Notes for the daily margins.

Mircea Vasilescu, editor of Dilema Veche, shares his views on the conflict between editorial freedom and the demands of the marketplace in current Romanian journalism. 

It is easy to complain about the quality of the press in Romania, we all do it all the time, journalists, managers, readers. In the logic of lamentations and of our inferiority complex, we can say not only that "we don't have a Le Monde", but also that our tabloids are worse than the German Bild or the UK Sun. But the quality of the press overall depends on its relationship to the quality press, which addresses itself to a public somewhat more sophisticated in taste, but with ideas and opinions that matter to society. In this sector, the winning party will be those managers who have the patience over at least two or three years to find a formula that is sufficiently intelligent to deliver quality newspapers and journals to a waiting public. Something that demands not arid disputes but creative harmony between journalists and managers.

Metal-heads might appreciate this video of an interview with Samael's Vorph at a club in Cluj.

A Romanian doctor is suspended in the UK for what seems to be "racism", though it verges on "speciesism". Complicated, no doubt.

A robot for Romania was not in the IMF's bailout plan.

Those with a little extra cash in these sour times might find A guide to Romanian property investment useful right now.

The Italian construction firm, Mixer, has plans in Romania. And targets, too.

20 billion euros in rescue loans.

Virginity doesn't seem to have a high price these days. At least, not on the international marriage market.

Romania opens an emergency refugee center for, well, emergency refugees. I wonder if Roma are welcome..

[Photo by Cristina Birladeanu.]