The Observer, in short

Lead article Carmen Musat comments on the chaos generated by Parliament’s having suspended President Trian Basescu. One unfortunate result is that religious discourse tends to replace democratic political discussion. Politics On May 19th Romanians will vote no to annul President Basescu’s suspension or yes to ratify it. Ciprian Ciucu, Ovidiu Simonca, Sabina Fati discuss the electoral campaigns and the protagonists’ attitudes. Recent Events Stefan Borbely describes the international colloquy, „The Magyar’s Image in Romanian Culture,” organized by Sapientia University in Miercurea Ciuc on April 28th where the lack of Romanian intellectuals turned the potentially, bi-lingual debate into a monologue in one language. Antoaneta Tanasescu analyses the branding program that constructs an international image of Romania. To visit the site, go to www.brandingromania.ro. The 37th Sibiu Jazz Festival ran from May 8th through the 14th. The Observer publishes Attila Daika’s interviews with saxophonist Zbigniew Namyslowski and singer Dee Dee Bridgewater together with commentary by Ruxandra Ana and Alexandru Sipa’s account of the festival program. Book reviews Cultural Observer launches a debate on Neculai Constantin Munteanu’s Ultimii sapte ani de-acasa (The Last Seven Years Home: A Journalist in the Securitate’s Files, Bucharest: Curtea Veche, 2007). The volume discloses Munteanu’s Securitate files from […]