In an attempt to mobilize the population to vote on Sunday at the European Parliamentary elections, one newspaper highlights some well respected local public figures and their reasons for voting. Elsewhere in the news, foreigners prefer Bulgaria over Romania for holiday destinations. Last but not least, district 1 Bucharest mayor Andrei Chiliman plans to build an aerial tramway over Bucharest's lakes.

Gandul highlights a series of well respected local public figures and their reasons for voting in the European Parliamentary elections organized on Sunday, June 7. This follows a series of public campaigns initiated by various media outlets in an attempt to mobilize the population at these elections, coupled with President Basescu's speech aimed at reminding citizens of their obligations.

The newspaper reads that in 2007, the electoral turnout in the European Parliamentary elections was as low as 28.82% which explains the mobilization of both public authorities, media and civil society figures to take a stand on the matter.

President Basescu underlined the citizens' obligation to support Romania's credibility at the European level, emphasizing that it is their responsibility to prove that they are part of Europe. The newspaper reads that a recent INSOMAR poll revealed that 47% of those surveyed said they have no intention to vote, are not decided or did not come up with an answer.

The newspaper questioned eleven public figures who are not involved in politics whether they plan to vote or not among which cultural personalities like Stela Popescu, Alexandru Arsinel or singers like Tudor Chirila and Bodo (ProConsul).

Cotidianul reads that foreign tourists prefer Bulgaria for Romania. The newspaper reads that the ITS operators will send this year 120,000 tourists in Bulgaria and only 3,000 in Romania. Germans, according to the newspaper, seem to have lost interest in Romania if we are to compare the number with last year's toll when 5,000 Germans came to Romania.

Other tour operators seem to have the same opinion. Latina Escapade director Dinu Glavan said that last year 4,700 foreigners came to Romania but this year the operator expects only 3,000. Plus, he underlined that the charters linking France to the Romanian seaside were canceled.

Dertour representatives are more optimistic and declared that they registered a slight increase in the number of foreigners coming to Romania. Nonetheless, all operators quoted by the newspaper agree that Romania needs an aggressive visual publicity sponsored by the Tourism ministry.

They underlined that the country lacks any spots on Discovery or Euronews which can make all the difference. Romania's Tourism Agencies Associations put forward an official proposal to the Tourist ministry suggesting that the ministry should offer agencies a 2 to 5 euro incoming bonus for each foreigner brought in Romania.

Evenimentul Zilei reads about the dream of the Social Democrat district 2 mayor Neculai Ontanu to build an aerial tramway over Bucharest's lakes in an attempt to ease up traffic in Bucharest and boost tourism. The project is already approved in the local councils of district 1 and 2 city halls.

District 1 mayor Andrei Chiliman declared that the project is actually an environmental one aimed at reducing traffic in Bucharest. Bucharest mayor Sorin Oprescu declared that he will contest the decision of the local councils on the matter.