CPH Post Romania Supplement 2019 by The Copenhagen Post

ROMANIA

UNITED ARAB ROMANIA EMIRATES

AMBASSADOR’S MESSAGE

INSIDE THE REAL ROMANIA Dear reader, It is a privilege for me to have a new opportunity to tell you about my country, Romania, and to invite you to visit it and open your hearts and minds towards it. So far, in three previous special editions made in collaboration with the Copenhagen Post, our focus has been on the celebration of 100 years of diplomatic relations between Romania and Denmark and later on the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. In the current supplement, you will learn more about unique and yet-to-be-discovered places to visit and about past historic events we take pride in. You will read about how we like to conduct business and some success stories involving Romanian and Danish business collaborations. You will also get to know our Romanian community a little better, and how they make a difference in Denmark and regarding our bilateral relations as a bridge-builder.

Once you have read about the history of Romania – a country perpetually at the crossroads of the East and West, continuously learning how to adapt to constant changes and influences, and yet staying true to its core spirit – you will understand the key to success for countless Romanian sportsmen and women whose stamina and titanic determination have brought the purest gold medals. For sure you have heard about Hagi, the ‘Maradona of the Carpathians’, Nadia Comăneci, the gymnast who scored the first 10.00 in the history of gymnastics, or about Ilie Năstase, the tennis legend. In this edition, you will get a chance to revisit past moments of glory through the history of Romanian sport, as well as read about our present accomplishments, such as Simona Halep, a double grand slamn winner and world number one for 64 months between 2017 and 2019. Regarding the Romanian economic outlook, you will see that it remains very positive with growth rates above the European average for several years now. In order to illustrate this, along with relevant (but dry) figures, we have decided to feature our IT sector, where cutting edge developments such as blockchain and deep learning are integrated into solutions for both Romanian and international partners.

Photo: Valentin Debu

Last but not least, you will learn more about the achievements of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU and its impact on the everyday lives of EU citizens. During the Presidency the visit of Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, represented the prime focus of our Embassy at the end of April 2019. We will share with you many details of Her Majesty’s visit in this special edition of the Copenhagen Post.

Sustainable agriculture is another hot topic in Romania, so we have chosen two examples that best describe this reality: in winemaking and pig breeding. As for tourism, this time we have decided to take you further away from Bucharest, deeper into the country to less known places. For instance, many of you might have heard of Dracula and the Transfăgărășan road, which the British motoring TV show ‘Top Gear’ claimed to be ”the best driving road in the world” back in 2009. But not many of you will have heard of Hoia Baciu, which some have called the world’s most haunted forest, with many records of UFO-sightings. All that being said, I once again extend to you a warm invitation to book a seat to Romania and pack your suitcase for any season. I am looking forward to seeing pictures of your journey to my country! Alexandru Grădinar Ambassador of Romania in the Kingdom of Denmark and Iceland

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

HISTORY

A TALE OF INTERTWINING ROADS By Soma Biró

EVERYONE KNOWS THE ROMANS LIKED STRAIGHT LINES, BUT THE COUNTRY THAT BEARS ITS NAME TODAY IS THE SUM OF A MORE NONLINEAR NARRATIVE 4

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

any different peoples have inhabited the regions that make up Romania today.

The Thracians, who believed in the immortality of the soul, migrated from Asia at the very beginning of the Bronze Age. In around 7th century BC, the Greeks arrived at the coast of the Black Sea and established the cities of Histria, Tomis and Callatis – all parts of modern-day Romania.

Some 600 years later, the Dacian people established a large state (including the Greek cities) and attempted to counter Roman expansion, but the Romans eventually conquered the Dacian empire and made it their province. In the centuries that followed, several streams of migrating peoples moved to territories that are part of 21st century Romania: the Goths, Huns, Avars, Slavs, Bulgars and Magyars.

Under the leadership of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Wallachia and Moldavia were named the United Romanian Principalities in 1861 LONG ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE Modern-day Romania comprises the regions of Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania – although the latter, which was formed in 1570, did not join the fold until the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of the World War I. Back in the 14th century, the region of Wallachia, located in the south of the Carpathian Mountains, became the first Romanian principality, followed by Moldavia 30 years later in 1360 – but it was not until the 19th century that the name ‘Romania’ was first used. First came a long period of Turkish rule, as the Ottoman Empire conquered all three principalities. After the Russo-Turkish War of 1828-29, however, all of Moldavia and Wallachia came under Russian protection and control while officially remaining a part of the Ottoman Empire. Under the leadership of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Wallachia and Moldavia were named the United Romanian Principalities in 1861. Then, in 1877, Romania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire – a status officially recognised by the Great Powers in 1881.

AT CROSSROADS IN THE WARS In WWI, Romania declared war on AustriaHungary as a result of territorial promises by the French and British. Their investment payed off: Romania came out of the war having doubled its territory and population, including the acquisition of Transylvania. This gain of lands was ratified in the Treaty of Trianon. After WWII broke out, General Marshall Ion Antonescu forced Romania into a fascist dictatorship, making himself the supreme leader of the regime. Led by Antonescu, Romania became an ally of Nazi Germany in June 1941. However, King Michael – descendant of the German Hohenzollern dynasty and cousin of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth – steered the country into the opposite direction. He played a crucial role in renouncing Romania’s ties to the Axis powers, as Germany’s military strength was waning. Historians estimate his action might have shortened the war by six months, saving hundreds of thousands of lives.

withdrew in 1958, but Romania remained a communist country. The country’s most infamous communist leader proved to be Nicolae Ceauşescu, who ruled the country from 1965 to 1989. Ceauşescu’s abuse of power spelled the beginning of the end for the communist era, and demonstrations against his rule in 1989 eventually received military backing, resulting in his overthrow. A court condemned him to death and he and his wife were executed by firing squad on Christmas Day that year. For what proved to be a stopgap, the National Salvation Front communist party took over, but on 8 December 1991 a referendum approved a new constitution that would serve as the foundation of a democratic republic. The future looks bright though – not least due to it joining NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007. This decade it would appear to have really turned a corner, with economic growth up at 7 percent in 2017, as well as a low unemployment rate.

With the Axis powers losing the war, Romania changed sides and declared war on Germany. Nevertheless, as he advanced on Berlin, Joseph Stalin considered Romania occupied territory under Soviet rule.

ROUNDABOUT COMMUNISM After the war, the popularity of the Romanian communist party increased with Soviet support. The monarchy was abolished in 1947 and the Romanian People’s Republic was established. Soviet troops

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

ROMANIAN PRESIDENCY

SIX MONTHS TO REMEMBER HOW THE ROMANIAN PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION SET NEW STANDARDS FOR THE ROLE “The first presidency of the Council of the European Union is obviously something special. It is even more special, I think, for a big country like Romania with a long history and a rich cultural heritage. It is a chance to share that heritage which is perhaps less well known in some parts of Europe – including in Denmark. The young and dynamic team at the Romanian Embassy here in Denmark did a remarkable job during the Presidency, organising many events that showcased not only Romania, but also a deep commitment to Europe.” Stina Soewarta, Head of European Commission Representation in Copenhagen

welve years after Romania became a member of the European Union, the country took over its first Presidency of the Council of the EU.

BAPTISM OF FIRE Not only was the presidency Romania’s first, but it could not have come at a more historic moment: quite the baptism of fire, one could say. With Brexit still unfolding and projecting a host of uncertainties in many areas, and the European Parliament and the European Commission preparing for new mandates, the legislative cycle was more intense than usual with crucial dossiers waiting to be closed – exceptional times in Europe. Romania accordingly had to take a strong leadership role in the debates and dilemmas regarding the very essence of the European Union.

TESTAMENT TO HARD WORK Now that a few months have already passed by, the echoes have been rather flattering. Congratulatory remarks have kept coming in from Brussels and the Capitals regarding the record number of files that Romania has closed. The Romanian ‘army’ of diplomats managed to successfully conclude tiring sessions of negotiations on issues with a direct impact on the Union and its citizens, such as the Gas Directive, the Copyright Directive, combating disinformation, balancing work and family life, improving work

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

conditions, and securing free and fair elections – to name just a few. This required high professionalism, an in-depth understanding of how the EU machinery works and of EU interests, excellent negotiation skills, the ability to stay the honest broker to the end, and stamina. And the Romanians had it all.

ROMANIAN PRESIDENCY: IN NUMBERS In concrete figures, the outcome of the work of the Council of the EU looks like this: 90 finalised legislative files, 100 signed legislative files, 82 Council decisions and 84 Council conclusions. In terms of meetings in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg: 1,463 Working Group meetings, 91 COREPER meetings, 50 Council meetings, 7 European Council meetings and 190 Trialogue meetings. In addition to the meetings strictly related to the work of the Council, European Parliament and European Commission, the Romanian Presidency organised 700 events – both in Romania and abroad to advance the debate at all levels on top EU priorities, as well as on the future of the Union.

KEY MAY SUMMIT Among these many events, the focus of most eyes was undoubtedly on the Transylvanian city of Sibiu, where the informal Summit of Heads of State and Government of the EU took place on 9 May 2019.

“The Embassy of Romania in Denmark was visible and ubiquitous during all six months of the country’s first EU Presidency. It addressed all of the key EU topics while taking the organisational aspect of the EU Presidency to a new, higher level. It was a great promotion of Romanian culture, tourism and interests, and excellent work by my colleague Alex Grădinar and his team!” Edvin Skrt, Ambassador of Slovenia to Denmark

Photo: Dragos Astafei

2019 EU Leaders Informal Summit in Sibiu (9 May 2019)

Initially planned to be the first major summit after Brexit, the changed schedule of the UK’s exit shifted the focus towards setting priorities for the future. The heads of states and governments delivered the Sibiu Declaration, which committed the EU on various areas from defence and solidarity to rule of law. The Declaration fed into the Council’s five-yearplan, known as the Strategic Agenda.

IN SAFE HANDS Of course, the entire country of Romania had already fallen in love with Mr Tusk at the opening gala of the Romanian Presidency in the Athenaeum in Bucharest already in January 2019, where he delivered a speech in impeccable Romanian. He reminded everybody of the famous goalkeeper Helmuth Duckadam, a player who became known as ‘the Hero of Sevilla’ due to his historic performance in the 1986 European Cup Final. He saved all four penalties against Barcelona in the penalty shootout – the first to achieve this in football history.

FROM SIBIU WITH LOVE Besides the core substance of the informal meetings, it seems that the charm of the city triggered several ‘declarations of love’ from the high officials.

And it would appear that the most spellbound among them was the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, who said: “It was one of the most memorable events of my political career. The whole of Europe is in love with Sibiu.”

Photo: Donald Tusk Twitter account

President of the European Commission, JeanClaude Juncker, explained his choice of the city with: “I wanted you to fall in love with this place.”

Donald Tusk: I got these gloves and a piece of advice from the Romanian goalkeeper legend Helmuth Duckadam on how to better defend Europe.

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

“During the Romanian EU Council Presidency, Ambassador Alexandru Gradinar and his team organised a great number of well attended and highly relevant cultural and political events – not only in Copenhagen, but all over Denmark. Congratulations for a highly visible first Romanian EU Council Presidency in Denmark!”

The Ambassador of Romania to Denmark, along with his Austrian counterpart Maria Rotheiser-Scotti and the former Danish foreign minister, Per Stig Møller, at the opening of the Romanian Presidency at Sølyst on January 10 Photo: Hasse Ferrold

ROMANIAN PRESIDENCY: FOUR PILLARS OF ACTION In terms of pure substance, Romania delivered on four main pillars of action: Europe of Convergence; A Safer Europe; Europe, a Stronger Global Actor; and A Europe of Common Values. These pillars, better than anything, reflected the vision and priorities of the Romanian Presidency.

EUROPE OF CONVERGENCE The Romanian Presidency successfully closed negotiations on the Gas Directive and ensured that the rules governing the EU’s internal gas market will also apply in the future to gas pipelines to and from developing countries. Negotiations were concluded for a considerable number of legislative files aimed at strengthening the Banking Union and the Capital Markets Union.

And the presidency was particularly commended for its revision of the European System of Financial Supervision.

A SAFER EUROPE Given the risks faced by the EU in recent years, the Romanian Presidency made great strides in the area of migration, preventing radicalisation, countering cyber hybrid threats, tightening the security of ID cards and consolidating the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The mandate of the European Border and Coast Guard (better known as FRONTEX) was broadened in order to support member states’ activities with their border protection and co-operating with developing countries. In the area of cyber-attacks, the Council of the EU set up a framework that would allow the EU, for the first time, to impose sanctions on individuals and entities responsible for these acts.

Maria RotheiserScotti, Ambassador of Austria to Denmark

EUROPE, A STRONGER GLOBAL ACTOR Fully aware that the EU’s external action starts at its borders, the Romanian Presidency had a special focus on the EU’s neighbourhood – mainly the Western Balkans, the Eastern Partnership, the Black Sea region and Central Asia.

A EUROPE OF COMMON VALUES Through the Work-Life Balance Directive, the participation of women in the labour market and the equal sharing of care responsibilities between women and men are now more concretely encouraged. During the Romanian Presidency, EU member states finalised negotiations for the set-up of the European Labour Authority, which will support them in implementing EU legislation in the areas of cross-border labour mobility.

“It was a dynamic and diverse program of EU Presidency activities in Denmark, featuring Romania’s visibility in a leading role among the EU Member States in Copenhagen and, at the same time, offering an experience of Romania’s culture, traditions and flavours. Also, having arrived in mid-January 2019 and being a new Ambassador in town, it was the Romanian Presidency’s activities that presented an opportunity to get a fast-track exposure to Danish politics within the EU framework. Congratulations to Alex and his team!” Tina Krce, Ambassador of Croatia to Denmark

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

Photo: Valentin Debu

EU and candidate country ambassadors’ meeting in Copenhagen hosted by the Romanian ambassador – all wearing the Presidency scarves and ties

ROMANIAN PRESIDENCY: IN DENMARK In Denmark, as in all the member states, the Presidency set a high bar how to promote the EU as own country.

other EU Romanian regarding well as its

LARGE NUMBER OF EVENTS Throughout the six months, the Romanian Embassy in Denmark organised no fewer than 25 events in Copenhagen, as well as in other cities, such as Aalborg, Odense and Sønderborg. Similar strategies were pursued in almost every other EU capital, along with many more cities, where Romanian embassies organised 250 events in total. In Denmark, the Embassy triggered a series of debates on the current challenges and future of the European Union. In the evenings, the Romanian ambassador invited the Danish civil society to his residence in Hellerup

to discuss the EU and its place in the world, as well as to share views on the direction EU states should steer it into. He also travelled to Aalborg, Odense and Sønderborg to meet Danes and Romanians alike and celebrate the Union – and also to Bornholm where he talked at the annual Folkemødet.

HEALTHY COLLABORATIONS The Embassy benefited from good collaborations with the Representation of the European Commission in Denmark, Europa Bevægelsen Danmark, Tænketanken Europa, European Youth Denmark, Copenhagen Business School, Aalborg University, the Office of the European Parliament in Denmark, the Union 3F, and the International Copenhagen Club. Furthermore, excellent collaborations with the Danish Center for Cyber Security and with a variety of Danish ministries facilitated timely briefings on cybersecurity and Brexit issues.

“Ambassador Alexandru Gradinar has impressively used the momentum created by the EU Council Presidency of Romania – not only to boost European co-operation and advance the EU’s agenda, but also to bring his country closer to Denmark and the Danes. A very talented bridge-builder,he has embraced all parts of Danish society – from the business community through to the labour unions, administration and academia – to inform about and promote Romania’s history and culture. The inspiring presentation of Jelna, Transylvania’s lovely vineyard, will for me personally remain one of the lasting memories of a great heritage and modern spirit of today’s Romania.” Henryka Moscicka-Dendys, Ambassador of Poland to Denmark

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

Photo: Valentin Debu

The Ambassador of Romania to Denmark opens the Romanian Crafts Festival in Radhuspladsen According to the tradition, the Romanian ambassador invited his fellow EU ambassadors, as well as ambassadors representing the countries with candidate status to the EU, to working lunches with high Danish officials. Good and timely (Denmark was then preparing for a double set of elections – for the European Parliament and its own national Parliament) exchanges of views took place with Claus Hjort Frederiksen, the then minister for defence, Anders Samuelsen, the then minister for foreign affairs, MP Erik Christensen, MP Michael Aastrup, and Mogens Lykketoft, the former President of the UN General Assembly.

KEY ISSUES AT STAKE On cybersecurity, ambassadors were informed of main cyber threats, both in Denmark and across the world, as well as about Danish strategies and resources to counter cyber threats and build cyber resilience. This was of particular interest, especially in the current context when interference in electoral processes and economic espionage are main topics in the public debate. On Brexit, diplomats were briefed on the new Danish contingency planning for the impact of a No Deal Brexit by relevant ministries, such as the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, the Ministry of Taxation, and the Ministry of Immigration and Integration. At the invitation of the EU Delegation in Reykjavik, the Romanian ambassador (who is also accredited to Iceland) presented the work of the Romanian Presidency and its key priorities to the EU Heads of Mission in the Icelandic capital – on which occasion he discussed the EU-Iceland co-operation with the Icelandic Minister of Foreign Affairs.

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

CONNECTING THROUGH CULTURE Culture was a key component of the program of the Romanian Presidency in Denmark. The Embassy offered to the Danish public several displays of Romanian art and ancient cultural traditions, thus bringing the Romanian spirit closer to the Danes.

Romania, which displayed a winter fairy-tale in this Northern Romania region, in co-operation with Sorin Onișor, a famous Romanian photographer, and Fata Morgana, a prestigious school of photography in Denmark.

Fine Romanian music, sculpture, theatre, photography and wine were generously shared on several occasions with the general public in different Danish cities.

Photography was a means to also promote European diversity and the valuable contribution of Europeans to Denmark’s economy and wellbeing. Thus, under the auspices of the Romanian Presidency, the photographer Susana Borrás, a professor at Copenhagen Business School, presented an exhibition of 27 EU citizens residing and working in Denmark that invited Danish society to contemplate tolerance towards diversity.

In Copenhagen in May, for instance, the City Hall hosted for several days a Romanian Crafts Festival, while a Bredgade gallery exhibited Romanian modern glass sculpture. Another example was an itinerant exhibition of the Bucovina region in

The 4 cultural events organised by the Embassy of Romania in Denmark in the framework of the Council of the EU Presidency

STURDY ECONOMY

GROWTH SPURT STRONG EXPORTS, HEALTHY FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND A BLOSSOMING STOCK EXCHANGE ARE DRIVING THE ROMANIAN ECONOMY TO UNPRECEDENTED HEIGHTS Over the past few years, the quarterly publication of the Eurostat data for GDP growth has a distinctly déjà vu element: Romania is always present at the top, or at least well above the EU average.

NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN The same is true for the third trimester of 2019, when Romania achieved year-onyear growth of 3.2%, taking its total increase this year to 4% so far. The figures are in line with the European Commission’s economic growth forecast of 4.1% for 2019. Foreign trade is one of the drivers that has influenced the Romanian economy, and it will continue to have a central role for the future development of the country. In 2018, trade reached a new high of 150 billion euros (both imports and exports), and the provisional data for 2019 indicates a new record this year.

AN EU PRESIDENCY OF CHALLENGES During the Presidency of the European Council held by Romania in the first half of this year, trade policy was definitely in focus. Given the general uncertainty in the arena of world trade, opening new markets for EU companies – signing the trade deal with Vietnam, for example – was one of the main achievements.

Finding solutions to modernising the multilateral trade system of the WTO was also high on the agenda.

INVESTING FOR THE FUTURE Romania’s economic success would have been achieved slower were it not for the contribution of foreign investment. Between 1990 and 2019, more than 200,000 foreign companies registered in Romania, bringing in almost 50 billion euros of share capital, or 80 billion, including all foreign transfers, according to the National Bank of Romania methodology. Denmark’s own contribution to this was more than 400 million euros, as all the major multinationals from the Nordic countries have now established a presence in Romania.

EMERGING MARKET PROMOTION On September 26 this year the global index provider FTSE Russell announced that Romania has been promoted from the status of ‘Frontier Market’ to ‘Emerging Market’ – a reclassification, after three consecutive years on the Watch List, which will take effect in September 2020. It was a historic moment for Romania, which had its stock exchange closed during the communist regime. When the market reopened in November 1995, it started with six companies, but now the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) has 84 listed on its Main Market alone, with a combined capitalisation of 36 billion euros. “Romania’s promotion to Emerging Market status can be considered, from the economic standpoint of the capital market, the equivalent of the country’s admission to the European Union”, said Lucian Anghel, President of the Board at BVB.

FURTHER MARKET DEVELOPMENT BVB plans to further develop the market infrastructure by focusing its efforts to make the central counterparty clearing house (CCP) functional in the next 16 months in a move that will create the framework required to significantly improve market liquidity. In September, the local capital market reached a new all-time high for its BET-TR index, which also includes the dividends. The index breached the 15,000-point ceiling, which corresponds to an increase of 39% in 2019, making Romania one of the topperforming capital markets in Europe.

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

STRONG SPECIALISATION

AT THE HEAD OF THE IT CROWD With more than 89,000 certified IT specialists, Romania has the highest per capita rate in the EU, making it number six in the world, according to Gartner, a research company in Stamford, Connecticut. Romania’s strengths are its multilingual, educated labour force and its low costs for IT services, Gartner said in a recent report.

Photo : Freepik

Most of the big players – such as Intel, Amazon, Adobe, HP, IBM, Nokia, Microsoft, Oracle, Siemens, Motorola, Alcatel, Solectron and Infineon – have developed profitable activities benefiting from the great opportunities offered by this new market.

The business environment these companies operate in is a new and dynamic one that resulted from changes that took place in the 1990s, which benefits from a long and valued tradition in mathematics and informatics. Romania ranks fifth among the countries of the EMEA region and eleventh in the world within the Cisco Networking Academy program, with around 3,000 students registered and 105 local Cisco academies. Over 7,000 software-producing companies are active in Romania, located mainly in the great university centres: Bucharest, Timisoara, Cluj, Craiova, Brasov and Iasi.

NEXTGEN SOFTWARE UNDER DEVELOPMENT OFFICE The company was started in 2011 with the purpose of creating user-orientated and competitive mobile and web software for both large organisations and startups. In 2016 Under Development Office transformed into a full stack development company when it added blockchain applications based on Ethereum, Lisk and others – the first in Romania to develop commercial blockchain applications.

The company has built core capabilities in R&D to provide customised solutions, with increased attention and focus on technical excellence and customer experience across all stages of software development. NEXTGEN’s solutions are built to proactively address infrastructure vulnerabilities with quick detection and correction mechanisms.

One of the most popular subjects in the blockchain arena these days is the tokenisation of assets. Aurus.io and Earn.re are two of the projects developed by the company that perfectly describe this type of use-case.

The company has already implemented platforms for IT infrastructure management and security, with advanced capabilities for compliance with international standards and regulations (including GDPR), threat analysis, ready-to-go reporting, end-to-end network visibility and cloud security across industries varying from cyber defense to telecommunications, healthcare, energy & gas, banking and insurance.

udevoffice.com

nextgensoftware.solutions

Now a full stack development company and the 1st in Romania to develop commercial blockchain applications.

This software company, which specialises in developing innovative cybersecurity solutions, was founded in 2015.

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

IT ACCOMPLISHMENTS •

•

LUMMETRY.AI This Artificial Intelligence company makes full use of Deep Learning technology in order to provide valuable data-driven business insights. It has key expertise in the areas of Predictive Business Analytics, Domain Agnostic Anomaly Detection, Neural Language Modelling Solutions, and Video Analytics.

Economic growth in Romania is among the highest in the EU (4.4% Q2 2019). Romania remains one of the economies with the fastest GDP expansion in the region. Romania ranks 1st in the EU for maximum speed of internet connectivity and 2nd for high speed broadband adoption In 2017, the turnover of local companies with foreign or domestic ownership with IT activity was 4.9 billion euros – a growth of almost 150 percent over the past decade – according to a study by KeysFin December. Romania was considered one of the first countries in the world (after the US, UK, USSR, Germany, France, Japan, Austria, the Netherlands, Italy and Denmark) to notably invest in research and efforts to build the first electronic general-purpose computer. Romania recently won the title of European champion at the 2019 European Cyber Security Challenge 2019 (Oc 9-11) at the Parliament Palace in Bucharest. Competitors from 20 countries participated in the 2019 edition. The tests covered fields such as: web security, cryptography, reverse engineering and investigations, programming, attack and defence, security Linux/windows/macOS, and mobile phones security. Romania also hosts one of the four sites for EU’s Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI), with investment volume exceeding 850 million euros, mostly stemming from the European Regional Development Funds (ERDF). Its laser facility aims to host some the most intense lasers worldwide, develop new interdisciplinary research opportunities with light and secondary radiation derived from the lasers, and make them available to an international scientific user community. Romanian entrepreneurs have also developed complex software technologies, such as internationally renowned antivirus solutions (Bitdefender), Robotic Process Automation software (UiPath) and the country’s first security-driven data analytics platform CyberQuest™ (Nextgen Software). According to romanianstartups.com, Romania features one of the world’s newest competitive bio-industries, with specialism in key areas such as pharmacogenomics, protein engineering, glyco-engineering, tissue engineering, bio-informatics, genome medicine and preventive medicine. Romania is devoting substantial resources to developing universities and R&D facilities, increasing bioventure startups, growing bio-clusters and developing human resources – all with the goal of making it one of the world’s most advanced biotechnology regions.

All this expertise is materialised in AI solutions designed for the retail industry, but applicable to other domains as well (such as banking). Clients include multi-national companies like Groupe Societe Generale or Reckitt Benckiser. lummetry.ai

The main cover photo is of the centre of Bucharest

Main cover photo: Dragos Astafei Publisher: CPH POST • Editor: Hans Hermansen • Journalists: Ben Hamilton, Soma Biro, Yuliya Kuryan • Layout: CPH POST • Info: hans@cphpost.dk Tel: +452420 2411 ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

CASE STUDY

TRANSYLVANIA THE NEW TUSCANY C

limate change is on everybody’s agenda. Few, however, are talking about how our plates and our glasses make up a large share of the carbon emissions that drive us down the increasingly slippery road to a scary future. The problem is real, but the small organic wine scene seems to be the sole bearer of real environmental responsibility. Transylvanian terroir is where an answer to the dilemma of how to make great wines and deal with the climate crisis can be found. A young family of wine entrepreneurs from Jelna, a village in the Northern Transylvanian county of Bistrita-Nasaud – fascinated by winemaking, terroir and the culture that comes with it – dreams to reawaken and protect the sustainable wine heritage and spirit that have laid dormant in the region’s rolling hills. Jelna brings an environmental and cultural brew to wine-making.

TIMELESS TECHNIQUES This region of Northern Romania, said Italian count Giulio da Sacco, was the new Tuscany, and the Financial Times recently picked on this comparison, with the reporter noting that “I could imagine myself in ‘Chiantishire’.” For in both Tuscany and Transylvania, wine has been made for centuries amongst rolling hills with vernacular villages, churches and chateaus where the vineyard’s colours and wildflower meadows blend organically into historic ochre-tiled houses. Yes, Transylvania could be Tuscany in all but the name, but in Transylvania you will find winemakers who combine the use of high tech, weeds and animals to minimise the need for fossil fuels and chemicals. This is where Jelna wines come in: grown with timeless techniques with respect for the land and passion for long-lost ways of tilling the land and making wine.

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH Jelna’s approach to sustainability blends tradition and innovation. The wine cellar has a cutting-edge technological stream that allows the winery to process the grapes to their maximum potential. This includes an automatic bottling line, pneumatic presses, temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, filters, and automatic and manual washers. To minimise the use of tractors they use animal power, with horse-drawn wagons and tools being still common in these parts. Those horses are in turn fed with local hay, much of it handcut and dried. Chemical fertilisers are replaced with manure from local farms and flocks of sheep winter on the vineyard, contributing to its organic fertilisation.

Finally, the supply chain is shortened by using oak barriques from Transylvania and bottles from neighboring Moldova.

AN ESTEEMED BOUQUET Jelna nurtures 26 hectares of vines, with an average age of nine years, and its portfolio includes Sauvignon Blanc, Feteasca Alba, Feteasca Regala, Muscat Ottonel and Pinot Noir. The wine cellar is of the boutique and very hightech variety. As such, the annual output averages 80,000 bottles a year, and with the ongoing maturing of the vineyard will peak at 120,000 bottles a year. Currently, Jelna sells all of its stocks of wine, keeping only special reserves for ageing. International audiences have been delighted by their wines, with awards coming in from the London Wine Competition, the Balkan Wine Competition, the Cool Climate Wine Competition, and others. The vibrant personality of Lechinţa-Jelna is present in all their wines: fresh, crispy, strong, elegant and aromatic. Look for Jelna wines in Danish stores starting from January 2020. facebook.com/JelnaTransilvania

CASE STUDY

IN THE PORK PREMIER LEAGUE In 2019, Premium Porc Group, Romania’s second largest pig producer, completed its largest expansion project to date – a 32.5 million euro major step in the group’s approach to modern pig farming in Romania. The project included the opening of a brand new reproduction farm, to the highest standards in the industry, a state-of-the-art boar station, the acquisition and renovation of two large weaning and fattening units, and a new feed mill. “We are honored to be a key player in the Romanian market and to create modern, sustainable agriculture as well as job opportunities and development in the areas where we operate. Our goal is to make a difference for the better and bring higher standards into professional pig production” commented Lars V Drescher, Premium Pork CEO.

LEADING DANISH TECH The new project brings leading Danish technology into Romanian pig farming: advanced feeding, water and ventilation systems, top-of-the-line laboratories, strict biosecurity systems and advanced feed milling technology. The farm structure and integrated systems provide optimum welfare conditions for the animals. Together with the best farm management practices in the field, Premium Porc Group supports the development of the Romanian agriculture sector through the sharing of expertise, development of local human capital and constant investments in farms and technology.

Premium Porc Group, the second largest pig producer in Romania, has integrated activities in agrobusiness, covering cereal, feed and pig production. The Group is owned by DCH International, a Danish holding company that specialises in establishing and managing large-scale pig production farms, using Danish technology and know-how. Established in Romania in 2006, Premium Pig Group currently owns and operates nine farms – some 600,000 pigs that yielded a turnover of almost 70 million euros in 2018. For more information visit premiumporc.com.

OASIS RETREAT FROM MODERN LIFE Nature and thermal water are at the heart of Therme Bucharest, creating a tropical environment with turquoise, warm-water lagoons amidst spectacular, biodiverse gardens – all for an affordable luxury spa experience. Therme Bucharest opened in 2016 and features 37,000 sqm of wellness, leisure and spa space. This means extensive outdoor areas with 800,000 plants and pools surrounded by the largest urban beach in Europe, which boasts 1,500 indoor and outdoor palm trees.

CRYSTAL CLEAR PERFECT Before reaching the pools, geothermal water is extracted from a depth of over 3,100m. It then passes through a complex water treatment process for a crystal-perfect water experience. Historically, the thermal spa was a place to meet, socialise and share ideas. Therme has revived this tradition, allowing visitors to unplug from their hectic rhythms and embrace wellbeing.

Spas improve mental and physical health, providing social infrastructure whilst contributing to an enduring cultural legacy. And it’s all only 10 minutes away from Bucharest. therme.ro/en

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

ROYAL

A ROYAL VISIT By Camelia Csiki, Ora Regelui, TVR

his spring, on the occasion of a tour made of several European Union countries marking Romania’s first presidency of the EU Council and also in the context of the Orthodox Easter Holidays, HM Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, and HRH Prince Radu made an official visit to Denmark.

SPECIAL PLACE IN HER HEART Seen through my perspective, the visit to Copenhagen was for HM Margareta like coming home, as the Kingdom of Denmark was one of the countries where she spent many holidays as a child – specifically spent at her Granny’s house, the Danish princess Margrethe Françoise Louise Marie Helene BourbonParma, the mother of Queen Anne of Romania. Denmark has been a close ally of Romania’s since 1921 due to the kinship relations that existed between the Romanian and the Danish Royal Houses, when Queen Mother Elena, at that time the princess of Denmark and Greece, married Prince Carol II of Romania. The family bond was further consolidated in 1948 when King Michael of Romania married Princess Anne de BourbonParma, who was also a Danish princess. Thus, Queen Anne of Romania was a

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

Photo: Sorin Matei, Agerpres

THE EU PRESIDENCY WAS MARKED BY THE HISTORIC PRESENCE OF HER MAJESTY MARGARETA, THE CUSTODIAN OF THE ROMANIAN CROWN, AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE RADU IN DENMARK IN LATE APRIL

HM Margareta talking about ‘Royal Diplomacy within the framework of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union’, Frederiksborg Palace, 29 April 2019

second cousin of King Frederic IX, the father of the current Danish sovereign. At the beginning of his exile, after the Soviets forced him to abdicate and leave Romania, King Michael was often warmly received in the Kingdom of Denmark. The royal residence to host the Royal Family of Romania, located in the charming Gentofte residential area, belonged to Princess Margrethe BourbonParma, the mother of Queen Anne. It was at this house where HM Margareta, named after her maternal grandmother, together with her four sisters spent countless holidays in their childhood.

A STRONG AFFINITY The visit to Copenhagen of HM Margareta – the Custodian of the Romanian Crown, which was the official title given to the daughter of late King Michael – involved several meetings with members of the Royal Danish Family, including a private lunch offered by HM Queen Margrethe II of Denmark at Fredensborg Palace, one of the favourite residences of the Danish sovereign. Although we, the journalists, were not granted access, it was easy to understand the important part that Queen Margrethe II of Denmark played during the Romanian Royal Family’s

exile. Not having a surname and therefore no identity documents issued by the Romanian state, King Mihai and his family were granted Danish travel documents. “When I was a child we didn’t have a passport, but HM Queen Margrethe II of Denmark offered to help us and asked, if possible, the government to give us one and the Danish government said yes,” recalled HM Margareta upon her arrival at Copenhagen Airport. “I think I had a Danish passport for 10 years, my father even longer and my younger sister, Princess Maria was born here. The Queen of Denmark helped us a lot during those difficult years.”

A BUSY SCHEDULE A moment with special significance was the participation of HM Margareta and HRH Prince Radu at the Holy Easter Mass at the Romanian Orthodox Church in Copenhagen along with an impressive number of representatives of the Romanian community in Denmark. The religious ceremony was officiated by His Grace Bishop Macarie of Northern Europe. The following day, a traditional Easter lunch took place at the residence of the Ambassador of Romania in Denmark. The royal couple

Denmark and the Netherlands were two countries where King Michael’s words proved decisive, as they helped smooth the way for Romania’s accession to NATO and the EU.

Photo: Sorin Matei, Agerpres

“Copenhagen like The Hague, in the NATO years, were and still are two capitals hard to convince, as the Danes and Dutch have very high expectations. Back then Romania was not what it is today, and the King’s words were very important,” underlined HRH Prince Radu.

WHERE TIME STOOD STILL

HM Margareta and HRH Prince Radu at the reception hosted by HE Alexandru Grădinar, the Ambassador of Romania to Copenhagen, and his wife Andreea

were moved by the festive atmosphere and by the vivid colours chosen for the traditional Easter painted-eggs by the two young daughters of the ambassador, Ana and Alexa. The following days were reserved for meetings between the Romanian Royal Family and representatives of several organisations and institutions in Denmark, such as the Danish Olympic Committee, the Danish Red Cross, the Paralympics Committee and the Royal Defence College. HM Margareta and HRH Prince Radu met with Rear Admiral Henrik Ryberg, the commander of the Royal Danish Defence College, and the dean of the college, who presented the structure of military education in Denmark and recent changes in the educational program for the Danish Armed Forces.

THE TWO YOUNG DAUGHTERS OF THE AMBASSADOR, ANA AND ALEXA, PAINTED TRADITIONAL EASTER EGGS FOR HER MAJESTY MARGARETA AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE RADU

The royal couple and their Danish hosts shared views on current NATO issues and recent developments regarding national security. HRH Prince Radu met with John Petersson, the chairman of the Paralympics Committee in Denmark, who was formerly one of Europe’s biggest Paralympic champions, winning more than 30 medals in international Paralympics competitions.

HISTORIC SPEECH ON ANNIVERSARY On the occasion of this visit, the Danish public had the opportunity to discover King Michael’s daughter in an emotional speech at Frederiksberg Castle, the same place where the late King of Romania addressed Danish society, exactly 17 years ago to the day on 29 April 2002. The event was organised by the Embassy of Romania in Denmark in co-operation with the Danish Foreign Policy Society and the Danish Atlantic Treaty Association.

The visit concluded with a reception hosted by HE Alexandru Grădinar, the Ambassador of Romania to Copenhagen, with the participation of representatives from the Diplomatic Corps, business environment and Romanian community. Among the guests were four Danish princesses and I was happy to discover that the youngest of them, Princess Eleonore-Christine af Schaumburg-Lippe, is in love with our country. She lived in Romania for four years until 2014 and learned a little of the Romanian language. On this occasion, many of the Danes present discovered another Romania. But there was no doubt that perhaps the most pleasant and exciting moment of their time spent in Copenhagen was the private visit paid by the royal couple to the little house in Gentofte that once belonged to Granny. Andreea, the wife of the Romanian ambassador, especially ordered ‘rødgrød med fløde’, the Danish dessert made of rhubarb, red currants and sweet cream, which was served in the familiar surroundings of the house, helping HM Margareta to recapture the memories of her childhood years, when the same dessert was prepared by Granny for her beloved granddaughters. Now situated in Copenhagen, the house was at the time the property of Prince Valdemar of Denmark, the great-grandfather of HM Margareta. As I stood there, I experienced an overwhelming emotion to discover this wonderful and picturesque place where time seemed to have stood still. The Royal couple together with Lars Bangert Struwe, the secretary general of the Danish Atlantic Treaty Association, Charlotte Flindt Pedersen, the executive director of the Danish Foreign Policy Society, and the Romanian ambassador, at Frederiksberg Palace

Photo: Sorin Matei, Agerpres

“Who would have imagined then that Romania would not only become a member of the European Union and NATO, but in 2019 would hold the presidency of the EU Council?” said HM Margareta in a poignant address entitled ‘Royal Diplomacy within the framework of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union’. “This happened earlier this year and I am proud that hundreds of officials have successfully taken over the task of organising all EU agenda and summits, including the difficult political context created by Brexit.”

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

DIASPORA

FLYING THE FLAG FOR ROMANIA ABROAD THE NUMBER OF ROMANIANS SETTLING IN DENMARK HAS SOARED OVER THE LAST DECADE, MAKING IT THE COUNTRY’S FOURTH BIGGEST DIASPORA

Photo: George Grigoriu

Orthodox Youth Reunion in Copenhagen 2018

n 1990, Romania’s population peaked at 23.21 million. Today it stands at 19.53.

You don’t need a history degree to know that the collapse of communism following the death of leader Nicolae Ceaușescu in late 1989 and then the country’s accession to the EU in 2007 have contributed greatly to the 8.5 percent fall. A DESIRE TO ADAPT From pursuing capitalism over communism to taking advantage of the EU’s freedom of movement, an estimated 5 million Romanians and their descendants live outside the country. Their industriousness, hospitality, warmth, integrity and genuine desire to adapt to the requirements of their adoptive country make the Romanian diaspora one of the most appreciated foreign communities worldwide. According to data published by Statistics Denmark on

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

1 October 2019, 32,433 Romanians were registered in Denmark, and overall there are 33,666 people of Romanian origin. ACTIVELY EMPLOYED The Romanian community in Denmark mainly comprises working professionals and students, of whom there are 2,000 enrolled on academic courses in Danish universities and research facilities – the result of a recent increase that is expected to continue in the short-term. The workers make a valuable contribution to Danish society. Integrated into the local labour market, they pay taxes and actively participate in the community life. More than half have long-term employment contracts. The majority work in agriculture, services (tourism, hospitality, cleaning) and construction, although in recent years highly-skilled workers have started breaking into IT, medicine, green energy and engineering.

“I wanted to learn Danish. I think it’s a must to speak the language of the country that adopted you. It‘s a matter not only of managing practicalities, to get around more easily, but also of showing respect to the people around me. I am proud of my upbringing and of being Romanian. Roots should not be forgotten, but cherished instead.” Liliana Hansen, Head of Pharmacovigilance, Senior Director – Zealand Pharma).

HVOR KOMMER DU FRA? For many Romanians in Denmark, answering this simple question often means having to face an eastern European bias.

Photo: Mihail Hritcu

Coming from an eastern European country, unfairly placed by history on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain, implies a history of economic and political hardships, placing them on a lower rung of the ladder in the Western collective mentality.

The football tournament dedicated to the Romanian Diaspora in Denmark, second edition (2018)

EMBRACING THE TRADE UNIONS “We have an increasing number of Romanian members at the 3F trade union and we are really happy about having them as our members,” enthused Allan Busk, the President of 3F Aalborg. “I say this because Romanians understand the importance of solidarity and of getting organised: things that represent the very backbone of welfare, good working conditions and wages in Denmark.” According to Busk, this attitude is a cornerstone of democracy. “Democracy wouldn’t come by itself unless people took an active part in it. Denmark has more than 100 years of experience of being a country of associations and democracy, and I am very pleased to see the Romanian community take part in it through its cultural associations with whom we enjoy a very good and close co-operation,” he continued. “Our Romanian members are very dedicated workers who each and every day contribute to the Danish economy and to the high level of Danish productivity.”

EMBASSY SUPPORT The Romanian Embassy in Copenhagen has close and permanent contact with representatives of the Romanian community in Denmark, including through regular meetings and visits to regions where Romanians are concentrated. These contacts help the embassy to assess the community’s interests, assist Romanians in their projects and identify solutions to their different needs.

Great importance is attached to keeping the Romanian community united and close

The Embassy currently enjoys close cooperations with five Romanian diaspora associations in cities such as Copenhagen, Aalborg, Aarhus and Vejle, and the organisations played a significant role in mobilising Romanians to vote in the recent 2019 presidential elections in November. Over 40 percent took part at 12 polling stations across Denmark. The turnout is proof that Romanians do not forget their country and are still engaged politically. This year saw the opening of a third Romanian school in Jutland following the founding of establishments in Aarhus (2014) and Fårvang (2016). The schools aim to preserve the Romanian language, traditions and customs of an estimated 80 children of Romanian families living in Denmark, whilst teaching them crafts and subjects such as literature, geography and history.

The desire to make oneself understood in another culture and to be able to express oneself sufficiently in another language can repress or stimulate the very personalised process of integration. In the case of the Romanian diaspora, however, starting a new life elsewhere stimulates motivation, courage, and stamina. Uprooting oneself and putting all one’s might into facing the unknown can be traumatic – yet Romanians manage it with grace.

Integration in a foreign country is one of the most complex processes that a human being can experience. And at the same time, it is one of the most detailed and profound tests an individual can go through. It is a personalised test of self-perception, cognitive power and decision-making – an experience that helps you to evaluate yourself at a truly advanced and thorough level. My experience working as a surgeon in a Danish hospital has been a complex and very pleasant one. Through the ophthalmologic surgeries that I perform, I offer patients in Denmark an improvement or often a change in the quality of their life. Patients are happy and very satisfied. Monica Diniță, doctor, Rigshospitalet Glostrup

Two emotional encounters with one of Romania’s most beloved folk artists, Sofia Vicoveanca, in Aalborg (9 November 2018) and Copenhagen (11 November 2018)

Photo: Valentin Debu

Aside from consular services, the Embassy offers support through its attachés on matters of social, work-related and internal affairs. These experts also enjoy an excellent collaboration with the relevant Danish authorities.

to the Embassy, and the public diplomacy agenda accordingly includes a wide range of activities and events that involve smaller or bigger parts of the Romanian community in Denmark – such as marking traditional Romanian holidays like Mărţișor and organising events like the football tournament in partnership with various bodies.

However, time and time again, people who meet and work with Romanians abroad are impressed with their industriousness, innovative style, creativity and strong desire for integration, which according to many directly derives from the very hardships Romanians experienced in the past.

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

TURISM

JUST LIKE A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE

Photo: Dragos Astafei

By Yuliya Kuryan

Transfăgărășan

FROM ‘BEARS IN THE MIST’, ‘THE VILLAGE’ AND ‘THE ENCHANTED FOREST’ TO ‘LOST HIGHWAY’ AND ‘DRACULA UNTOLD’, A HOLIDAY IN ROMANIA IS A LIKE A TRIP TO THE CINEMA Once you have enjoyed the stunning views of the Old Town of Bucharest, it is time to pack your bags and get ready for an extraordinary adventure outside the beloved capital. That’s because Romania offers so much more than just the beauty of its capital, and we therefore have picked six destinations that will turn your holiday in Romania into the trip of a lifetime.

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

AUTHENTIC ROMANIAN HOSPITALITY There are many villages in Romania that will charm you with their hospitality. Visit one of them to learn more about the Solemn Year of the Romanian Village, a theme designated by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church. A true gem is the traditional village of Bârsana. Located on Iza Valley, one of the most picturesque parts of Maramureş County in the north of Romania, Bârsana was established in 1326. Now it is one of the increasingly few places in the country where you can still see

people wearing traditional costumes. Try to feel the way they express their identity through these colorful garments. Did you know that there is a hidden meaning behind each symbol on the embroidery? Seek out the magnificent wooden work of local craftsmen: from small art pieces to wellknown wood gates, churches and monasteries. Among them you will find one of the tallest wooden churches in the world, the Bârsana Monastery. The treasure was recently added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Photo: Pexels

Bârsana village

Photo: Pexels

Bran Castle

DISCOVER SOME ‘STRANGER THINGS’ Hoia Baciu claims to be the world’s most haunted forest. It covers an area of over 250 hectares and is often referred to as the Bermuda Triangle of the country. Its connection with UFO-sightings goes back to the late 1960s when a biologist took photos of some unexplained lights over the forest. Soon after, a military technician took photos of flying orbs, and similar reports of flying objects over the forest followed throughout the 1970s. Many paranormal investigators believe the forest is a gateway to another dimension. However, sceptics say the evidence is flimsy. Anyway, if you like the idea of visiting a spooky place, then Hoia Baciu is the place to go.

Photo: Unsplash

VOLUNTEER WITH BEARS Ever considered becoming an animal volunteer? Then Romania is the destination to go. Here you can work with brown bears at one of the largest bear sanctuaries in Europe. It comes as a great surprise that these mighty creatures are often mistreated, hunted and imprisoned for capital gain. As a wildlife volunteer you will help to protect and care for over a hundred bears that have been victims of this sad abuse. These bears need a lot of food, so most of the time you will prepare it for them. Do not be afraid to get mucky – just remember how much good you are doing. A real bonus of the experience is the location, as you are working in a picturesque setting of the Romanian mountains.

DRIVE IN ‘TOP GEAR’ STYLE Described by the British motoring TV show ‘Top Gear’ as the best driving road in the world back in 2009, the Transfăgărășanlives up to the title even ten years later. Believe us; the views of the Carpathian Mountains are absolutely surreal, so rent a car and follow the wind! This epic highway starts near the village of Bascov from where it stretches 90 km, travelling between the highest peaks in the country, Moldoveanu and Negoiu, before ending at the DN1-Sibiu crossroads. The road was built in the early 1970s as a strategic military route. It also connects the historic regions of Wallachia and Transylvania... isn’t that where ‘whatisname’ lives? VISIT THE HOME OF DRACULA Transylvania, a region in central Romania, is known for its mountainous borders and fairy-tale castles. One of them is Bran Castle, a

Gothic fortress associated with the legend of Dracula. But was it actually a legend? One of the darkest chapters of Romania’s history is connected to the name of Vlad the Impaler, the second son of a certain Vlad Dracul, who was the most important ruler of Wallachia. His legacy inspired the name of the horror icon, vampire Count Dracula, who first appeared in Bram Stoker’s novel ‘Dracula’. The description of the castle most closely matches the Bran Castle, and it is therefore it is considered to be the inspiration for the dark tales where the thirst for blood was satisfied. Annually there is a huge Halloween celebration at the castle. Dim lighting, squeaky floorboards, spooky music and a river of red wine combine to create the perfect atmosphere for meeting Count Dracula and his friends. The holiday starts with an evening tour of the castle and finishes with a costume party on the dancefloor until sunrise – if you dare stay that long! CLASSICAL MUSIC IN THE CAVE Close to Bran Castle you will find the Valea Cetăţii Cave. An explosion carried out during an exploration of the area literally opened it up in 1949. Extensive studies then revealed that Valea Cetăţii is 857 metres in length. In 2012 the cave was opened to the public and, with that, everyone got a chance to learn the cave’s secrets. A huge hall with naturally formed ornaments hanging on the walls will definitely amaze you. The stunning acoustics of the naturally beautiful room is also ideal for instrumental concerts. Check out the events schedule and do not miss the opportunity to listen to some music in such an unusual setting. ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

SPORT

STRONG IN SPIRIT: THE UNDERDOGS WHO NEVER GIVE IN By Ben Hamilton

HOW THE NEVERSAYDIE NATURE OF ROMANIAN SPORT HAS YIELDED UNTOLD SUCCESS IN HANDBALL, FOOTBALL, TENNIS, GYMNASTICS AND ATHLETICS NO DENYING NĂSTASE NOR NADIA Whether it’s tennis legend Ilie Năstase, who looked like he should be strolling through Greenwich Village with a ribbon in his hair, or Nadia Comăneci, a mere slip of a girl with the precision of a nuclear reactor – the world has learned to write off Romanian sports stars at their peril. They never stop fighting, and when they’re in the zone, they’re unstoppable. From the 1994 World Cup team that destroyed Colombia and Argentina, to the all-conquering men handball side of the 1960s and 70s that won four world titles, to the middle-distance matriarchs of the 1980s and 90s, the Romanian spirit on the sports field is indomitable.

SOUTH AMERICAN GIANT-KILLERS The 1994 World Cup ended with the wrong outcome to what was a feast of football. Brazil limped to the title, scoring just one goal in their last three and a half hours of football. Their semi-final match-up with Sweden was frustratingly for fans a repeat of their group game encounter, and just as boring. And the showdown with Italy … let’s not revisit the only goalless final in World Cup history again. If only Romania’s finest ever side had met Brazil, but somehow they returned home playing second fiddle to their neighbours Bulgaria. The Swedes undeservedly saw them off on penalties in the last eight after a late equaliser in extra time. Romania, by that stage, had already upset two South American giants – Colombia in the group, and an Argentina without disgraced Diego Maradona in the last 16, in, considered by many, one of the best World Cup matces ever. With their devilish counter-attacking play and the cultured left foot of the ‘Regele’ (the king), Gheorghe Hagi, they were Brazil’s bogeyman waiting to happen. Seemingly Hagi (playing before the World Cup for Real Madrid and after for Barcelona) was the only member of the first team who didn’t move to England in the following season – possibly because he didn’t roll off the tongue with the likes of Petrescu, Popescu and Dumitrescu. The trio with able backing from the nucleus of the ’94 squad would go on to haunt their hosts with telling contributions at

ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION

Gheorghe Hagi the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, where they beat England with lastminute winners to advance from the group. Heading into the new century, the national side that had shone so brightly in the 1990s were a mere shadow of the side the scythed South American opponents for fun in ’94, and it is telling that their last World Cup was over 20 years ago. But following a promising showing at the Euro Under-21s, where they thrashed England (continuing the hoodoo!) and made the semis, the future again looks bright for the men in yellow. And let us not forget about the biggest success of a Romanian football club: Steaua București won 1986 the European Champion Clubs’ Cup and European Super Cup.

ILIE, ION AND INDESCRIBABLE PAIN

Maricica Puică

Romania have never won the Davis Cup, but as the 1960s ended, they came incredibly close. They reached three finals in the space of four years from 1969 to 1972, but lost them all to the United States. To be fair, on the two occasions when they lost 2-3, the final match was a dead rubber, but it must have hurt to see the same opposition waiting for them each time – particularly as the practice of giving the previous year’s winner a bye was only abolished for the 1972 tournament.

Nadia Comăneci

TRACK TITANS WHO TOOK NO PRISONERS Nothing was ever going to spoil the track and field festival of fun at the 1984 Olympics, was it? We had a spaceman, a superman in the form of four-time gold medallist Carl Lewis and a super-showdown in the shape of Mary Decker versus Zola Budd. But they didn’t get the memo about Romania defying Soviet pressure as the only Warsaw Pact nation to participate. Step forward Maricica Puică. Journalists were too busy asking Romanian athletes about their decision “not to participate in the nonparticipation”, rather than analysing their form. Perhaps if they had paid more attention, they would have noticed that 34-year-old Puică had run the fastest time of the year in the 3,000 metres, a maiden event at the games (hard to believe, but it was the longest women’s track event back then). So while many like to blame Decker’s defeat on the trip that prematurely ended her race that day, Puică looked full of running as she broke the line to take gold. While 1984 remains Romania’s most successful games ever – the country won 53 medals and came second in the medals table, behind only the USA – it is arguably more significant for spawning a generation of women middle-distance runners. Along with Puică’s win in the 3,000 came a gold for the effortlessly graceful Doina Melinte in the 800 metres (with compatriot Fiţa Lovin third), while the pair respectively won bronze and silver in the 1,500 metres.

Seven is a special number in Olympic history. First off, the first ever games were held in 776 BC. Then in 1972 in Munich, American swimmer Mark Spitz set himself the unlikely target of winning seven gold medals and won them all. But the world hadn’t banked on the drama that would unfold in the gymnastics arena four years later in Montreal, when the 14-year-old Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci scored the sport’s first ever 10.0 and promptly pulled off the feat seven times during the Games. It wasn’t just unprecedented, it was unthinkable – Omega SA, the scoreboard manufacturer, didn’t even the capacity to include four digits, displaying the score as 1.00 instead. Despite her delicate physique and appearance, Comăneci at the age of 14 embodied all of her country’s sporting attributes. Her first ever gymnastics team, which she joined whilst she was still in kindergarten, was called Flacăra (‘The Flame’), and the hunger to succeed never stopped burning within her. “I don’t run away from a challenge because I am afraid,” she once explained. “Instead, I run toward it because the only way to escape fear is to trample it beneath your feet.”

But while nobody can deny that Năstase – whose last major came at the 1973 French Open, the same year in which he was the undisputed number one – and Simona Halep (64 weeks WTA number 1), who finally broke her grand slam duck at the 2018 Roland Garros and 2019 Wimbledon tournaments to end a streak of finishing runner’sup three times, are two of the sport’s greatest players in history, perhaps the most stirring story of Romanian tennis can be found in the career of Virginia Ruzici, who is Halep’s manager. Such was the fighting nature of the 1978 French Open winner that a certain Richard Williams, watching her win a tournament in Salt Lake City in 1980, drew inspiration to teach his daughters to play tennis. Ironically, perhaps, his muse’s protégé bettered his daughter in the 2019 Wimbledon final – revenge, some might say, for all those Davis Cup defeats.

At Montreal she won three gold medals, and then a further two in Moscow, and while the sport has produced more decorated gymnasts, there will only be one Nadia. Nevertheless, the girl from Onești has remained modest, attributing her utter brilliance to incessant training. “Hard work has made it easy. That is my secret. That is why I win,” she explained.

Photo: robbiesaurus

Following in Melinte and Puică’s footprints at the next Olympics was the indestructible Paula Ivan, a powerful colossus of middle-distance running who was pretty much untouchable at the end of the 1980s. At the 1988 Olympics, she took silver in the 3,000 metres before storming to gold in the 1,500 metres. Later picking up the torch, the diminutive Gabriela Szabo took back-back gold in the 5,000 metres at the 1997 and 99 World Athletics Championships before taking the Olympic title over the same distance in 2000. She was no slouch at the shorter 1,500 metre distance, grabbing a silver in 1996 and a bronze four years later.

SIREN WHO SMASHED THE SCOREBOARD

While Romania had to defeat six nations in 1969 and 1971 to get to the final, the US could stay at home practising their volleys. In 1969, the core team of Ilie Năstase and Ion Ţiriac had to travel to Valencia, Wimbledon and Ohio, and in 1971 Tel Aviv, New Delhi, Sao Paolo and North Carolina. And just to rub it in, Stan Smith played the maximum allocation of nine matches in the finals and won eight of them, only losing a doubles contest in 1971. It was a mammoth effort from a player who like Năstase was only a two-time grand slam winner.

Simona Halep ROMANIA SPECIAL EDITION