1. Buona Festa Nazionale Italia! Ambassador Daniele Mancini brought both friends and rivals together, as Romania’s Prime Minister Tariceanu and Bucharest’s mayor Adrian Videanu and a plethora of diplomats and politicians celebrated the national day of Romania’s biggest trade partner.

2.Spanish developer Hercesa has launched its first showroom in Romania on Strada Baia de Arama on the former Titan factory in east Bucharest where its multi-million Euro Vivenda Residencia residential project will be developed.

3. Ambassador Ulrik Helweg Larsen greeted distinguished politicians, business people and diplomats to his residence to celebrate Denmark’s Constitution Day.

4. Carbon beater: With reduced CO2 emissions, the Dacia Logan LPG, a car running on Liquified Petroleum Gas, was launched at the Bucharest Crown Plaza hotel gathering automotive journalists, company officials from France and LPG tank and fuel injection creators Landi Renzo.

5. Ambassador of Portugal Alexandre Maria Lindim Vassalo welcomed guests from the diplomatic corps, Government and representatives of the 150 Portuguese firms active in Romania to the embassy to celebrate the national day, including an exhibition by Romanian artist Suzana Dan.

6. Celebrating the UK’s sudden wake-up to the potential of Romanian real estate, guests from the British-Romanian Chamber of Commerce gathered in the garden of the Crowne Plaza Bucharest to enjoy a very British summer’s evening of beer and g’n’ts.

7. Tintoretto, El Greco, Breughel the Younger, Rubens, Rembrandt, Monet, Signac, Sisley and Rodin have all gathered at the National Museum of Art on Calea Victoriei, as it reopens its European Art Gallery with a display of the finest international art in the country. Cupid and Venus are up to  mischief in Cranach the Elder’s XVI century painting (pictured).

8. Philippe Maystadt, president of the European Investment Bank (EIB), opened the Bucharest Stock Exchange session, marking the beginning of EIB bonds trading in the International Bonds Category. Also present were Brokers’ Association president Dan Paul, Central Depository president Sergiu Ovidiu Pop, ABN Amro Securities president Arjo Blok and BSE general manager Stere Farmache.

9. On the occasion of Croatia’s National Day and Armed Forces Day, H.E. The Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia Mr. Ivica Mastruko welcomed at the Crowne Plaza a large number of guests for a special celebration.

10. Sovereign Order of Malta in Romania celebrated the anniversary of its patron, St John the Baptist. Franz Albert von Hartig, the Ambassador to Romania, presented a summary of the Order’s activity and charitable projects developed through the Maltese Help Corps.

11. After making a cameo appearance in the last James Bond film, the long awaited fourth generation of Ford Mondeo was launched in 22 locations across Romania. Ford officials from Europe and Romania  and public figures from politics and the business environment were present at the National Theatre, Bucharest, in an event organised by Romcar.

12. Energy capital: Oil and gas giant Petrom has revealed architectural plans for its upcoming headquarters, dubbed ‘Petrom City’. Located north of Bucharest, in Straulesti, the project is valued at a total of 130 million Euro and will be built by construction firm Alpine.

13. Czech chic: Violent, bold and with a touch of white trash, Czech fashion brand Leeda turned the concrete backyard of Bucharest’s Czech cultural centre into a catwalk to show off their latest collection, inspired by camping, Chic Tramp

14. Alpha Bank began the summer by launching its special Alpha Club Programme, addressing clients of the bank whose total crediting history is equal or over 30,000 Euro. Executive president Sergiu Oprescu said the programme is the bank’s first fidelity programme and a novelty on the Romanian market.