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This article discusses Romania's burgeoning development aid policy to the post-colonial space. By leveraging its expertise in petroleum extraction to forge a strategic relationship with India in the 1950s, Bucharest was able to gain a strategic foothold as oil assistance provider to the non-aligned countries. This text details Romania's efforts to help build India's national oil industry by bringing into focus the broad nexus of forces at play in such process. It therefore aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of 'the Second World's Third World' by discussing the ideological and geopolitical considerations of both East-East and East-South relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the current situation as regards the circular economy in agriculture in Romania, while also taking into consideration its global impact. We have here a system globally endorsed by the United Nations. It is also important for regional organisations such as the European Union or la Francophonie as the circular economy seems to have a high number of advantages in tackling climate change, creating a sustainable food chain, improving the organic character of the agriculture, etc. From that perspective Romania represents an interesting case study as it is both a European Union member state and a member of the Francophonie. It thus follows both sets of rules and recommendations in order to improve its status. The paper uses the bibliographic method and reviews the main documents that settle this aspect and presents the legal framework for circular economy. The put into practice of the circular economy in the Romanian agriculture would bring a series of advantages (environment, food safety, etc.) while also requiring systemic transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contemporary narratives, rural landscapes and identities, as judged by the inhabitants' sense of belonging, continue to be important points that need to be (re)considered when discussing places as instruments for local development. This paper pushes forward these debates and explores the construction of rural and regional identity in Romania with the help of a case study that focuses on perceptions of rural landscapes as cultural heritage in two rural communities situated on opposite sides of the river Mureș. Based on participant and ethnographic observation and making use of a survey and a qualitative analysis, this paper highlights the most significant features of the local cultural identities and their rural landscape heritage expressed by the two sets of people, which often coincide with the most important characteristics attributed to the regions separated by the river Mureș. The results of this study underline the dividing role of the river in the preservation of rural identity and cultural heritage. They also demonstrate that rural landscapes and the construction of identities along the river have generated both development opportunities and various risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of labour arbitrage, Romania became home to an expanding nearshoring business service sector. Many graduates work in 'call centres': a generic term for various types of customer-oriented services associated with different employment regimes and company structures. This research examines the discursive construction of compliance to precarious work, largely centred on managerial perspectives. Based on in-depth interviews with managers, HR staff, call-centre operators and through the thematic analysis of managerial outlets and career events, the paper unpacks several mechanisms, metaphors, and symbols that maintain young people's adherence to the demands of work. It is argued that the repertoire of neo-liberal tropes (authenticity, personal development, growth) creates legitimacy for an (arguably) precarious sector in an emerging economy, and ultimately crafts individual-ized working narratives. The paper suggests that young employees appropriate the related structures and the master narratives, whilst lacking a solid repertoire to critically engage with them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last two decades the web expansion from web of things to web of thought presents a real provocation for governments across societies to achieve citizens' expectations. The transition from e-government to digital government from reactive to proactive service delivery mechanisms is one of the governments main challenges worldwide. The aim of this paper is to analyse the readiness of governments across Europe for the transition from the traditional e-government to digital government. In the paper the digital government is analyzed comparatively with the e-government and focusing on the main differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food loss ans waste, referred next as FLW, has a great extent on the economic and behavioural patterns of consumption. In this paper, we aim to present statistical univariate and multivariate analyses based on a statistical study run during a period of several months in the Romanian territory. In this matter, the main purpose of the analysis developed in this paper is to determine several patterns of FLW phenomenon. This is made based on a methodology which comprises two main sections: the univariate analysis, consisting in statistical determinations of indicators and direct observation, and the multivariate analysis, related to the clustering analysis. The clustering analysis is based on the usage of hierarchical method, which has as final result the determination of clusters describing patterns of consumption related to food loss and waste. After the analysis was run, five main clusters related to food waste behaviour patterns were determined, with slight differences between food consumption habits, but with various combinations between the parameters taken into consideration. The obtained clusters offer important information for policymakers and stakeholders aiming to customize interventions and programs to target specific demographic groups or segments of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposeMethodology/ApproachFindingsPractical implicationsOriginality/Value/ContributionDigital platforms represent a major technological change that affects the entire value chain of a company and requires digital resources and a flexible organizational structure. Given the resource limitations that SMEs have, it is interesting to find out to what extent they have adopted digital platforms. The aim of this paper is to explore the level of SMEs’ digitalization and how sophisticated these businesses are in using various digital platforms in primary and secondary value creation activities. Additionally, we set out to identify clusters with different needs and behaviors when considering digital platforms.To address these research questions, we conducted a survey using a quota sampling procedure to reflect the SMEs’ structure in size and industry. We analyzed the data collected from 194 respondents using a two-step clustering procedure to identify different groups of SMEs with respect to the use of digital platforms. For business activities, we used Porter’s value chain and for assessing the adoption rate, we applied the Moore and Benbasat scale to measure adopters’ perceptions of the technology.Most SMEs use general digital platforms while less than 20% have developed their own platforms or use the platforms of business partners. Organizations with a hybrid structure use the largest number of digital platforms, while enterprises with a fluid structure use the fewest. Companies are using their own platforms or partners’ platforms for primary activities while for support activities are employing general platforms. The most important factor which influences the adoption rate of digital platforms is the image and then comes the advantages they bring. Regarding the clusters, four distinct groups were identified with specific value creation behaviors Digital Pathfinders, Basic Techies, Tech Blend, and Flexible Adopters.Practical implications concern both the companies that use digital platforms and the companies that develop them. From the user perspective, this study sets a benchmark for different industries and presents the most common practices Regarding the companies that develop digital platforms, it is important to know the main deterrence factors, namely the lack of testing possibilities and the difficulty in choosing the most suitable solution. Taking into account the specific needs of the four clusters, developers can adapt their product and value proposition to stimulate the adoption of the digital platform.This paper contributes to research on digital platforms in the context of transformational entrepreneurship related to crisis or catastrophic events such as pandemics or wars. Furthermore, it adds to existing literature on digital transformation by providing recommendations considering specific value chain activities. Although there are numerous studies on digital platforms, most of them come from developed countries, which makes them less relevant for developing/underdeveloped ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic farming system emerged in the context of sustainable agricultural development, contributing to the promotion of an agricultural system that protects the environment. The specific practices of ecological agriculture contribute to the protection of biodiversity, to the maintenance of soil fertility, to the reduction of soil erosion, to the reduction of pollution of water resources, and to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Also, in organic farming, energy consumption is reduced because this farming system is based on practices that require a lot of manual labour compared to conventional agriculture that consumes more energy. The European Commission demands, through the European Green Pact - Farm to Fork, that, by 2030, 25% of European agriculture should be organic. Based on these considerations, the authors of this paper carried out a study on the evolution of organic agriculture in Europe with an emphasis on Romania to analyse whether this objective proposed by the EU is achievable or not. The result of the analysis highlights that it is unlikely that this particularly ambitious goal will be achieved by 2030, noting that, in 2021, only 4.3% of the agricultural area cultivated in the ecological system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture was and remains the support of human existence, representing the backbone of the Romanian rural economy. The gross domestic product represents a macroeconomic indicator of results, being the consequence of the efficient use of resources. In this context, the authors analyze the place that agriculture holds in achieving the gross domestic product in Romania compared to the European Union, as well as its dynamics. In this sense, the share of resources in the formation of the gross domestic product in the period 2000-2022 is presented. The main research methods used for this work are: analysis, synthesis, comparison and mathematical analysis. From the analysis carried out, conclusive ideas emerge, and the article becomes even more suggestive, in that it is accompanied by tables synthesized by the authors and relevant graphics that highlight and support the assessments that the authors make in the content of this article. At the end of the paper, the authors emphasize the fact that the GDP is the most complex indicator that reflects the transformations that the Romanian economy has gone through in recent years. From the point of view of the use of resources, it can be seen that the share of the agricultural sector has registered a downward evolution, which can be largely explained by the increase in the importance of industry and the service sector in the overall national economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Romania, domestic tourism is increasingly incorporating rural tourism. The number of travelers using the specific services provided by agritourism and tourism guesthouses increased during the pandemic. In this context, in this paper it was analyzed the evolution of this categories of guesthouses, at the national level in the period 2018-2023, with the following statistical indicators: tourist destinations, types of tourists, degree of occupancy, accommodation capacity, tourist arrivals, occupancy rate, and number of overnight stays. The study reveals a preference of tourists for guesthouses and the efficient use of natural, cultural and human zonal resources. The creation of tourism products that capitalize on the zonal development potential is one of the options with a great development potential. Tourism and agritourism guesthouses have adapted more easily to the requirements of the health crisis by promoting a personalized tourist offer closer to the needs of tourists. The creation of diversified tourism products that capitalize on the regional specificity is one of the options with a great potential for future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper was to study the tourism in the Danube Delta and to evaluate the impact of the hostilities in Ukraine on tourist flows and other aspects. The study was carried out between February 15 and March 15 2024, by applying a questionnaire with 6 questions, on site and during the Romanian Tourism Fair (February 15-18). The questions in the questionnaire addressed how the tourism structures in the Danube Delta have been affected by the hostilities in the neighborhood and whether they were helped by the central and local public authorities. Representatives of 178 accommodation units, totaling 3,080 accommodation places, as well as representatives of some public institutions and NGOs answered the questionnaire. It was tried to find out exact data from all areas of the Danube Delta, so the authors went to the representative localities from a tourist point of view: C.A. Rosetti, Letea, Periprava, Chilia Veche, Crisan, Mila 23, Jurilovca, Maliuc, Murighiol, Sfântu Gheorghe and Sulina. The conclusions pointed out a deep decline in the number of tourists in the Danube Delta in the year 2023, by 42% compared to 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an analysis of the actions undertaken by the ANSVSA inspectors during the 2023 summer season in the areas of tourist interest within Constanta County. Based on the analyzed data concerning the Summer Season Command period and the periods and areas overcrowded with tourists, specifically from June 26, 2023, to September 3, 2023, several conclusions can be drawn: The research highlights the fact that food business operators still require support in order to meet food safety standards and to comply with the legislation in force. These issues have resulted in increased inspections in order to prevent food safety risks, including the prevention of food poisoning. A total of 2,245 units were inspected, leading to the enforcement of 471 penalties for offences, totaling 4,962,200 RON, and over 2 tons of non-compliant food were confiscated. These conclusions provide an overview of the evolution of the activities conducted by food business operators in the South-East Region of Romania, indicating both the challenges to and opportunities for their development and the continued implementation of good hygiene and food safety practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University dropout has become a worrying reality for the education system in general, but also for Romania in particular, which ranks first in Europe. Thus, the worrying phenomenon of early university leaving is a phenomenon that has complex causes and therefore requires a variety of ways to combat it. These include the development of a supportive extra-curricular environment and individualized teaching practices focused on student-centered learning to support their potential. The aim of the research undertaken in this paper is to demonstrate the contribution of learning support activities in a formal and non-formal environment to the progress of first year of "Iasi University of Life Sciences" (IULS) students in the Faculties of Agriculture and Horticulture in reducing dropout. The qualitative research methodology was carried out through a review of the literature on university dropout, predominantly early. The case study, as a quantitative research method, is composed of a questionnaire containing 13 questions applied to first year students at IULS Iasi. The resulting data were processed and analyzed by statistical methods, and after interpreting the results we formed an overview of the problem of the causes of early university dropout of first year students and thus could apply personalized support measures. As a result of the steps taken in this respect, adaptability to the university environment increased and early university leaving was reduced, which provided us with a working model. This work has an innovative character in terms of the educational support measures provided to first year students at IULS Iasi, which constitute a model of good practice for increasing the adaptability of first year students to the university environment and for reducing early dropout. These extracurricular activities, carried out in a formal and especially non-formal friendly environment in a modern way, must be continued and adapted to the students' needs, but taking into account the skills they need to acquire in order to finally integrate into the changing labour market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, researchers working on the nexus between migration and politics in countries of origin have started to pay more attention to the local level, but important empirical and theoretical gaps remain. By drawing upon semi-structured interviews, field observation and documentary research, this paper presents the exploratory case study of the 2012 local elections in Borșa, Romania, when an emigrant became mayor due to the mass mobilisation of the diaspora. Our analysis makes a three-fold contribution to the emerging literature on the impact of migration on local politics. First, it provides fresh empirical evidence from the largely underexplored context of intra-EU mobility. Second, it proposes an inductive classification of the factors and mechanisms at micro-, meso- and macro-level that allowed for the political change in Borșa in 2012, thus providing the basis for a framework of the prerequisites for migrant-led political change at the local level. This includes recognising ad hoc transnational mobility as a distinct mechanism of migrant political mobilisation. Third, by identifying also some of the post-election challenges faced by the migrant political actors, we extend Danielson’s (2017) framework of ‘acceptance’, ‘rejection’ and ‘integration' by proposing the category of ‘negotiated political integration’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores religious diversity in Romania and how the trends of indices of religious fractionalization and polarization manifest at the county level in a post-communist period. The county level was selected as the relevant level for analysis due to its more clearly visible spatial dynamics with regard to religions. Recent studies have revealed that the erosion of diversity is an important aspect for any country and needs to be considered as an important aspect of democracy. This paper highlights how digital mapping of religious polarization and fractionalization in Romania has been generally maintained, although the regions of Transylvania, Banat, Dobrogea and Western Moldova remain areas in which there are different religions. Other than the general aspect of religious diversity depending on ethnic trends, there has been a rise of Pentecostals and Baptists at the county level. This aspect has further implications for our study, which calls for creating new institutions for dialogue between majority Orthodox communities and Protestants, not only so that potential conflicts do not appear between Orthodox and emerging religious communities but also to ensure objective, cultural, religious coherence. Our maps revealed the distribution patterns and the temporal evolution of religious denominations for the 1992–2011 period. The major line of originality in our research rests in the findings that after conducting a bivariate spatial autocorrelation analysis of religious fractionalization and polarization, we were able to identify two distinct clusters with spatial overlap over historical provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Processes of outsourcing and offshoring have driven the changing spatial divisions of labour through foreign investment and development of peripheral regions into key offshore destinations for business services. This paper focuses on the role of elites, transnational and domestic, in the transformation of Romania into a major business services offshoring location in Central Eastern Europe (CEE) over the last two decades. The paper reveals the role of elite agency in connecting domestic resources to business services global production networks (GPNs) in order to drive domestic institutional transformation. A lot has been written about the agency of labour; yet there is a gap in our understanding of the agency of elites, specifically how transnational elites articulate with other elites at the national-, meso- and micro-level and produce institutional changes. Drawing on literature on enclave creation and dual economies, the paper illustrates how the alliance between domestic and transnational elites shaped transformation across the sector by implementing labour market flexibilisation and by crafting a 'sound' business environment in terms of infrastructure, investment incentives and bureaucratic framework to emulate institutional conditions of the home country. The development of the Romanian business services sector into an 'enclave economy' has become dependent on collaborative networks with domestic universities and intermediary organisations, which played a key role in facilitating foreign investment attraction and linking domestic resources to the needs of multinational firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cinnamon, cloves, and turmeric have long been valued as aromatics and components in oils and fragrances, and have been used as spices and remedies since ancient times. Ground spice is crucial in the food business for seasoning baked goods such as cakes, buns, biscuits, cookies, steaming puddings, pies, sweets, chewing gum, and desserts. However, the food business can benefit from the antioxidant activity of essential oils, for functional food production, with potential health claims. The paper aimed to evaluate the biologic activity (total phenolic content, the antioxidant activity and the antimicrobial effect) for the grounded and oil form of cinnamon, cloves, and turmeric. Among the evaluated spices, the grounded clove indicates the highest antioxidant activity (p<0.05), when compared with grounded cinnamon and turmeric. The value of the total phenolic content present in the grounded cloves oils was the highest (284.42 ± 32.98 mg GAE/100 mL), when compared with cinnamon oil (100.43 ± 9.85 mg GAE/100 mL), and turmeric oil (166.50 ± 12.76 mg GAE/100 mL). The biologic activity of the spices suggests that in addition to imparting flavour to the food, they possess high potential as health promoters by their antioxidant effect, phenolic content and might be suitable for antimicrobial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates issues related to the public health system in the North-East Region of Romania, focusing on possibilities for addressing/improving specific deficiencies/difficulties. The concerned region is characterized by the highest and densest population in the country, with a significant proportion of residents in rural areas (55%) and a high level of poverty. Population health indicators are among the weakest nationally, and the healthcare infrastructure is inadequate for the population's needs, with an uneven distribution that generates significant inequalities in access to medical services in the respective counties. Starting from the (statistical) certainty that Romania ranks among EU member states with the highest avoidable mortality, the paper addresses both preventable causes through public health interventions and treatable causes through quality care. After a brief introduction, the overall state of the public health system in Romania is examined, followed by a detailed analysis of the main issue stated in the title, highlighting multiple critical aspects based on data and information from official reports of prestigious institutions. Special attention is given to specific issues in local communities related to healthcare infrastructure and the provision of medical services, as well as possible solutions offered through the implementation of the General Regional Health Services Plan 2021- 2027 in the North-East Region. The paper concludes with a section of conclusions, which includes perspectives on the future development of the analyzed sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical fertilizers applied to Romania's soils represent a particularly important aspect in ensuring a qualitative and quantitative production. The expenditures that farmers have to be able to fertilize the soil correctly and with a sufficient amount have become over the years increasingly higher. The paper analyzes in evolution, over two periods of time, 2007-2014 and 2014-2021, 2 aspects: the surfaces of agricultural holdings, by classes of economic size; the main technical-economic indicators of the use of chemical fertilizers in agricultural holdings, namely the expenditures per hectare of agricultural land with chemical fertilizers, in total and by types: N, P205 and K2O fertilizers, and the expenditures with chemical fertilizers to obtain 100 euros of plant production. The data were retrieved from the FADN platform and statistically interpreted using mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, growth rate, t-test of significance. The conclusion that emerges from the analysis undertaken is that there are big differences between the two analyzed periods, in both of them are signs of variations over the years and increases in chemical fertilizer expenses, but the second period, 2014-2021, shows a greater homogeneity of data, even decreases in the higher classes, while the classes (1) 2,000 - < 8,000 EUR and (2) 8,000 - < 25,000 EUR have increased expenditures per ha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to present a model of good practices in sustainable rural tourism in the mountain area of Romania, exemplifying a well known tourist village. from the Sibiu County. At the beginning, there were described the stage of development of rural tourism in the mountain commune named "Marginimea Sibiului", in terms of the structure of the tourist accommodation and public food units, touristic and anthropological objectives, the promotion of the tourist offer. Then, there were calculated and interpreted some indicators of the tourist circulation The second stage of the research analyzes the expectations of 360 tourists from a vacation spent in the tourist village of Gura Râului, the selected case study, as a model of good practices in sustainable rural tourism. The survey was carried out based on a structured questionnaire including 13 questions, which was utilized as a working tool. The respondents' answers were collected, summarized and then the data were statistically processed using Excel, v. 365 Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA. The results showed that Gura Râului becomes a more attractive destination for the rural tourism lovers and a real example of sustainable rural tourism to be followed by other mountain villages of Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Romania is organized with all the 41 counties into 8 development regions. Some regions have an important representation for quality schemes and products that enrich the cultural and gastronomic heritage of the area. Among the 4,857 certified products at national level, the highest share belongs to mountain products, an aspect which consolidates the national and not necessarily international representativeness. The purpose of the paper is to analyse the status of agri-food products with national recognition and products with international recognition regarding the attestation of quality schemes. The Pearson correlation coefficient and the linear and polynomial regression functions (2nd, 3rd and 4th degree) were used to analyze the relationship between the number of certified products and the number agricultural holdings. The data are collected from national and European registers (e-Ambrosia). For the certified products, the data were extracted for the period 2005-2023, and regarding agricultural holdings, 2002-2020 was analyzed. The results pointed out that there is no direct relationship between agricultural holdings and the number of certified products and that the center and northwest regions are the ones that best represent Romania in terms of agro-food products with gastronomic value and certified quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper proposes an analysis of the local gastronomic services market in Romania. The growing interest in culinary tourism through Local Gastronomic Points is evident both globally and nationally. Gastronomic tourism can provide unique culinary experiences, especially in rural households. Clarivate, Google Scholar, and Research Gate articles were used for bibliographic research. The necessary data for the research were selected from the reports of the National Agency for Mountain Areas and the statistics of the National Veterinary Sanitary and Food Safety Authority. The information was statistically processed and graphically represented. The assessment of market concentration was conducted using the Herfindahl-Hirschman and Gini-Struck indices. The research results highlighted the dynamism of the sector against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic but also revealed some deficiencies at the local authorities' level. HHI and GSI values indicate a low market concentration at the county level. Local Gastronomic Point businesses have high development potential, significantly contributing to increasing people's income and rural area development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper proposes an in-depth analysis of Romania's agrotourism services market, highlighting its evolution and regional/counties concentration. Romania, renowned for its cultural and touristic diversity, employs agrotourism to facilitate authentic interactions with local communities, offering insights into native culture. Utilizing Clarivate, Google Scholar, and Research Gate databases, the research employs statistical processing and graphical representation. Market concentration is gauged using the Herfindahl-Hirschman and Gini-Struck indices. Findings reveal a dynamic national sector with an annual growth rate surpassing 10%. Regionally, concentration levels are notably high, with the North-West, Center, North-East, and South-East collectively contributing over 75%. Countylevel concentration is moderate, indicating potential development even in areas with untapped resources. Romanian authorities actively promote agrotourism, capitalizing on rural development potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aimed to analyse how the increase in the fertiliser usage in Romania in the last years, 2010-2022, made change in the imports value of these products. For this purpose, it was analysed first the recent evolution of fertiliser usage in Romanian agriculture, and then the impact on imports, using data provided by the European Commission and the International Trade Centre. The results of the quantitative analyse indicated that Romania is highly dependent of external markets in order to cover its internal needs for the usage of these products in agriculture. Both usage of natural and chemical fertilisers increased in the analysed period, and the poor internal production conducted to a very high annual growth rate of the imports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aimed to follow the recent developments regarding the production and Romanian trade with fresh or dried walnuts in shell or shelled. Both statistical and specific indicators of international trade are used. The results indicated that Romania increased its production of walnuts and performed well in trade with shelled walnuts, and the trade balance was positive in the entire analysed period. Is not the case of the trade with walnuts in shell, where the trade balance was consistently negative. Most part of the Romanian trade with walnuts is either with EU countries or with the neighbour countries which are not EU members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions This paper investigates multiple antecedents of literacy in children, such as demographics, child reading behaviour, parent reading behaviour and family context.The study included a Romanian sample of 924 primary schoolers (Grades 1–4) and their parents; children and parents were tested with a standardised measure of literacy, and parents answered a number of self‐report questions about their and their child's literacy‐related behaviours.Regression analyses and relative predictor weights showed a significant positive association between child literacy and child behaviour (time currently spent by the child reading books), as well as with family context (especially parent literacy), followed by demographics and, to a lesser degree, with parent behaviour.The findings provide a first solid understanding of the children's literacy phenomenon in the less investigated educational and cultural environment of Romania and encourage further research on this important topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This paper presents, to the best of our knowledge, the first documented instance of a specific pathological lesion found in a Late Iron Age (La Tène period) horse. This discovery was made in the CX 143 pit in Alba Iulia, Romania, during archaeological rescue excavations conducted in 2022. In addition to the standard morphological features of the horse, comprehensive investigations revealed an unusual lesion on the left scapular neck. This lesion was evaluated both macroscopically and radiologically and has been interpreted as periarticular and supraarticular hyperostosis. A series of hypotheses were proposed regarding the cause of this specific type of injury, including the possibility of it being traumatic in nature, and potentially influenced by particular conformational aspects of the identified horse. The reconstruction of past life based on archaeozoology is a challenging domain that offers a range of valuable details concerning former human and animal populations. Additionally, the ancient era is a source of information for human and veterinary medicine, as well as for other biological sciences. This report highlights a pathological lesion identified during the investigation of a horse skeleton from a pit dated La Tène in Alba County (Romania). The left scapula with lesions was collected from the skeleton of a buried 7–8-year-old male horse. The aforementioned bone underwent gross, radiological, and computerized tomography evaluation. Macroscopically, a collar of supraarticular cancellous hyperostosis was detected, most likely as a consequence of an invasive chronic phlegmonous periarthritis and/or bursitis of the infraspinate muscle following probably a penetrating cutaneous wound in the shoulder region. A suppurative periarthritis\bursitis of the infraspinate muscle situated nearby caused, apparently, supraglenoidian periosteitis responsible for osteophytes and exostoses formation in the neck region of the scapula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Romania, one of the countries with the largest Roma community in Europe, the gap between the majority population and the Roma minority continues to be wide. The paper explores whether there is a sustainability of traditional Roma occupations and crafts or whether we are witnessing a continuous occupational dynamic. The objective of the research is to identify the patterns of traditional and non-traditional economic activities practised in Roma communities in two cities: Timişoara and Cluj-Napoca. The research hypothesis investigates whether there is a wide range of economic activities in analyzed Roma communities, where traditional activities tend to have a negligible share and dynamics compared to non-traditional ones. Also, we analyze whether traditional activities remain relevant in Roma communities and whether they represent a significant occupational resource in the case of external migration. The following statistical hypotheses are presented: there are significant differences between members of Roma communities in Timisoara and Cluj-Napoca. These are observed in the choice of practising non-traditional-traditional economic activities in the country. There are significant differences between members of Roma communities in Timisoara and Cluj-Napoca in the practice of traditional versus non-traditional occupations according to ethnic subgroup membership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing food waste became a priority in the past decades for the majority of nations around the world. But while the interest in this topic is high, not all countries, including Romania - our case study-accurately estimate household food waste quantities. Determining the reality of food waste at household levels is highly valuable because in the end, it can bring insight into what would be the best methods to reduce waste and optimize resource consumption. The current study determined the causes, quantities, and main components of food waste in Romanian households by applying and subsequently analyzing a food waste survey. Our purpose was to determine not only how much food Romanians throw away per week, but also what type of food. In addition, by studying the households' consumption habits we identified the main behavioral triggers of food waste. By applying the survey to a relevant sample of our country's population, we obtained a relatively accurate depiction of food waste attitudes among Romanian consumers and our paper can be a starting point in developing an educational tool aiming to reduce food waste in households. This type of study is important not only for informational reasons but also from a societal standpoint. As a complex community, part of larger international structures and agreements, (such as the European Union, the United Nations, or The Paris Agreement on Climate Change), Romania needs to align itself with the other partners in order to decrease the negative impact on the environment of food waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates literacies in the Moldavian region of Romania, where bilingual speakers produce writings in a contested language they call the ‘Csángó mode of speaking’. The speakers sometimes define their language as collateral both with Standard Hungarian and Romanian. Our research question is the following: How are locally constructed collateral literacy practices transformed or neglected in standardising educational contexts? The theoretical question we raise in this article is whether Blommaert’s concept of grassroots literacy or the newer transliteracies framework is better suited to describe the process of a collateral language becoming literate. The collateral language, the Csángó mode of speaking, is no longer passed onto children by the parents, who still might use it among themselves, thus the children still might acquire a passive knowledge of it. Since 2001, a relatively popular educational programme teaching Standard Hungarian literacy has evolved. As our data, we use texts produced by c. 100 participants of the Moldavian Csángó Hungarian Educational Programme from eight villages. Our contribution is to investigate how transliteracies can constitute a resource not only for local ways of speaking, but also for the development of general literacy skills instead of skills bound to a single language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the fall of the communist regime, Romania launched the first multi-systemic reform in the education sector in 1995. The reform was largely financed through a World Bank loan and closely followed the neo-liberal ideology promoted by Bank officials. It aimed to privatize and to implement private sector management principles in the public education sector. This paper argues that in order to introduce neo-liberal policy models, the Bank first created a structure of knowledge around the Romanian system of education, which diagnosed it as inefficient and underperforming. Specific representations of domestic institutions, bureaucratic processes, and actors were used to legitimate the forms of intervention proposed and the role of the Bank in internal governance. I argue further that the main stake of the project was reforming governance in education as new mechanisms for power distribution and money allocation were set in place. By manufacturing their role as impartial, apolitical "experts," and by ignoring the political nature of government, they created a niche in governance and imposed neo-liberal understandings in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to demonstrate the analytical potential of initial vocational education and training (iVET) in the debate on the costs of social mobility. It is based on extensive qualitative fieldwork with over 250 young people in Romania's iVET (around 20% of whom were Roma). Central to the discourses of young Roma are the experiences of discrimination, the absence of a 'vocational habitus' and an awareness of credential inflation, despite the social and economic costs of attending iVET. The research calls for a recalibration of the narrative on social mobility, in an economic context where work is becoming increasingly precarious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is concerned with a set of indicators that can measure the environmental quality of urban life. Craiova has largely expanded in the last decades, which has generated a range of land management and dwelling problems. This type of rapid development is interfering with the quality of citizens' life, as well as the efficient use of resources of urban environment. In this respect, the paper will try to develop a methodology by using geographical information systems to evaluate the environmental quality and its variation across the Craiova area. The use of this methodology will enable us to cope with some of the specific problems raised by the urban development of the city through a computer distribution of available data, but also a useful tool for local authorities for better urban planning [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at the two case studies of Greece and Romania where national policies and strategies for Prevention and Countering of Violent Extremism (P/CVE) are non-existent or suffer from a deficiency in implementation. The analysis begins with a diagnosis of each country's history and reaction to different types of violent extremism and attempts to highlight the ways in which each of them has dealt with this phenomenon. Both in Greece and Romania, the task has fallen into the hands of civil society to lead and develop local, regional, and national P/CVE programs. This is examined in this article, followed by an in-depth analysis of local action against radicalisation and VE in two cities in Greece and Romania. The paper also takes the perspective of education and social cohesion in analysing the issues at hand. The results of the analysis showcase that both countries lag in realising effective P/CVE strategies, with Greece having the institutional infrastructure – relevant agencies and local actors – albeit remaining inactive, and Romania still struggling to recognise the potential threat of radicalisation and violent extremism in the country – exemplified by the lack of open conversation at the level of government and public information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to examine the impact of academician Eugen Simion on the literary landscape in Serbia, focusing on his contributions to fostering cultural exchange between the two neighbouring countries. Additionally, it explores his efforts to promote Romanian creativity and his perspectives on Serbian artistic expression. Furthermore, this paper will analyse the reception of Simion's works in Serbia it will delve into the collaborations and partnerships he established with Serbian literary institutions, highlighting the lasting legacy of his efforts to strengthen cultural ties between Romania and Serbia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the behaviour of some wheat varieties under the years 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023 conditions in Dobrogea area in demonstrative plots carried out at S.C. SPORT AGRA S.R.L. Amzacea, Constanta County. The main aspects emphasized in this research area have been: climatic conditions, obtained yield, and economical efficiency. Looking to the pathogens, for wheat Septoria tritici showed an AR between 17-27% and Pyrenophora graminea showed a low atack (AR = 4.5-17.5%). The pathogen Puccinia striiformis was present in low precentage (AR = 0-13.5%) in the 2018 April observations. For crop protection against pathogens, 2 foliar tratments with fungicides were applied, Artea 330 EC(ciproconazol 80 g/l + propiconazol 250 g/l) 0,4 l/ha, in March and Priaxor EC (fluxapiroxad 150 g/l + piraclostrobin 75 g/l) 1l/ha and in April respectively. Fungal treatments have stopped the development of foliar and ear diseases. The beneficial effects were found in the good yields obtained in 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, except the years 2020 and 2023. In 2020 Otilia reached 2,370 kg/ha, Miranda 2,260 kg/ha and Solindo variety 4,297 kg/ha and Ursita 4,165 kg/ha in 2023. All these special yields have been obtained under non-irrigated conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation of the causes and consequences of food loss and waste has been extensively explored in the literature, given its significant impact on both the local community and the national economy. This paper suggests various comprehensive approaches concerning food loss and waste (FLW) in Romania, considering the broader European context of the FLW phenomenon based on a bibliographic study, a statistical approach of the causes dynamics analysis and a system-based approach leading to an integrated view of the phenomenon. In order to accomplish this purpose, we have used statistical material originated from national and European statistical institutions and we have processed it using direct observation and interpolation. Our objective was to identify various factors contributing to food loss and waste throughout the agrifood chain and analyse their impact on the FLW phenomenon. The findings revealed that the primary factors contributing to food waste are associated with economic aspects. This study serves as a foundational step for subsequent research endeavours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper highlights the activity of raising sheep and goats in Romania, and the consumption of meat from these categories of animals, in the period 2015-2021, while also sketching the autochthonous ethnographic framework where the economic activity is placed - the tradition records millennial pastoral aspects that are still preserved more or less formally with deep echo in Romanian popular spirituality, reflected in popular beliefs, traditions, customs, folklore. The paper analysed specific indicators of the sheep and goat breeding sector, such as: quantitative fluctuations of the number of sheep and goats; the sheep meat production obtained in slaughter houses; the number of sheep slaughtered in slaughterhouses; the price for sheep meat "per 100 kg live weight" and the average annual consumption, per inhabitant, of sheep and goat meat. The statistical sources for our data are the National Institute of Statistic and Eurostat, as well as other specialized materials. Statistical data showed that in Romania in 2021 there were over 10,000,000 sheep and approximately 1,500,000 goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The difficulty of finding non-animal protein sources has determined scholars to explore the less researched plants in recent decades. Alternative protein sources, such as those derived from multicellular fungus, microalgae, and unconventional vegetables, have become a prominent focus in Western studies, particularly because urbanization and distance from metropolitan centres might limit access to food plant resources. Plant-based proteins are regarded an economical option and can be derived from industrial waste, which is abundant and has significant health benefits. The present article aims at exploring the potential of unconventional food plants, as although not much attention is dedicated to them throughout the public food chains, they have gained much academic interest in the last 10 years. Particularly, their potential in Europe, as well as in Romania is the focus of this paper. In Romania, while the current legislation recognizes their existence, their understanding is limited to that of genetically modified organisms. The implications of this lack of understanding are outlined in the final part of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work represents a contribution to the knowledge of the state of research in the field of rural tourism, agritourism and ecotourism in Romania, identifying the main trends and proposing future research lines and themes. Secondary data such as journal articles, proceeding papers reports and statistical data were analysed to obtain an image of the current stage in research with the topic rural tourism, agritourism and ecotourism in Romania. A systematic bibliometric analysis was conducted on the literature retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database using the VOS Viewer software tool. Using the specific keywords "Rural Tourism", and "Agrotourism", and "Agritourism" and "Ecotourism", and "Romania" 440 articles were reviewed and analysed. The results show that studies concerning these keywords and their influence on the development of rural areas in Romania represent an important and dynamic research topic in the last 10 years. Eight major research themes were identified regarding rural tourism, agritourism and ecotourism in Romania. The findings made in this paper will add to the existing body of knowledge of Romanian tourism research in general and, rural tourism research in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cereals are the most produced commodity worldwide, according to statistical data. Among the top ten countries in the list of the most important producers of corn and wheat respectively, as well as among the largest exporters of these categories of cereals, there are two countries located in the Black Sea basin, Ukraine and the Russian Federation. Other important competitors in the region were Romania and Turkey, who took 3rd or 4th place in corn or wheat production. At the same time, Romania occupied the 6th place in the ranking of corn exporters worldwide and 9th in that of wheat exporters in 2021. In addition to the four states mentioned before, in the paper, in the area related to the maritime basin, Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Republic of Moldova and Greece were also included. The paper aimed to provide a coherent picture of competitiveness on the grain market, at the Black Sea basin level, and, at the same time, to highlight the position that Romania occupies in the economy of the area and in the world grain trade. For this purpose, the areas cultivated with corn and wheat were presented, as well as the productions obtained in the period 2015-2021 in the countries of the area related to the Black Sea basin, then the value imports and exports of corn and wheat that these countries recorded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims at the artificial weaning that is currently used in sheep and goat farms. In Romania, the main mating season is autumn, and calving takes place in spring. The price of milk and dairy products is high during this period because the milk produced by sheep and goats is consumed especially by lambs / kids, to be capitalized on the stain only after their weaning. In sheep and goats with very good milk yields, one milking per day can be practiced provided that enough milk remains for sucking lambs. In other cases, the lambs are weaned early and will be raised with milk substitutes and the milked milk is fully exploited on the market. Breeders who want to capitalize on all or part of the milk production produced by the mother sheep as early as possible after farrowing try to find those technological variations of feeding lambs / kids that do not affect their growth. This line also includes the research carried out regarding the effect of using milk substitutes (reconstituted milk) in the feed of lambs / kids by breastfeeding and by incorporating them into the mixture of concentrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research carried out by us had as its main purpose the identification of the way of use of spontaneous flora by the local populations, from the regions studied, on the one hand, and on the other hand, to make people aware of the advantages of using natural products over artificial ones. The work methodology consisted in making trips to different places in Oltenia, from the Getic Piedmont and the Subcarpathian Depression in order to collect information about the phytodiversity of these areas and how the locals use these plants in the local economy. The field survey was made on a sample of 524 persons who were interviewed based on a structured questionnaire including 10 questions regarding the economic importance of spontaneous flora in the region and for their life. The results presented in this present paper represent a segment of a more complex study concerning the importance of spontaneous vascular plants in the local economy of a certain region in Oltenia. The obtained data were compared with those corresponding to the plain region of Oltenia in order to observe, on the one hand, the potential of each area and, on the other hand, the level of interest shown by population towards the capitalization of the natural material found in the area where they live. By analysing the usage of spontaneous plants in the Getic Piedmont and the Subcarpathian hills of Oltenia, the author concluded that the interest shown by the population is greater in these regions than in the lowland. Just as in the plain region, medicinal plants occupy an important place in terms of use. The number of tinctorial species is much lower as compared to the plain region. They are employed only by very poor families, who cannot afford to use commercial products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to identify the main aspects of digitalization in the EU and Romania at present, in general, and emphasizing on agriculture, because in this sector has a deep impact on infrastructure and work resources. The EU average for DESI index quantifying digital economy performance was compared with the index in the member states to show the differences in the performance of the digital economy. The aspects related to the impact of digitalization in agriculture from many points of view, but mainly on human resources have also been highlighted. Index scores differ from one country to another and reflect the performance result of the efforts that each member state has made to implement digital economy. The higher the index value, the higher the digital economy performance in that country. During the period 2017-2022, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden have maintained their top position in the EU, while Romania and Bulgaria are situated on the last places. Romania should be focused on the improvement of digital infrastructure, promotion of digital competences, innovation and entrepreneurship in order to increase its performance in digital economy. Major efforts should be done to improve connectivity, educational programmes in digital competences and to develop a favourable business environment for contributing to its digital transformation and integration into the EU digital unique market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Romania is an important agricultural producer in the Black Sea basin, which benefits from pedoclimatic conditions favourable for the cultivation of oil plants. In this context, the paper aims to identify the position occupied by Romania in the global trade of rapeseed and sunflower seeds, for the period 2018-2022. To this end, quantitative and value imports and exports were analysed for these product categories, based on the statistical data available on specialized websites such as ITC. The results of the study show that Romania was the most important exporter worldwide, both in terms of value and quantity, of sunflower seeds in the period 2018-2021. In 2022, it lost the 1st place to Ukraine. Rapeseed ranked 5th in terms of exported quantity and 6th in terms of export values, among the world's top exporters. Also, Romania registered an increasing trend in the imports of sunflower and rapeseed for the studied period, especially in 2022. Imports of sunflower seeds placed Romania on the 4th place, and those of rapeseed on the 11th place in terms of quantity and respectively 12th for value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed to analyse the evolution of the Romanian rapeseed market during recent years and its contribution in the international trade with rapeseed. The research method is based on a quantitative approach, based on national and international time data series related with production and trade. The results indicated that Romania became a significant player on EU rapeseed market, and many Romanian farmers focused in the last years on rapeseed production, due the high imports demand on international markets and favourable intern production context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural development is the second pillar of the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union (EU), with the role of helping the rural areas of the EU and implicitly Romania to address the economic, environmental, and social challenges they face. The purpose of the research included in this paper is to demonstrate the contribution of the LEADER approach to rural development in Romania, with an emphasis on the North-East Development Region. At the same time, the aim was to highlight the innovative nature of this approach: what it means, how it can be applied, and how it was applied. The data studied through the analysis carried out show that the Romanian territory and, implicitly, the North-East Development Region is poor, fragmented, depopulated, or in the process of depopulating, with few opportunities for young people. The innovative character of the LEADER Programme in Romania and implicitly the North-East Development Region results from the degree of novelty that an investment financed through it brings to the targeted territory, without being limiting and without necessarily presupposing a technological innovation, because the innovation must be evaluated relative to the local situation. The main instrument through which the principles of the LEADER approach can be implemented is the Local Action Group. It is the main driving force behind the activities to be carried out in the territory and which will lead to their implementation. The Local Action Groups set up in the North-East Region provide a common communication framework for local communities to develop and implement Local Development Strategies by initiating, developing and financing projects at local level. They contribute to the unity of local communities and their participation in local development. LEADER approach has brought and how its innovative character is highlighted. The questions that informed its development were: Is this concept considered as a model for sustainable rural development in Romania and the N-E Region? Is LEADER a truly innovative approach. In order to achieve the proposed goal, a multi-step working procedure was developed to allow the collection of target data and additional data derived from the initial target data. Thus, the working procedure was structured in the following steps: problem identification and conceptualization, literature review, document structuring, strategy selection, operational planning, data calculation, and interpretation. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in this work. Thus, from a quantitative point of view, the following research methods were considered relevant for obtaining data: administrative data analysis. As a qualitative method, a bibliometric analysis was carried out, i.e., the literature on sustainable rural development through the use of support measures was analysed by means of the VOSviewer programme, using the Web of Science collections database. Without the implementation of the LEADER Programme in Romania and implicitly in the North-East Development Region, rural areas may be deprived of funding that determines the improvement of conditions in that area, but efforts in the field of implementing sustainable rural development measures must be continued so that the effect of this funding is really visible. Thus, the results of the research carried out in the North-East Development Region of Romania add additional value to the information published in previous studies through proposals for rural reform and concrete examples of innovative projects implemented there. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, attention is drawn to the deterioration of Romanian surface water ecosystems due to eutrophication, an important environmental issue both at national and international levels. An inventory of existing studies dealing with the issue of the eutrophication of lakes and reservoirs in Romania is made, aiming to identify the main problems Romania is facing in monitoring, classifying, and managing eutrophic ecosystems. On Web of Science, the keyword "Eutrophication", with "Romania" as country/region, leads to 50 publications, which are analyzed in this review. The number of articles found does not reflect the real environmental issue represented by eutrophic lakes and reservoirs in Romania. At a national level, only 126 lakes and reservoirs have been monitored and assessed between 2018 and 2020, in terms of ecological status/ecological potential. Thus, at a global evaluation, 77% of natural lakes and 33% of artificial ones do not reach the quality objectives. The results of this study showed that the frequency of measurements taken by water quality indicators is not the strongest point of measurement campaigns, as it is not sufficient for the diagnosis of eutrophic lakes, and supplementary measures must be undertaken to better understand and mitigate this phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]