ANTHEM DAY – President Klaus Iohannis has today conveyed a message on National Anthem Day, saying that this is ‘a good opportunity to reaffirm our generation’s collective commitment to further developing Romania’. Iohannis also said that the national anthem “expresses the unity of our nation and defines not only the important moments in history, but especially the fulfilment of the ideals that we have assumed over time – ensuring freedom and sovereignty, establishing democracy and the state of law, Romania’s EU and NATO membership.’ National Anthem Day is marked today with military ceremonies in all garrisons in Romania. In Bucharest, the program has included a religious service and a concert performed by the Representative Music of the Ministry of National Defense. Romania’s National Anthem Day was proclaimed in 1998 and is celebrated every year on July 29. “Awaken thee, Romanian!” was composed by Anton Pann and the lyrics were written by the poet Andrei Mureșanu.
SECURITY ALERT – The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) recommends Romanian citizens to avoid any trip to Lebanon, given the recent armed confrontations on the Lebanese-Israeli border. Romanian citizens already in this state are urged to responsibly assess the need to stay in Lebanon, and those in the southern part of the country are strongly advised by the ministry to leave the region immediately. At the same time, the MAE strongly recommends Romanian citizens who are in Lebanon to register their presence at the Romanian Embassy in Beirut. Israeli warplanes struck several Hezbollah targets in northern Lebanon on Saturday night, following the rocket attack that killed 12 people, including children, on a soccer field in the occupied Golan Heights of Israel.
OLYMPICS – Romanian athletes are today competing at the Olympic Games in Paris, in rowing, mountain biking, swimming, tennis and table tennis. Swimmer David Popovici qualified, on Sunday, in the final of the 200 m freestyle event with the best time in the semi-finals, 1:44:53. Popovici (19 years old), double world champion and quadruple European champion, had previously achieved the best time of the series, 1:45:65. He was fourth in the 200m freestyle final three years ago at the Tokyo Olympics. Also on Sunday, Romania qualified for the women’s team final in artistic gymnastics, 12 years after its previous participation. The Romanian men’s water polo team was defeated by the Greek team, 14-7, in their first match in Group A. Romania will play the next match on July 30, against the American team.
UNESCO – The monumental ensemble “The Heroes’ Path” (“Calea Eroilor”) sculpted by Constantin Brâncuşi in Romania and the Frontiers of the Roman Empire – Dacia have been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Made by the Romanian sculptor almost 90 years ago, the ensemble is considered by experts as an exceptional work. The Romanian authorities submitted the nomination file as early as January 2018, and a technical evaluation mission took place in Romania last year. The second application accepted by UNESCO concerns Roman fortifications (the so-called Danube Limes) erected along the northern border of the province of Dacia, totaling 277 sites from 16 counties, part of the general defense system of the Roman Empire, the Frontiers of the Roman Empire – Dacia.
CHILDREN – The total number of children in Romania who had both parents working abroad was, at the end of March 2024, 9,039, some 719 less compared to the the previous year, according to data supplied by the National Authority for the Protection of Children’s Rights and Adoption (ANPDCA). Also, the number of children with parents working abroad dropped to 61,007 at the end of March, from 64,936 on December 31, 2023.
FUEL – The average price of a liter of gasoline in Romania increased by 5.1% compared to last month, and the average price of a liter of diesel increased by 4.7%. In Bucharest, a liter of standard gasoline is sold at prices between 7.35 lei and 7.49 lei, and a liter of standard diesel is between 7.44 lei and 7.57 lei (1 euro is the equivalent of around 5 lei). Romania is currently in third place in the European Union among the countries with the cheapest gasoline, after Bulgaria and Malta, and in fourth place in terms of the lowest diesel price, after Bulgaria, Lithuania and Malta. (EE)
