romanian government accused of tightening grip on culture
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Romanian government accused of tightening grip on culture

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Romanian government accused of tightening grip on culture

Bucharest - AFP

Artists and intellectuals Thursday voiced concerns over the independence of cultural institutions in Romania, saying the government wants to use a top cultural body as a "propaganda tool". As a sign of protest, the whole managing board of the Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) announced its resignation. The ICR, which is modelled after the British Council and Germany's Goethe Institute, promotes Romanian artists abroad and has been widely praised by international institutions for its contribution to intercultural exchange. "We cannot fight anymore against the government's will to transform the Romanian Cultural Institute into a propaganda tool" for nationalistic purposes, its outgoing president, essayist Horia Patapievici, told reporters. He deplored that the ICR's mission has been changed in order to "defend the national identity" instead of promoting independent voices. "This is a sad day for culture," Cristi Puiu, a leading figure of the Romanian cinema new wave told AFP, saying he was "worried" by the tightening grip of the authorities on culture. Thousands of artists in Europe and in the United States, including Nobel Literature prize winners Tomas Transtroemer and Herta Mueller, Cannes film darling directors like Cristian Mungiu, plus curators of the New York Museum of Modern Art had sent letters of protest to the centre-left government after it passed an emergency order changing the statute and the mission of the ICR. Prime Minister Ponta had admitted a "lack of dialogue" but he refused to budge, saying the Institute should not remain under the tutelage of the presidency. The bitter feud between Ponta and his arch rival, president Traian Basescu, now suspended awaiting a court ruling on an impeachment referendum, has led to one of the worst political crises in this former Communist dictatorship. The European Commission recently criticised Ponta's government for breaching the rule of law in the impeachment procedure. The Romanian minister of culture Puiu Hasotti said the changes in the ICR statutes will not impact its activities. "The fact that the Institute will pass under the control of the senate does not justify the public statements made by its managing team," he told the news agency Mediafax.

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

romanian government accused of tightening grip on culture romanian government accused of tightening grip on culture

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

romanian government accused of tightening grip on culture romanian government accused of tightening grip on culture

 



GMT 10:06 2012 Saturday ,28 July

Querrey advances at ATP LA Open

GMT 21:15 2017 Thursday ,01 June

Trump condemns deadly Kabul explosion

GMT 02:15 2017 Thursday ,24 August

Is your country on the Qatar free entry list of 80?

GMT 19:48 2016 Monday ,03 October

Controversial boxing champ Tyson Fury retires

GMT 08:20 2015 Tuesday ,08 December

PC market woes show no sign of easing

GMT 17:27 2017 Tuesday ,25 April

20 Yemeni soldiers killed, injured in explosion

GMT 11:52 2017 Saturday ,30 December

OIC condemns Mar Mina Church attack

GMT 00:03 2017 Saturday ,25 March

Arab Meeting to Examine Anti-Corruption Methods

GMT 13:12 2017 Thursday ,20 April

Deputy premier meets Arab League chief

GMT 14:13 2014 Friday ,10 January

Opel Astra GTC

GMT 18:27 2016 Tuesday ,02 August

Turkish Foreign Minister arrives in Islamabad

GMT 11:27 2016 Tuesday ,13 December

Saudi woman arrested for challenging social norms
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday