policolor, the paint producer. IIts first major rebranding, consisting of the modernization of the logo and an integrated communication campaign, was in 2000. Another major step in updating the brand values came in 2012 when the company added “since 1965” to its logo, in a nod to its history and tradition, says Alexandra Rusu, marketing director of Policolor Romania. In the industrial paints market, research shows a product’s local provenance, if it is correlated with high quality, is of fairly high importance to the consumer. The same studies have found that the Policolor brand is associated with tradition, quality and reliable products. Beyond the tradition and reputation of a brand, a product’s progress rests on how good it is. In use since 1965, Policolor’s longevity is based on a high level of performance, say officials. Of course, the brand also has a research and development department which is responsible for developing new products, establishing Policolor as an innovative brand in the field, they add. Although the mass market of industrial paints has been declining for five years, Policolor still adorns Romanian and international buildings, with sales on markets in Central Europe, South East Europe, the Caucus and Russia. Resins and other similar chemicals

are exported to Turkey, Serbia, Greece and Central Europe. Exports go also to Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania and Israel, all of which see considerable consumption. On the national market, the decline is close to 5 percent. The market has come under considerable pressure in the segment of entry-level products, while new players have also entered the fray. These factors have made the sold volumes of industrial paint companies difficult to assess, adds Alexandra Rusu. The brand, active since 1965, underwent a rebranding that tapped into its legacy in 2012, labeling all products with “since 1965”, which the company says was very popular with its customers. The “Made in Romania” label has recently gained traction with shoppers. “The phrase does not have a negative connotation, as it did in the 1990s, but has been recapitalized in terms of fame,” argues Rusu. Another product that has undergone a rebranding process is Vinarom, one of the best known local paints, which first entered the Romanian market in 1970 and returned in 2013, after consumers adopted the brand name as a generic term for this type of product. ∫ Oana Vasiliu

Painting a positive picture: Policolor’s history dates back to the 1960s

CEO CORNER Ufuk Tandogan CEO of Garanti Group Romania

SMEs can boost economy with right support Small and medium enterprises play an essential role in Romania’s economy, with a positive impact on local development and the employment rate. Currently, SMEs represent 99 percent of all companies established in Romania, generating around 60 percent of the country’s turnover, and providing jobs for around two thirds of the workforce. However, in order for them to be successful in today’s challenging economic environment, to become more efficient, innovative and competitive, they need support from both the state and private institutions. Statistics* show that close to 60 percent of SMEs managed to maintain their business at a constant level over 2009-2013, over a quarter registered decreases, while only 18 percent managed to grow in the period. More than 90 percent of these companies are financing themselves, which makes it difficult for them to develop.

Banking institutions should also play an important part in terms of financial consulting, finding the best source of financing for SME business solutions. For example, banks, in partnership with institutions such as the IFC can provide loans to special categories of high-potential SMEs.

Placing greater emphasis on SMEs and providing them with the One of the biggest problems for right business environment and SMEs is insufficient external financ- necessary financing sources has ing. Both the state and private insti- huge importance at a macro-ecotutions should increase the level of nomic level, because this is the best available financing sources for way to get Romania’s economic SMEs, as these companies need ex- growth back on a sustainable path. ternal support to ensure a larger Therefore, both the banking working capital, so they can accom- sector and the state should plish their growth ambitions. offer these companies their full One of the solutions is for the state support. to find the right solutions to increase the EU funds absorption rate and assist beneficiaries in the imple- * According to the CNIPMMR mentation of EU-funded projects. As (the National Council of Private a first step, access to information Small and Medium Enterprises in and to technical and financial con- Romania) sulting for SMEs should be provided. This can be done through dedicated support desks, manuals and subsidized courses. Information campaigns are also vital, as this would ensure that good and innovative project ideas get the chance to be financed.

www.business-review.eu Business Review | March 31 - April 6, 2014

8 PROPERTY

BRIEFS 2014, the year of the developers’ comeback The Romanian land market is steadily growing in activity, according to Colliers International Romania. This year is expected to see a similar level of transactional activity to 2013, but one major change is that the land market – previously dominated by retailers and retail developers – is now witnessing the comeback of several key segments, such as office and large residential developers, says the firm.

ParkLake Plaza aims to exceed 12 million visitors from 2016 Sonae Sierra is confident that over the coming months it will secure the necessary financing for the EUR 180 million ParkLake Plaza shopping mall it is developing in eastern Bucharest in a joint venture with Caelum Development.

Romania posts steepest house price fall among 42 countries in 2013

Globalworth leases 37.5 pct of Barbu Vacarescu ofﬁce project

Photo: Simona Bazavan

House prices in Romania fell by 10.43 percent in 2013, the biggest slump among 42 countries around the world, according to a globalpropertyguide.com survey, based on average inflation-adjusted prices. Romanian property prices also fell in the previous years, although until last year the decline had been softening, with contraction of 24.22 percent in 2009, 22.08 percent in 2010, 6.99 percent in 2011 and 5.96 percent in 2012. Mall systems go: work on the long-mooted project has so far progressed in fits and starts

Investment fund Globalworth, controlled by Greek businessman Ioannis ∫ SIMONA BAZAVAN Papalekas, has announced the lease of 37.5 percent of the office tower it is “I am much more relaxed now than I building on Barbu Vacarescu Street in was three months ago (…) because I Bucharest. Vodafone has leased 16,000 smell concrete and I was able to consqm for a ten-year period while Huawei vince my board to start this project alhas rented 2,500 sqm for five years. though not everything was 100 The office block will be delivered in percent ready in the beginning,” Ingo December 2015. It will cover 46,000 Nissen, managing director of Sonae sqm on 23 floors. Sierra in Romania, told a press conference last week. The EUR 180 million ParkLake PIC hypermarkets in Craiova, Calarasi, Braila Plaza shopping mall located in the Titan neighborhood of Bucharest put up for sale again The former PIC hypermarkets in Craio- should be completed in 2016, some va, Calarasi and Braila, as well as a nine years after it was first announced. plot of land in Blejoi, Prahova county, Why start the project now? The ecowill be put up for sale again on nomic context is improving, there are April 25, by judicial administrator sustainable growth perspectives, and PricewaterhouseCoopers Business Re- after Sonae Sierra completed other covery Services, at a total starting projects it had in the pipeline elseprice of EUR 10.2 million. Local hy- where in Europe, ParkLake Plaza is permarket chain PIC entered bank- now next in line, explained Nissen. And this time around works are on ruptcy in 2012. schedule, says the developer. The infrastructure part of the 70,000 sqm NEPI gets EUR 20 mln GLA project – which was contracted loan from Garanti Bank Real estate investment fund New Eu- to Soletanche Bachy Romania – is set rope Property Investments (NEPI) has to be delivered in August and over the taken out a EUR 20 million loan from next few weeks the tender for strucGaranti Bank for a partial refinance of tural works will be held, said Nissen. The developers are also confident its investment in Shopping City Galati. The credit was granted in Feb- that over the coming months they will ruary for a five-year period. Shopping secure the necessary bank loans to City Galati was opened in November complete the works. “We would have 2013, six months after receiving a never started works if we had not building permit. It has a 27,206 been so confident that we would get the money,” stressed the MD. Without sqm GLA.

giving details about the project, Nissen said that “usually, right now, external financing represents 50 percent if not below” of the total investment, the rest being private equity. The EUR 180 million investment required for the project includes the price of the 8.2 ha plot of land on which it is being built, which was acquired in 2007 for some EUR 55 million, according to local media reports. Subsequent litigation regarding the land was one of the reasons the project was postponed.

Eastern Bucharest is getting crowded The ParkLake Plaza developers want the facility to attract at least 12 million visitors per year after completion. It will feature 200 stores and some 60 percent of the 70,000 sqm GLA is already leased, according to the developer. The project, located on the Liviu Rebreanu Blvd, near the IOR Park, is not the only shopping center currently under construction in eastern Bucharest, an area where the only operational modern shopping mall so far is Bucharest Mall, opened by Anchor Group in 1999. Nearby, NEPI is set to complete Mega Mall – a shopping mall of a similar size to ParkLake Plaza – in 2015. However, Nissen says the competition is not a problem. ParkLakePlaza’s immediate catchment area is 180,000 people, which is “enough for

a shopping mall its size”. “When you go and do a development in a country like Romania – and by this I mean that there are countries where it is more difficult to get a building permit – you have to assume that sooner or later competition is coming. So I do not fear this competition,” he said, adding that the project’s design, theme and tenant mix place it ahead of other local retail developments in term of quality.

A tangled history The joint venture between Portuguese shopping center developer and owner Sonae Sierra and Irish developer Caelum Development announced in October 2012 for the development of the ParkLake Plaza shopping mall was the second one the companies had reached to build the same project after the first one, signed in 2008, was dropped. The now notorious ParkLake Plaza shopping mall was first announced in 2007 and was supposed to be the largest shopping mall in Bucharest at that time. Caelum Development had plans to invest EUR 500 million in the project, which was initially supposed to have an 110,000 sqm GLA. In 2011, Caelum Development announced it would resume the project and invest EUR 250 million in the shopping mall, but works on the site failed to advance much. simona.bazavan@business-review.ro

www.business-review.eu Business Review | March 31 - April 6, 2014

FOCUS CLUJ IT CLUSTER 9

Innovation City puts Cluj on 3Q Andrea Conte European technology map project leader Joint Research The main project of the Cluj IT Cluster, the Cluj Innovation City integrated urban development program, expected to attract EUR 300 million of investments, will soon be selecting the consultancy companies that will be in charge of the pre-feasibility study. Meanwhile, several other projects are already in the pipeline. ∫ OTILIA HARAGA

experts from the top international companies, to carry out the pre-feasibility and feasibility studies,” said Tulai. Cluj Innovation City, set to be realized via a public-private partnership, is a community project for which the management will come from private sources while the infrastructure will be done with the help of the government, Cluj County Council and Cluj Local Council. Apart from Cluj Innovation City, the Cluj IT Cluster applied last year for financing for several other projects, as part of the Sectoral Operational Programme Increase of Economic Competitiveness. The cluster applied for EUR 1.2 million financing to develop four of its own projects that can already be marketed and another twelve projects that are in the design stage. After the evaluation, the four projects were declared eligible, and the financing will be soon granted.

How are you helping Romania deﬁne its innovation strategy? My role in the EC is to work on the platform in the Joint Research Center to help all member states define their innovation strategies. 2014 is the beginning of the next seven-year financial framework, and we have more resources than ever. They come from Horizon 2020, and then we also have the regional funds. Romania does not rank well on the innovation ladder, does it? Indeed, if we look at the Eurostat statistics on R&D and also the European Innovation Scoreboard, Romania scores quite low in the ranking (ed. note: ranked as a modest innovator, along with Bulgaria and Latvia), which is a problem because you have so many talented kids that could be easily re-employed into growth industries. The situation is definitely not improving. In relative terms, Romania is still in the group of the socalled catching-up countries. In what we call the EU 13, countries that entered the EU from 2004, we have different performances. The problems facing Romania and Bulgaria are different from the ones in the Czech Republic or Poland.

All photos: Otilia Haraga

1. Andrei Kelemen, executive director of Cluj IT Cluster 2. Emil Boc, mayor, Cluj-Napoca City Hall 3. Dacian Ciolos, EU Commissioner, directorate general Agriculture & Rural Development 4. Mihnea Costoiu, minister for national education 5. Valeriu Zgonea, president, Chamber of Deputies, Romania 6. Vittoria Alliata di Villafranca, director, Directorate General Regional Policy, EC

Photo: Cluj IT Cluster

“Welcome to Cluj, future European Youth Capital in 2015, and, let us hope, future European Capital of Culture in 2021,” said Emil Boc, mayor of the ClujNapoca City Hall and formerly PM of Romania, in his speech at the Cluj Innovation Days 2014 event. “Cluj Innovation City is the biggest challenge for Cluj, Transylvania and why not, Romania, for the next ten years,” said Boc. “The Romanian presidency is supporting this project and it has also ended up on the table of EC chief, Jose Manuel Barroso.” He joked, “I dare say, it could even be an element in the cohabitation pact between the president and the prime minister, but only up to the point where it is destroyed!” Cluj City Hall has made available a plot of 202 hectares in the Lomb area of

Cluj-Napoca for the project. “If the project is kept as it is, it will be a success. Cluj Innovation City could be a project like the Magurele laser, albeit on a smaller scale,” he said. The financing for the EUR 300 million will come from mixed sources. “Recently, we have taken the necessary steps to enter Cluj Innovation City on the list of the main national investment programs, so that during the next multi-annual financial framework for 2014- 2021, it will be possible to access European funds via programs for regional development and competitive growth,” said Alexandru Tulai, president of Cluj IT Cluster. Prior to that, the consultancy company that will draw up the pre-feasibility study has to be chosen. “An important step in making Cluj Innovation City happen is to start the procedure for the selection of consultancy companies, for which we are targeting

Center, European Commission

Romania attracted a low sum of European funds. How much did that matter? This mattered a lot because it was a historic opportunity. For the future wellbeing of Romanian cities, investing in education and innovation is crucial. We have resources at EU level. It would be in the best interests of the country to make the most of them in terms of both the quantity of money used but also the quality. otilia.haraga@business-review.ro

10 FOCUS CLUJ IT CLUSTER

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Cluj control: major figures from business and politics pledge support for the cluster

“The project has a significant research and innovation component, with twelve software projects in design stage having been submitted, while, more importantly, another four will be developed to the marketable stage, with application in healthcare, agriculture and acquisitions,” said Andrei Kelemen, executive director of the Cluj IT Cluster. Thirdly, the Cluj IT Cluster will provide training in software and soft skills. A pilot program is expected to start next month, to increase the degree of innovation among companies that are members of the cluster and for cost-efficiency reasons. “The first project, a pilot one, which will help us test some collaboration mechanisms, will start in April, and will take place in the .NET technology. At the moment there are about 20 employees of cluster member companies who have subscribed,” said Kelemen. The Cluj IT Cluster aims to make Cluj a regional innovation hub, and benefits from the support of the government, the local administration, educational institutions and the European institutions. “On the long term, the aim of the cluster is to exceed the regional dimension and become a center of IT business both in Romania and Europe,” said Horia Uioreanu, president of the Cluj County Council. Representatives of the central and local administration have pledged to make sure that the project will be free from political control.

“Cluj Innovation City is the biggest challenge for Cluj, Transylvania and why not, Romania, for the next ten years,” Emil Boc, mayor of Cluj-Napoca

“It is highly important for this project not to be played as a political one, because it will die before it is born,” warned Mihnea Costoiu, minister for national education. “In 2013, we managed to spend the 80 percent difference that remained unspent for the Operational Programme Increase of Economic Competitiveness from 2007 to 2016, given the prolongation that the EC and the EP have granted Romania. Cluj is an important beneficiary of our projects. The funds that Romania has at its disposal for research between 2014-2020 have grown substantially,” said Costoiu. The second edition of the Cluj Innovation Days gathered 400 participants from Romania and abroad: public authorities, members of the European Commission, businesspeople and representatives of the cluster. Other speakers at the event also included Dacian Ciolos, EU commissioner for agriculture and rural development, Aurelia Cristea, minister delegate for social dialogue, Gheorghe Vuscan, Cluj prefect, and Valeriu Zgonea, president of the Chamber of Deputies of Romania. “I hope Romania will become a hub of research and innovation. We have this window of opportunity because we are at the crossroads between two worlds, the European one, looking for a global market, and an expanding one, with a growing population that wishes to take the European experience, and here I am referring to Asia Minor, Asia, former Soviet states and North Africa,” said Zgonea. The Cluj IT cluster was set up in October 2012 and has 30 IT member companies, three higher learning institutions (the Cluj-Napoca Technical University, the Babes-Bolyai University and the Cluj University of Agriculture Sciences and Veterinarian Medicine), eight public institutions and several catalyst organizations. otilia.haraga@business-review.ro

www.business-review.eu Business Review | March 31 - April 6, 2014

FOCUS CLUJ IT CLUSTER 11

Cluj IT Cluster president: this is future of Cluj for next 30 years From paper to reality, Cluj Innovation City, the biggest project of the Cluj IT Cluster, will see the building of 33 research facilities with projects in the fields of bioeconomy, IT, medicine, renewable energy and the environment. Alexandru Tulai, president of the Cluj IT Cluster, outlines what it will take to realize this project and what benefits Romania will reap from it. tion. The cluster members are from Bucharest, Brasov, Alba-Iulia and TarguMures. We also have a code of ethics. The members must also pay a fee. When we were founded, in October 2012, there were 23 companies, now there are 32.

∫ OTILIA HARAGA Under what terms did City Hall place the 202 hectare plot at the disposal of Cluj Innovation City? We have not reached the stage of defining the form of City Hall’s contribution. We have the agreement of all the entities that will constitute Cluj Innovation City Foundation, the non-profit foundation with the sole target of preserving the use of this location. By a happy coincidence, the City Hall started two projects there. The buildings underway are the Center for Creative Industries and IT and the Business Accelerator. There will now be a tender for a fourlane road, with all the utilities included.

What beneﬁts do you expect to reap within the next ﬁve-six years? At this point, we see two types of benefits. The re-launch of agriculture and reindustrialization can no longer be postponed. Recently, France has modified the structure and name of its Ministry of Industry, which has become the Ministry of Industrial Reconstruction. We will have to do that too. The second benefit will be the regional development strategy. This means new markets that we are creating. Romania’s most important resource is that it is a large marketplace. What do you mean by regional development ? First of all the north-east of Transylvania. Then, we are thinking of all this part of Europe, which includes Transylvania and has the same type of mentality. At the invitation of the Steinbeis Foundation from Baden-Württemberg, we were

Courtesy of Cluj IT Cluster

Where will the road start from and where will it go? The road will link the site to the outskirts of Cluj, 8 kilometers from the city center. The budget is already set, and the road will be 4 kilometers long. In order to attract private financing, since the bulk of the money will come from private sources, the first step must be made from public funds. Why? Because when the state invests in that area, you can start to build trust that particular investment is secure. We are now working hard to obtain government co-financing but also EU financing, as part of the POR and POSCCE directions. The Cluj City Hall is responsible for financing the utilities.

observers for one stage of one of their projects. The Steinbeis Foundation was founded 30 years ago with the aim of kickstarting the economy of BadenWürttemberg, a place with over 160 functional clusters. This foundation was financed by the German state to promote innovation as a socioeconomic growth engine. And they actually did it. The Austrians succeeded too. If we manage to follow in their footsteps, we will be the third. When will the tender for the construction of the facilities take place? In about a year, when all the documentation is ready. But there will be a tender only if the investment is made from public funds. The financing will be mixed: all types of public funds plus private investments. We have had discussions with several groups of private foreign investors who are very interested in coming here and making investments in infrastructure. The first sign came in October when we were at ExpoReal. The interested investors came from Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Emirates and the United States. What are the Cluj IT Cluster’s most important projects at the moment? Cluj Innovation City is the largest project right now. Of course, we have more

projects than officially announced. The cluster is organized based on commissions, for instance the e-health commission, which gathers various companies specialized in branches of telemedicine technologies, together with the University of Medicine and Pharmacy. From the discussions, it emerged that there are villages in Romania that do not have access to any medical assistance. So, one could train a worker from City Hall, on equipment with electrodes, to provide minimum diagnostics from a distance. However, the first field that will be approached intensely will be bioeconomy because right now we are importing 70-80 percent of the agricultural and industrial output, while Romania is the third biggest agricultural power in Europe, by resources. Our agriculture is at subsistence level. But on the other hand this gives us a competitive advantage because we have become one of the most important genetic databases of local varieties. What conditions must a company meet to become part of the cluster? The conditions are very simple. There are four types of entities in the cluster: IT companies, universities, local authorities (of which there are only two) and a catalyst NGO, to promote innova-

The necessary ﬁnancing for Cluj Innovation City is around EUR 300 million. Have you applied for EU funds? In order to apply for EU funds, we need to make feasibility studies, and this in itself is rather expensive, costing around EUR 400,000-500,000. This money does not grow on trees. This is the future of Cluj for the next 30 years. Do you think it is a lot to pay EUR 1 million for the studies part, for the next 30 years? Just remember that in Romania so far nobody has managed to get all the political parties, the public administration and six public universities, round the same table. One of them alone has 1,800 employees and a senate of 139 members that must make a decision. What beneﬁts will Romania reap in the coming years? The most important benefit is the massive creation of new jobs. Approximately EUR 80 billion of EU funds has been allocated to innovation alone, during the 2014-2021 budget. Of course, the results of the delivery must be validated. For instance, in the case of IT projects delivered in Bucharest in the public sector, nine out of ten are failures, according to the statistics of the Ministry of Communications and Information Society. When you create jobs, this leads to another immense benefit, the appearance of the middle class. These are generally the people who lead small firms. The third benefit is a flexible and robust economic structure, and here I am referring to the German model, where more than half of the GDP is produced by SMEs. How many specialists will be employed at the Cluj IT Cluster projects? In the next five years, we estimate between 20,000 and 30,000 specialists. At the moment, some 5,000-6,000 specialists will be moving to the Innovation City for sure. There are four areas of action: bioeconomy, IT, medicine, renewable energy and the environment. Bioeconomy and healthcare have the best outlook, given the resources in Transylvania. otilia.haraga@business-review.ro

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12 TOURISM

Divine intervention Transylvania’s fortified churches raise hands to heaven for funding In recent years, Transylvania’s Saxon villages have attracted growing interest from foreigners – the UK’s Prince of Wales being the most prominent visitor – who are charmed by the region’s beauty and historical heritage. This potential is encapsulated in the fortified churches, which embody all stages of this important European architectural phenomenon. BR found out who is making efforts to promote them as tourist destinations. cultural heritage, as well as the construction/modernization of the connected infrastructure. Only 18 fortified churches will benefit from this money, based on documentation running to 1,100 pages and 18 additional files, containing boards and technical papers. The funds were received for the Sebes/Mühlbach Parochial Cathedral, the Garbova/Urwegen count’s castle from Alba County, the fortified churches in Bunesti/Bodendorf, Crit/Deutsch-Kreuz, Cincsor/Kleinschenk and Mesendorf/Meschendorf (Brasov County), the fortified churches in Archita/Arkeden, Cloasterf/Klosdorf and Apold/Trappold (Mures County), the fortified churches in Ighisu Nou/Eibesdorf, Atel/Hetzeldorf, Curciu/Kirtsch, Malancrav/Malmkrog, Netus/Neithausen, Stejarisu/Probstdorf, Dealu Frumos/Schönberg and Valchid/Waldhütten as well as Carta/Kerz, and the former Cistercian abbey in Sibiu County. Some of these churches have already been recon-

Photo: Christian Draghici

Visiting Romania’s idyllic Saxon villages “feels like stepping into a tableau by Pieter Brueghel,” wrote the Financial Times in March 2012 (Harman fortified church, Sibiu county)

∫ OANA VASILIU SIMONA BAZAVAN For those looking to escape from the hustle and bustle of the big city and retreat to the serenity and simplicity of country living, the picturesque villages of Transylvania give welcome respite. Transylvania is home to nearly 200 villages with almost 180 fortified churches built by the Saxons between the 13th and 15th centuries. Seven of the fortified churches have been designated by UNESCO, out of Romania’s total of 25 well preserved

architectural gems on the World Cultural Heritage list. The seven are Biertan Fortified Church (near Sighisoara), the Calnic fortress (near Sibiu), Darjiu Fortified Church (near Sighisoara), Prejmer (near Brasov), Saschiz (near Sighisoara), Valea Viilor Fortified Church (near Medias) and Viscri (near Sighisoara). The fortified churches are found throughout the geographical area stretching from Orastie, Hunedoara county, to Darauseni, Brasov county. Most of the fortified churches offer accommodation in guesthouses, making the experience even more up close and personal. There are few

places in Europe where life still goes on as it did hundreds of years ago. Time seems to have stood still here and it is not hard to imagine why the UK’s Prince Charles keeps coming back and has even bought several local properties.

Nip/tuck for the fortiﬁed churches According to the Coordination Office for Fortified Churches, the Saxon Lutheran Church in Transylvania has applied for ERDF funds (European Regional Development Fund), obtaining EUR 5.5 million for the long-lasting restoration and promotion of the

Fortiﬁed churches In Romania, there are three main types of fortifications: churches inside fortifications, fortified churches and fortress churches. These sites are usually made up of networks of streets, with compact house facades and exterior walls that enclose the house and garden or courtyard. These unique landmarks appeared in Romania after both Szecklers (known as “secui”) and Saxons (called “sasi”) based themselves in Transylvania in the 11th century as border grounds. The areas were constantly under the threat of Turkish and Tatar invasions, hence the need for fortifications.

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TOURISM 13

3Q Andrei Crivat founder of Prin Transilvania

Viscri accommodation Viscri 125, Brasov county, www.viscri125.ro A UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to a 14th-century fortified church, the village of Viscri has been getting a lot of attention in recent years following the visits of Prince Charles. If you want to follow in his footsteps and get a taste of the place, Viscri 125 offers accommodation in two restored Saxon houses with 10 rooms with prices starting at EUR 50 for a single room per night, breakfast included. The location has a restaurant built in a former barn which also offers gourmet and traditional cooking classes.

structed. Most of the completed projects involving the fortified churches were for roof maintenance, with costs that ran from EUR 1,500 to several hundreds of thousands. Until now, none of the landmarks has been completely reconditioned. Moreover, some projects are sponsored through EEA Grants, such as those on the www.fortified-churches.com website.

Tourists ﬂock to the area Currently, 60 percent of visitors are foreigners, says Carmen Schuster, volunteer project manager of Discover the Soul of Transylvania, run by the Saxon Lutheran Church in Tran-

sylvania, which owns all the fortified churches. The project is supported entirely by the voluntary efforts of almost 40 teams who communicate with over 200 Transylvanian Saxon (named “sasi”) communities and associations throughout Germany, driven by the desire to give something back. Schuster, who returned to Romania in 1998 after almost 20 years of working in the German banking system, felt that she should do something for the small community of Cincsor (near Fagaras), where she was born. “I started from the idea that if I earn money here, some of it must return to the society. Cincsor has a fortified

Photo: Mihai Constantineanu

Biertan a fortified church near Sighisoara, is on the UNESCO Heritage list

church so this is how I began to get involved in the project,” said Schuster. Most Saxons from Cincsor are gone, but there remained the church and the old school. She managed to obtain European funds for the restoration of the church, while the school was renovated with private finance. “Of course the money is the problem, but so are the mentalities. As Romanians, we don’t have a culture of volunteering. If any of these communities had more people actively involved in the project, it would be great. Smalls things that do not necessarily need money can be done in every community,” added Schuster. An internal study by Saxon Lutheran Church in Transylvania conducted from June-September 2013 found that 60.3 percent of visitors discovered the fortified churches through friends or family, 14.05 percent from the mass media and 12.2 percent from travel agencies. Most visitors, 88.86 percent, come to Tran- Prin Transilvania organizes tours of sylvania in search of culture, whereas landmark sights in Transylvania 40.03 percent are interested in nature. In terms of duration, half of the respondents stay less than three days. What is the Prin Transilvania project? Asked if they would recommend the It is a project that wants to unfold the destination to others, almost all the great historical and cultural heritage tourists, 97.53 percent, answered yes. hidden in the Transylvanian villages. The most visited landmark is the Everyone knows the major landmarks Black Church in Brasov, which at- – the Black Church in Brasov, Alba tracted over 200,000 tourists in 2013. Carolina Citadel, Matthias’s statue in The Saxon Lutheran Church in Tran- Cluj and the houses of Sibiu. But few sylvania also conducted a study in people know, for example, about the May 2013 with the help of the national Zsombory mansion, which the owner pollster IRSOP, which questioned 850 lost in a card game back in 1900, or Romanians aged 18 and older. It re- the Copler Shell Castle, where a witch vealed that 56 percent of the respon- cursed everyone who would ever live dents know about the fortified there, a premonition that was actually churches of Transylvania, but just 22 borne out. percent had actually visited any of them. Although the churches belong Was it difﬁcult to create the map? to the Saxon Lutheran Church in The interactive map emerged as a reTransylvania, 72 percent of the result of our travels. After the first trips, spondents said that Romanian public we realized that it was better to mark institutions should help restore the the places where we had been so that buildings. Moreover, a significant ma- people could visit what we had already jority, 77 percent, are interested visit- discovered and find the historical landing the sites, while 62 percent are marks more easily. There are some considering taking a holiday in Tran- places that it’s hard to get to because sylvania’s Saxon villages. When it of the lack of road signs. Some of the comes to religion, 73 percent of Tran- castles are signposted on the main sylvanian Saxons think that the forti- roads, but when you get off to visit fied churches should be used for them, you cannot find any signs, and personal events, such as weddings or must rely on villagers to direct you to baptisms. the landmark. The churches are being promoted through a smartphone application What is the best story you have heard called Die Siebenbürgische Kirchen- on your trips? burgenlandschaft/The Landscape of I was amazed by the Cistercian Abbey the Fortified Churches in Transylva- in Carta (Sibiu county), which is nearly nia, and with a pass granting access to 900 years old – and its story. Also, a over 40 such attractions, the Ferien- visit to Patrahaitesti (Alba county), one pass, which is on sale in German of the most isolated hamlets in the tourism offices. Most package tours Apuseni mountains, where we met consist of accommodation and guide Paraschiva, a woman who uses an services, but also include exhibitions, old popular wind instrument called a concerts, traditional celebrations, pil- “tulnic”, and who showed us how old grimages and receptions in the people of the area, named “motii”, citadels where local products are on communicated through the mountains sale. for hundreds of years using the instrument. oana.vasiliu@business-review.ro simona.bazavan@business-review.ro oana.vasiliu@business-review.ro

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14 FILM

Local acting talent honored at Gopo Awards 1

Photo: Child’s Pose

Romania’s redcarpet event the Gopo Awards may not enjoy the international attention of the Oscars and Cannes, but it does highlight the growing prestige of local filmmaking. So who are the 2014 winners?

1. Luminita Gheorghiu (best actress in a leading role – Child’s Pose) and Victor Rebengiuc (best actor in leading role for The Japanese Dog) 2. Tom Wilson and Carmen Anton (for Bucharest Experiment, best documentary) 3. Ilinca Goia (best actress in a supporting role – Child’s Pose) 4. Tudor Panduru (the Young Hope award) 5. Ada Solomon (for Child’s Pose and for best short movie, A Cloudy Shadow) 6. Vlad Ivanov (for best actor in a supporting role – Child’s Pose) 7. Calin Peter Netzer (for best feature-length movie, best director of a feature-length movie and best screenplay of Child’s Pose)

OANA VASILIU

Photos: Cristi Duminecioiu

Over 400 professionals from the Romanian film industry voted in this year’s Gopo Awards, which took place on March 24. Child’s Pose was the big winner of the evening, with Calin Peter Netzer taking home three of the most important gongs, for best feature-length movie, best director of a feature-length movie and best screenplay (written with Razvan Radulescu). Meanwhile, Luminita Gheorghiu won the prize for best actress in a leading role in a feature-length movie, Vlad Ivanov for best actor in a supporting role in a feature-length movie and Ilinca Goia for best actress in a supporting role in a feature-length movie. Child’s Pose, the winner of the Berlin Golden Bear, also claimed the Gopo statues for best sound, which went to Cristian Tarnovetchi, Dana Bunescu and Cristinel Sirli, and best montage for Dana Lucretia Bunescu. The film also received the public’s award for the highest sales in 2013, giving it a haul of nine Gopo gongs. Elsewhere, Victor Rebengiuc was named best actor in leading role in a feature-length movie for his turn in The

Japanese Dog. Director Marian Crisan was awarded by ProCinema, with Cristian Tudor Popescu presenting him with the Gopo statue. The prize for the best cinematography went to Oleg Mutu for The Unsaved

(La limita de jos a cerului) and Cristian Niculescu was awarded for the best décor for Domestic. Miss Christina (Domnisoara Christina) garnered three accolades for best costumes (Maria Miu), best

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makeup and hairstyle (Cristina Temelie, Nastasia Mateiu) and best original music (Jon Wygens). Meanwhile, Radu Aldea, the cinematographer on Miss Christina, took the Romanian Society of Cinematographers award. Tom Wilson’s Bucharest Experiment claimed the Gopo for best documentary, while The Vibration, directed by Germain Kanda, was named best short documentary movie. Radu Jude received his fifth Gopo for A Cloudy Shadow (O umbra de nor). Igor Cobileanski won the prize for best debut, while the Young Hope award was presented to Tudor Panduru, for the short movie The Black Brigade (Brigada neagra).

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