There are three Romanian institutions that attempt to improve Romania’s image abroad, but do they succeed in any way, one newspaper wonders on Monday. Elsewhere in the news, one newspaper gives out the reasons why Hungarian Democrats would not leave the governing party to join the opposition. Last but not least, Romanian organized crime networks compel children to beg in Great Britain.
Gandul reads on Monday about the three big institutions: Tourism ministry, Agency for Governmental Strategy and the Romanian Cultural Center that would have to defend and improve Romania’s image abroad. The newspaper reads that in the last years, Romania was the target of many public shenanigans against Romanians and no official has seen fit to answer them in one way or another.
Former director of the Agency for Governmental Strategies, Alfred Bulai declared for the newspaper that the officials should not answer because the most suitable reaction to irony is another irony. He said that this is normal, since the English laugh of the French, and vice versa. Romania became more visible since it joined the EU and it is normal for such ironies to appear. But the best way to build the image of a country is through various press institutions, NGOs which are very efficient.
The Agency spent 8 million euro for public campaigns in Italy and Spain to improve the image of the Romanians living there.
The Romanian Cultural Institute, that promotes Romanian culture abroad, holds a 2011 budget of 44,000,000 lei of which 75% are allocated for cultural programs. The Institute’s President, Horia Roman Patapevici declared that he will not react to the shows or videos that mock up Romania.
He said that the Romanian culture is the best thing Romania has got.
At his turn, Romania’s tourism ministry has 72 million euro from EU funds for f
