Thursday, August 22nd

Meeting of Romania”s governing PSD and ALDE leaders

Leaders of the governing Social Democrat Party (PSD) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), PSD’s junior partner in Romania’s government, hold talks concerning recent events in the governing coalition. Participants in the meeting on Wednesday included PSD leader Viorica Dăncilă and ALDE’s Călin Popescu Tăriceanu. Talks focused on issues concerning an extraordinary session in parliament and vacant Cabinet positions. Participants decided to reject a draft law on amnesty and pardon while further talks concerning Cabinet issues were expected next week, according to a statement issued by the PSD. An ALDE statement said new measures were necessary in order to ensure a further Cabinet reshuffle.

Romania, guest of honour at the International Book Fair in Beijing

An International Book Fair opened in China’s capital Beijng on August 21 with Romania as guest of honour. Romania is represented by more than 600 book titles and 40 writers at an event also markimg the 70th anniversary of Romania – China diplomatic relations. The Beijing Book Fair is attended by over 30,000 people each year. In attendance are publishers, distributors, literary agents, consumers, digital media companies, film and production companies and bookstores. Among first-time exhibitors at the 26th iteration of the Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) this summer will be Starfish Publishing, which fair organisers say is the largest publisher of Marvel comics in China.
Two other new exhibitors are Wonderwhale, an online platform for second-hand books, and Jiliguala, which is described as a game-based English-teaching app for children. “The Chinese government requires every Chinese child to learn English, which puts English language content in high demand”, the fair’s director told reporters.

Golden Stag Festival opens in Braşov

The Golden Stag Festival opens in the Romanian central town of Braşov on Thursday. Established in 1968, the Golden Stag soon became the country’s most popular song contest and festival though banned by the Communist regime in 1971 only to resume after Romania’s Revolution. With a tradition of half a century, while becoming a national brand and the country’s ambassador, the Golden Stag reaches its 18th edition in the year of Romania’s Centenary. Guests will include Britain’s Emeli Sande and Ireland’s Ronan Keating. Romanian singer Loredana Groza, Vasile Şirli – a Romanian composer who wrote original music for Disneyland Paris for 28 years, Romanian-born singer Ricky Dandel and Belgium’s Victor Laszlo are amomg jury members./adanga

Alexandru Danga, RADOR