A roundup of domestic and international news
NAVY DAY - The Black Sea Area is an area of geostrategic importance to both NATO and the EU. As a member of both organizations, Romania is part of a common security and defense area, said Romania's President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday in the Black Sea Port of Constanta, where he attended festivities occasioned by the celebration of the Romanian Navy Day. Johannis also said that ensuring national security and defense, which guarantees the safety of each Romanian, cannot be done without proper army equipment and modernization and constant training of the military. In turn, the Defense Minister Gabriel Les stated that the Black Sea Region was unfortunately turning into an area of tension, pressure, risks and threats. Romania's strategic position on the Eastern border of the EU and NATO creates opportunities, but also challenges for the Romanian army and the naval forces in particular, the minister also said. The training ship 'Mircea' was the focus of attention, as it celebrated 80 years since it was first used by the Romanian Navy. The Naval and Air Forces of Ukraine, Italy and the US participated with several detachments in the exercises carried out at sea and in the festivities on the seafront, also in celebration of Navy Day. Similar events took place in Mangalia, Tulcea, Braila, Galati and Bucharest.
ASSUMPTION - Christian Orthodox and Catholic belivers in Romania on Thursday celebrated the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven. Special masses were held in churches and monasteries across Romania. This year, at the Nicula Monastery in Cluj county, the relics of the Blessed Iuliu Hossu, the first Romanian Cardinal, were brought to the place where he would meet every year with believers coming from all over the country. Iuliu Hossu founded the Nicula Monastery in 1936. More than 2.2 million Romanians celebrated their name day on August 15th.
IMMIGRANTS - Six EU member countries, including Romania, have accepted to take some of the 150 immigrants on board the Spanish humanitarian ship Open Arms, which has been out at sea for 14 days. France Presse reports that the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has stated, in a letter to the Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, that the countries in question are Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Romania and Luxembourg. An administrative court in Rome has decided that the vessel can enter the Italian territorial waters, despite the interdiction imposed by Matteo Salvini. The ship has asked for access to Italy, stating that the international maritime legislation permits bringing immigrants to a safe place. A day before, Salvini had stated he would block both Open Arms and another vessel, Ocean Viking, operated by French humanitarian organisations. Together they would bring to Italy some 500 immigrants rescued since last week from off shore Libya.
COOPERATION - Romania will re-launch this autumn the European Affairs Business Cooperation Format with France and Germany, the Romanian Minister of European Affairs, George Ciamba, has announced on Radio Romania. The Romanian official has stated that, given the big investments made by German and French companies in Romania, there is a solid basis for cooperation, not only economic, but also with regard to European affairs. George Ciamba has announced that the French Minister of European Affairs is expected to pay a visit to Bucharest next month.
DONATION - The famous rock band Metallica has donated 250,000 Euro for the building of the first oncological hospital for children built in Buchrest by the Give Life foundation. The foundation has managed to collected more than 15 million Euros from private contributions and from donations made by various companies in Romania. Metallica gave a concert in Bucharest on Wednesday.
TOURISTS - Some 200 Romanian citizens have been transferred so far to continental Greece from Samothraki Island, the Romanian Foreign Ministry has announced. The Romanian Embassy in Athens and the Romanian Consulate General in Thessaloniki are still monitoring the situation, and maintain contact with both the local authorities and the Romanian citizens that are still on the island. More than one thousand tourists, including lots of Romanians, got stranded for a week on Samothraki in northern Greece, because of violent winds and rough seas, which did not allow boats and ferries to get to the island.
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