EXPORTS The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest used diplomatic channels to convey a message to Kyiv that Romania allows Ukrainian ships loaded with cereals to use the Danube channels of Bastroe and Chilia. According to the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest, Romania tries to muster consistent international support to create a transit corridor, including on the sea, for the transport of Ukrainian cereals to third countries against the backdrop of the growing food crisis triggered by the Russian aggression. On Wednesday the city of Istanbul in Turkey held talks on ways of unblocking Ukraines grain exports. The conference brought together delegations from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the UNO. Ukrainian vessels are carrying grain to the Romanian port of Constanta to be further shipped to various destinations in Europe, Africa or the Arab world.
PARADE Festivities occasioned by the National Day of France are this year being attended by honoured military guests from Eastern Europe, including 12 from Romania as a token of gratitude for these countries efforts to defend NATOs eastern flank against the background of the Russian aggression in Ukraine. According to Radio Romania correspondent in Paris, France wants thus to convey a message of unity to NATO allies as well as a strong message of solidarity with Ukraine. The festivities are this year unfolding under the motto Partager la flame (Divide the Flame) with a double significance: to pay homage to Hubert Germain, the last member of the French resistance against the Nazi occupation who died this year, and to hail the Olympic flame ahead the Olympic Games Paris is due to stage in 2024. Romanian president Klaus Iohannis has today sent President Macron a letter of congratulation and wishes of prosperity for the French people. Iohannis has underlined the solidity and consistency of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and France, built on common values and excellent cooperation both at the bilateral level and within the EU and other international bodies. The French Embassy in Bucharest will mark the event through a reception, which is to be attended by Romanias Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca and by Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, state secretary for development, Francophonie, and International Partnerships with the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
REFUGEES According to data released by the General Border Police Inspectorate, on Wednesday 12 thousand Ukrainian refugees crossed the border into Romania. Since February 10, before the onset of the Russian invasion, 1.55 million Ukrainian nationals have entered Romania, although only a small part chose to remain here.
DRILL Over July 14 and 25 three Romanian warships are participating in the international exercise Breeze 22 staged and coordinated by Bulgarian Navy in the countrys territorial and the international waters of the Black Sea and the Bulgarian port of Burgas. This years edition of the aforementioned exercise has brought together navy and and air forces from Albania, Belgium, France, Georgia, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Turkey and the USA. The drill is aimed at strengthening tactical interoperability between the navy personnel and participating units and at exercising the procedures of conventional and non-conventional war.
FOOTBALL Romanias football champions CFR Cluj have been eliminated from the preliminaries of the Champions League by Armenian side Pyunik Yerevan. After a goaless draw away, the Romanians lost 4-3 at home after the penalty shootout. CFR Cluj will be playing next in Europa Conference League, where they are to take on Inter Club dEscalades of Andorra. Another three football sides from Romania are playing in the aforementioned competition. These are runner-up FCSB, Sepsi Sf. Gheorghe, winners of the Cup and Universitatea Craiova, presently ranking third in the Romanian championship.
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