What the newspapers say: March 4, 2007

„Horror” religion manuals stirr up a new scandal on whether the class should be mandatory for children, one newspaper reads on Tuesday. More in the news, Romania’s image was trashed at ‘No reservations’ show on Travel Channel on the government’s money. Last but not least, Bucharest high school for persons with sight deficiencies are deprived of their sports field, for business’s sake.

Gandul reads about a series of alternative religion manuals, approved by Romania’s Education Ministry who portray religious education outrageous. A Liga Pro Europe study, quoted by HotNews.ro analyzes the content of these manuals and their possible impact on children’s education.

According to the study, children are threatened with divine punishment for small mistakes like: playing football on the street, waking up late in the day or destroying a bird’s nest. For the latter deed, according to one manual, the child is punished directly by God by pulling the ladder underneath.

Another manual reads that a car will hit you if you don’t worship God (Romanians have a tradition to make a worship cross three times when passing near a church). When it comes to adolescents and their manuals, it’s hell on earth. For example, the manuals discriminate against other religions: yoga thus becomes a demon’s work.

More in the news, Anthony Bourdain, famous host of the Travel Channel ‘No reservations’ show aired a movie piece on Romania which practically trashed its image – all on the government’s money.

Six journalists from Travel Channel visited Romania, together with Tourism Ministry officials to promote Romanian tourist attractions on the American market. Thus, with a 20.000 grant from Romanian authorities, they were presented parts of Romania.

The results, however were devastating for Romania’s image, portrayed as a place where nothing good ever happens. The continuous irony and sarcasm addresses several striking truths: Romania lacks a tourism strategy to attract its foreigners and hospitality and professionalism in restaurants most often lack.

The newspaper reads that the movie stirred up quite a controversy on Boudain’s weblog, where he received some 800 opinions on the show many of which from Romanians who express their disappointment.

Last but not least, Romania libera reads about a high school for persons with sight deficiencies that is on the verge of loosing all the terrain previously offered by Bucharest District 2, for the sake of profits.

The value of the terrain has increased a lot during the years and authorities have found several ways of stealing away some of it. The newspaper tells about several city hall decisions which take the land and give it away to businessmen.

What is more, the newspaper informs that the terrain was sent to local authorities to approve an estate for conference and offices even though such a building cannot be legally built over there. Bucharest District 2 Mayor, Neculai Ontanu has refused to make any comments.