Romania/ 4.2 Specific policy issues and recent debates  

4.2.2 Heritage issues and policies

The strategy related national cultural heritage realised by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage is targeted at the protection, conservation and restoration of goods that represent Romania's cultural heritage.

In the built heritage sector, the main issues are:

• conservation and restoration: National Restoration Programme, approved by Ministerial Order no. 3044/2005;
• development of central - local partnerships;
• setting-up and development of other partnerships: inter-institutional (e.g. the partnership with the Ministry of Administration and the Interior - for the protection of national cultural heritage) or with international bodies such as UNESCO and WMF (World Monuments Fund);
• use of historical monuments at the core of sustainable development at local level;
• training for experts in the field;
• illegal demolitions; and
• Urban regeneration and industrial heritage.

Regarding movable and intangible cultural goods, the main issues are:

• Finalising the inventory and classification of these goods;
• Digitisation of museum collections;
• Ensuring the necessary protection for museum collections (e.g. anti-theft, air conditioning, etc.); and
• Development of heritage educational programmes for museums.

In recent years there has been an increasing trend in terms of updating and expanding the National Archaeological Heritage, by introducing new sites and by completing existing records, by taking information from archaeological research reports, as well as the updating and completing the list of Historic Monuments. A computerised system (GIS) has been developed in order to protect national cultural heritage property (archaeological and historical monuments) - eGISPAT.  Also on the website of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage one can see the location of historic monuments onthe Google Earth application.

Also, in this area, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage adapts it policies to the European Council's directions by representing Romania in the Regional Programme for Cultural and Natural Heritage in South Eastern Europe. Some of the activities undertaken in the field of cultural heritage are related to the conservation and restoration of heritage buildings, the organisation of annual events with international participation.

The most prevalent issues encountered in moveable heritage( the phrase is also used in UNESCO classification, another suggestion would be mobile heritage) management refer to the precarious situation of the permanent exhibition of museums, which require restoration and modernisation as well as sufficient storage space, an important risk factor for movable cultural heritage.

Since 2007, the National Committee for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage began the development of a directory called the Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Romania.

Furthermore, the National Commission for the Protection of Historical Monuments is currently working on developing mechanisms for the implementation of the Living Human Treasures programme, in accordance with Law no. 26/2008 and with UNESCO recommendations in this regard.

For more information, see
European Heritage Network: Country profile Romania

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