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The study deals with the attitude of Russian liberals of the early 20th century to the Eastern question, which occupied a special place in international politics and whose aggravation became one of the factors leading to the World War I. Various political forces in Russia developed their own variants of its solution, realizing that the fate not only of the country, but of the whole world largely depended on the projects they proposed. The analysis of the liberals’ ambiguous perception of the Russian government’s actions in the Balkans, their attitude to the South Slavs, to the problem of the Black Sea Straits, and to the confrontation between the great powers united in alliances, i.e. all aspects of the Eastern question, will allow us to reconstruct and understand the liberals’ understanding of the connection between foreign policy and Russia’s internal development, national interests, and ideological values. Looking at the views of the liberals of the early 20th century on the Eastern question reveals not only the peculiarities of its perception by the ruling elite and representatives of the legal opposition, but also the roots of the growing alienation of the country’s elite from the people. It was this alienation, which intensified during the war years and manifested itself, among other things, in the different perceptions of the importance of the Eastern question by the authorities, the liberals, and the people, that led to the fall of the first liberal Provisional Government in the spring of 1917. As a result, the people tired of the war and unable to understand the meaning of Russia’s struggle for foreign lands, came to support the Bolsheviks, who exposed the “imperialist plans” of the Provisional Government and advocated peace without annexations and contributions. The paper touches upon the problem of the liberals’ attitude not only to the government’s foreign policy, but also to Russian statehood, the conceptual reasons for their transition from a restrained peace-loving position and the desire to prevent war to its unconditional support. The authors identify the ideological and foreign policy factors that influenced this liberal transit. The main attention is paid to the understanding of representatives of various liberal movements of the Eastern question, which, without exaggeration, took a central place not only in their foreign policy program, but also in the project of internal transformations, which envisaged the creation of Great Russia as a result of its solution. The study identifies and analyzes the innovations introduced by the liberals in the interpretation of the Eastern question under the influence not only of the changing international situation, political and economic modernization of Russia, which was becoming a “Duma monarchy,” but also of the development of the ideology itself; the peculiarities of its perception by representatives of various liberal currents in the country are examined.

Abstract Since the Scythian people first encountered the Hellenic cultural environment in the Archaic period, their lifestyle, customs and characteristics had such a strong impact on the Hellenic colonies in the region that they soon formed part of the Amazonian myths. The discovery of different female burials with weapons among their grave goods pointed to the possibility that female Scythians were warriors, thus giving rise to the Amazonian myths. However, even though this status has been evidenced by the remains found in the Kurgans of the northern Pontus, the origin of those myths dates back long before the first contacts between both cultures. So, even though a knowledge of their customs favoured their association with the Amazonian myths, it could never have led to their appearance in the Greek mythical imaginary.

From June 13 to 15, 2023, in Trabzon, Turkey, the 3rd General Assembly of the international project "Developing Optimal and Open Research Support for the Black Sea (DOORS)" took place. The current project results discussed during the assembly deserve to be made public. Therefore, the main purpose of this article is to inform the readers of the journal and the general public about the progress of one of the relevant projects under the Horizon – 2020 framework program. It is also an opportunity to highlight the contemporary issues of the Black Sea and its adjacent land, as well as to showcase how these issues can be addressed.

The article presents the results of simulation research of the ecological risk for three shelf areas of the Black Sea exposed to different combinations of external stressors. Simulated risk calculations were performed for the aggregated phytoplankton taking into account the intra-annual variations in biomass values obtained from observation data. The results revealed a significant dependence of the ecological risk on the intra-annual state of phytoplankton and also made it possible to calculate the dependence of the permissible probability of impacts on ecological risk. The latter identified areas of probable errors of the second kind, which is of practical importance for ensuring ecological safety in the shelf resources development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The TvV-SM2 virus, isolated fromthe coastal waters of the Black Sea, causes lysis of its host, the algae Tetraselmis viridis (Chlorophyta). Under optimal conditions for nutrients, an increase in the initial abundance of algae cells by four times caused a 3-fold reduction in the latent period of viral infection. During the period of the most rapid cell lysis of T. viridis, nitrogen deficiency leads to a decrease in the average daily rate of death of cells affected by the virus by 3.2 times relative to the replete conditions, while in the case of phosphorus deficiency, this process slows down by up to 2.4 times. Under deplete conditions, the rate of cell death was only 34% lower than under replete conditions. The effect of copper ions (100 µg L-1) on the viral suspension for 6 h led to the complete suppression of its activity. In the presence of the host of this virus, its activity is only partially suppressed. As a result, cell lysis under the influence of a viral infection occurred in two stages. The first stage was noted only during the first 6 h of the experiment. The second main stage took place within 78-170 h. This study showed that in conditions of nutrient deficiency and in the presence of copper ions in seawater, the impact of viruses on microalgae will be weaker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes the first finding of the European hake Merluccius merluccius (Linnaeus, 1758) in the northern part of the Black Sea, off the coast of Crimea, in December 2022 with a sea surface temperature of 13°C. The individual was found in the catch of a bottom trap installed at a depth of 24 m. The specimen with a total body length of 30.6 cm and a weight of 213.5 g was a sexually mature 3 years old male. According to the results of back-calculations obtained during the analysis of the otolith section, the individual growth of the caught fish occurred as follows: the total length was 17.7, 25.5, and 30.6 cm by the end of the first, second, and third years of life, respectively. No food items have been found in the gastrointestinal tract of the caught specimen. The geographical variability of the hake life cycle is considered. The species reaches its maximum size and age at high latitudes and at low water temperatures. Presumably, the maximum size and age of the hake in the Black Sea may be slightly higher than in the Mediterranean Sea, but lower than in the Northeast Atlantic. The prospects for further resettlement and increase in the number of the hake in the Black Sea are analyzed. Apparently, low salinity and competition with the native ichthyofauna may prevent successful naturalization of the species. However, the continuation of the trend of increasing salinity of the Black Sea under warming conditions will increase the possibilities of the hake naturalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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INTRODUCTION In Türkiye, smoking cessation outpatient clinics (SCCs) provide access to free smoking cessation treatments and provide important treatment support to smokers. Additionally, in order to increase the effectiveness of these clinics, it is important to conduct due diligence and monitor their outcomes. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of our SCC as well as the associated factors with quit success and treatment adherence of smokers. METHODS Smokers admitted to the outpatient smoking cessation clinic of a tertiary care hospital in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Türkiye between January 2018 and May 2019, were evaluated. All patients included in the study were aged ≥18 years and started smoking cessation treatment. RESULTS Mean age of the 425 participating patients was 38 ± 12 years, 73.4% of whom were males. In the second year, 20.5% of the patients were successful in quitting smoking. Unsuccessful quitting was positively associated with treatment non-adherence (OR=7.71; 95% CI: 3.44-17.31), presence of nicotine withdrawal symptoms (OR=7.09; 95% CI: 3.60-13.97) and being a student (OR=6.82; 95% CI: 1.31-35.59) with the highest risks. According to the multivariable logistic regression analysis, being a student, having higher scores on nicotine dependence test and presence of withdrawal symptoms, were positively associated with failure to quit smoking. Low cessation medication use duration, experiencing sleep-related side effects and digestive system related side effects during smoking cessation treatment, were negatively associated with success to quit (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The rate of successful quitters in the long-term was 20.5%. Considering the factors associated with quit status, interventions and followed methods of SCCs need to be updated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the flora of the Cape Martyan territorial aquatic reserve and the hydrobotanical "Southern Coast of Crimea" region of the Black Sea, the species Dasya hutchinsiae Harvey has been indicated for the first time. Its diagnostic features have been clarified and illustrated. It has been shown that four localities of D. hutchinsiae are currently known in four hydrobotanical regions in the Northern Black Sea region, including three directly off the coast of Crimea. The rarity of the species may be due to its belonging to the category of pulsating elements of the regional flora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is essential to determine the concentrations of metals/metalloids in marine sediments and their contamination status to develop appropriate pollution control strategies and/or improve existing ones. Spatial distribution of aluminum (Al) and some trace elements, i.e., arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn), accumulated in surface sediments of the north-western (NW) Black Sea (Romanian zone) was evaluated. Sediment samples were collected in 2019 from 32 stations located at water depths in the range of 12.7-149 m. The mean values ± standard deviations (SD) of element concentrations were as follows: 3.9 ± 1.6% for Al, 11.2 ± 10.2 mg/kg for As, 64.8 ± 27.0 mg/kg for Cr, 32.7 ± 15.0 mg/kg for Cu, 0.10 ± 0.09 mg/kg for Hg, 45.3 ± 23.8 mg/kg for Ni, 24.6 ± 9.6 mg/kg for Pb, and 68.0 ± 28.0 mg/kg for Zn. These values are not significantly different (p > 0.05) from those found in a previous study on surface sediments collected in 2018 from 22 stations located in the same area, but at lower water depths (13.5-67 m). Contamination factor (CF) was used to assess the contamination status of surface sediments. The mean values of CF (0.26-1.23) reveal low to moderate contamination with Pb and low contamination with the other elements. Principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation analysis indicated that As, Cu, Ni, Hg, Pb, and Zn were associated with clay, silt, and organic matter, suggesting that these elements mainly came from the Danube discharges and also from local anthropogenic sources, whereas Al, Cr, and partly Hg, Pb, and Zn originated from rock/soil weathering and erosion. The concentration levels of As, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn, TOC, silt, and clay were higher in sediments collected from stations generally located at higher water depths (up to 118 m), suggesting that the TEs associated with the finer carriers were transported offshore by currents and waves, whereas the concentration levels of Al, Cr, Hg, and Zn were higher in sediments with lower levels of CaCO3 content (10.1-24.3%), collected from shallower stations (water depths of 12.7-42.0 m). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the electrical calculations of four 1 MW Solar Power Plants (SPPs) located in four different directions, established in Samsun (41° 17′ 25″ North, 36° 20′ 1″ East) province, Turkey, were analyzed and compared in terms of various parameters. Daily production data obtained from real SPPs for the years 2021 and 2022 are used in this study. This way, a comprehensive data source was obtained for four directions. Values such as temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, panel direction, panel angle, and pollution were recorded daily and monthly. It has been observed that the factors affecting the production values in the months when the irradiance values decreased were climatic effects. It has been determined that in cases where the main factor is lack of radiation, the sun starts to fall on September 23, which is the angle of arrival to the Earth, and rises on March 21. The situation recorded between these dates is that the production differences between the west and the east did not show any variation. Production differences varied between 30 and 55% between the north and south directions. The most apparent months of the difference are December and January, when the sun's rays are most oblique to the northern hemisphere. The feasibility study of the installation of SPPs for the climate of the Black Sea region in Turkey according to different roof aspects was also carried out prospectively, and the reactions to possible natural events were reported as recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the elevated levels of hydrogen sulfide, the Black Sea has an anoxic environment. Anoxic conditions, which begin 150–200 m below the surface of the ocean, are gradually approaching the surface. To reduce and eliminate this harmful impact, many studies such as solar process, superadiabatic partial oxidation, sulfur-iodine thermochemical water separation, hydrogen sulfide pyrolysis and methane reforming electrocatalytic membrane reactor, and proton electrolyte membrane electrolyzer unit have been carried out to remove hydrogen sulfide in the Black Sea and to obtain hydrogen which is clean energy after removal. After reviewing the available techniques, a vertical inlet and in-situ platform system is suggested. In the first stage, seawater and hydrogen sulfide are separated using Henry's Law, and in the second stage, hydrogen gas and sulfur are separated using membrane filtering. It is anticipated that the hydrogen collected will be sufficient to cover the platform's energy needs. • A high concentration of H 2 S in the Black Sea threatens humans, animals, and plants. • There are several ways to obtain liquid or gaseous H 2 S from the Black Sea. • Energy can be obtained from separating H 2 S into sulfur and hydrogen. • The separation stages can be assisted by Henry's Law and membrane filtration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change calls for the diversification of aquaculture species, seeking alternatives tolerating warmer summer temperatures. In this context, the research on the adaptability of gilthead seabream Sparus aurata (Linnaeus, 1758) for Romanian marine aquaculture was performed. The experiment demonstrated the possibility of transferring three months old juveniles from a 36‰ salinity into Black Sea water (mean salinity 15‰), without any mortality. The evolution of the stress induced by the difference in salinity was carefully monitored. Glycemic levels between 68-82 mg/dl before, 157-171 mg/dl one hour after the sudden change in salinity and 115-124 mg/dl at 24 hours were documented, respectively. Corroborated with the color changes and the resumption of active feeding and schooling behavior, it can be inferred that the use of the species is feasible in Romania. An average biomass increase comparable to relevant literature was documented: from seven grams initially to 300 grams. The biochemical analysis of the meat also revealed a balanced composition. Overall, S. aurata proved a viable candidate for Western Black Sea cage aquaculture in a rotational system, complementary to colder water species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abundance, biomass, distribution, and feeding patterns of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi A. Agassiz 1865 were studied in the deep-water Black Sea in October 2019. The biomass of the ctenophore in the open sea areas was 100–200 g m–2, and the abundance was 16–38 ind. m–2. With the dominance of large individuals (≥30 mm) in the population, the activity of their reproduction remained extremely low. The specific daily ration varied from ~4 to 13% of body carbon in adults and juveniles, respectively, and exceeded the minimum food requirements of the ctenophore. The daily consumption of three species of copepods (Acartia spp., Calanus euxinus, and Oithona davisae) by M. leidyi reached 4.5–11% of their biomass, while that of appendicularians Oikopleura (Vexillaria) dioica was <1.6%. The predatory pressure of M. leidyi on the entire prey zooplankton attained 2–4% of the biomass of organisms per day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The species diversity and spatial distribution of ichthyoplankton in the coastal and open waters of the northern part of the Black Sea and the southwestern part of the Sea of Azov in June 2020 are presented. The species diversity and abundance of ichthyoplankton changed in accordance with the regional conditions of warming of the upper layer of the sea during the formation of a vertical thermal structure of the summer type. The most favorable conditions for the survival of ichthyoplankton were observed in the open and coastal waters of the Western Sector of research in the initial phase of the summer hydrological season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anadara kagoshimensis (Tokunaga, 1906) is an invasive bivalve mollusk colonizing the Black Sea and Azov Sea. The content of 16 proteinogenic amino acids was determined in their hemolymph and soft tissue protein hydrolysates via ion-exchange chromatography followed by ninhydrin detection. High histidine and proline levels were detected both in hemolymph and in soft tissue hydrolysates. Experimental hypoxia caused qualitative and quantitative changes in the content of free amino acids, namely the pool of aliphatic amino acids decreased 2-fold, while the pool of aromatic amino acids conversely increased. It is assumed that the metabolism of A. kagoshimensis shifts under hypoxic conditions toward anaerobic catabolism of amino acids and proteins as a source of substrates for the tricarboxylic acid and ornithine cycles. This leads to a significant accumulation of arginine, which is an allosteric activator of ornithine cycle reactions, and urea, which is a low-molecular-weight (LMW) antioxidant. Thereby, an LMW component of the antioxidant defense system forms in A. kagoshimensis, as manifested in high levels of such free radical scavengers as histidine and urea, which may contribute to the invasion success of this alien bivalve species in the Black and Azov Seas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multi analytical approach was applied to Roman ceramics excavated from the city center and the Church‐Necropolis area in Kılıçlı plateau (Boyabat) in Sinop/Black Sea, Turkey. The samples were exposed to various characterization methods including spectroscopic, microscopic and thermal techniques. The relatively high amounts of CaO suggested use of calcareous clay batches for most of the Gülümoğlu Roman (GR) and Boyabat Roman (BR) potsherds. The hierarchical cluster analysis revealed two main groups excluding GR‐7. Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) pointed out two sub‐groups for the BR samples, and GR‐7 was out of the groups. The statistical approach suggested two different raw materials for GR and BR pottery which could be assigned to use of local raw materials for each settlement. The sub‐groups in BR samples and the clear distinction of GR‐7 also pointed out diverse clay sources would have been used in pottery production. The mineralogical components of the potsherds indicated a firing temperature range of 900°C in average. A comparison of the chemical and mineralogical compositions of the potsherds with the former works proposed that most of the samples show similarities with some of the formerly investigated ceramic groups of Hellenistic and Roman periods in Sinop. Considering the whole data, the Roman potsherds in the present study are thought to represent the local wares of Sinop and they might have been manufactured in one of the pottery ateliers located on the coastline in the south of Sinop peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Axis land forces overran most of the Crimea in October 1941, but were unable to capture Sevastopol. Realizing that sea power was now necessary, Hitler ordered that light boats be transferred to the Black Sea. However, the Germans did not have a sufficient number of small boats at their disposal and asked the Italians to supply them. Based on a critique of archival sources, this article analyses this little-known aspect of the Black Sea campaign and argues that the Italian Flotilla made a crucial, although overlooked, contribution to Sevastopol's conquest, concluding that its activity prevented essential Soviet supply missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world fisheries production is rapidly growing in the last decade. The worldwide fisheries production in 2011 was about 154 million tons. The Black Sea region is one of the major basins in the world fisheries production. The Black Sea coastal countries are Bulgaria, Georgia, Russia, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine. The Black Sea region is an important player in the world fisheries production and trade. The aim of this study is to determine the competitiveness of the Black Sea countries in the fisheries trade. In this study used Balassa’s index of Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA). According to the findings the Black Sea countries have a comparative disadvantage in fisheries sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experimental research engages in an investigation of sediment quality, with a focus on the identification and quantification of hydrocarbons and other contaminants that may adversely affect the health of the marine and terrestrial ecosystem in the Black Sea region. The purpose of this experimental research is to contribute to the understanding of the dynamics of hydrocarbon pollution and its impact on the marine and terrestrial environment in the Black Sea area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heracleia Pontica despite having such an important place in the ancient world, the settlement constitutes one of the areas in the southwestern Black Sea where the need for archaeological studies is felt intensely. Therefore the subject of the research constitutes the examination of our knowledge of the development of the Heracleia Pontica between the Archaic and Hellenistic periods (5th and 4th centuries BC). The evidences which are uncovered from an abroad polis is evaluated in the context of regional archaeology, and a group of finds consisting of funerary relief stelae and proxeny decrees revealed by Aegean archaeology - associated with Paphlagonian city - are discussed. These artifacts, dated between the 5th and 4th centuries BC were unearthed in Athens since the 19th century. The funerary relief stelae and proxeny decrees are unique in that they belong to the people from Heracleia as indicated in their inscriptions. Moreover, they form various arguments in examining the social turmoil, exiles, and commercial activities of the associated city or the relations between Athenai and Heracleia Pontica. The finds discussed in this study constituting four funerary relief stelae and two proxeny decrees are considered to be related to Heracleians based on the inscriptions. Although they belong to the Heracleians, the fact that they were unearthed in Athenai makes them particularly remarkable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hysterothylacium aduncum is a parasitic nematode that infects mainly marine fish. The information on the heterogeneity in the aggregation of macroparasites in fish species is still limited, particularly for the Raphidascarid nematode H. aduncum that infects exploitable marine fish species including horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus). This study aimed to investigate the heterogeneity of the distribution of H. aduncum to better understand macroparasite aggregation in marine fish. Weibull tests comprising Maximum likelihood were used to analyze the frequency distribution of parasites within a fish host population over the three years period. The parasite, H. aduncum (third larval stage) prevalence was found to be 88% and the condition factor was 1.30∓0.029 in un-infected fish and 1.12∓0.022 in infected fish. The clustered pattern was observed in H. aduncum in horse mackerel. The relation between parasite load and the fish condition factor was found to be significant and conformity of length and weight was affected by parasite load. It is the first time that aggregation has been observed in H. aduncum distribution and forecasts of nematode intensity in horse mackerel. The findings related to the large individual variations suggest that this pattern is significant and should be considered for host-parasite dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence of Venetian trade in Genoese Caffa is attested since the early fourteenth century. The relation between Venice and Genoa was complicated -- as we know -- due to their rivalry for the supremacy of the sea. However, notarial deeds of the time (drawn up in the Italian settlements situated along the coasts of the Black Sea) reveal that traders of both maritime cities did business together and could have a trusting relationship. That is the case of Manfredi Contarini, a Venetian nobleman who made his will when he stayed at the house of the Genoese Ansaldo Cattaneo in Caffa. The will, dated 10 October 1358, shows us that the two merchants were probably friends or at least business partners. Manfredi, in fact, entrusted the management of his assets in Caffa to Ansaldo and usually stayed at his house when he was in town. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The turbot is a highly valued commercial species In the Republic of Bulgaria it is caught with GNS - anchored gillnets. The stock of turbot in the Black Sea is approximately 1000 tonnes. Black Sea turbot is one of the most valuable marine fish species. This report reports on the status of the stocks and fisheries of turbot in Black Sea waters based on material from local and foreign publications as well as the author's own research. For the period 2019-2022, according to official statistics, the total catch of Black Sea turbot varies widely. Particularly noticeable increases have been observed in Bulgaria and Romania, countries that severely restricted the total allowable catch of turbot in their waters in the early 1990s. Catch data for turbot in the Black Sea in 2019-2022 are presented. For many demersal fish in the Black Sea, a major problem in determining the status of the turbot population and justifying effective measures to regulate the fishery is the significant overfishing of actual catches according to official statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the Battle of Stalingrad, Soviet forces moved towards the Sea of Azov and the Crimean Peninsula. Therefore, the German forces in the Black Sea devised plans to strengthen defensive capabilities. Among other things, the German 4th Air Fleet ordered the 8th Air Corps to plan the protection of convoys in the western Black Sea and the prevention of Soviet landings on the coasts. The new plans also included the participation of secondary allies – Romania and Bulgaria – with various air units. During March-May 1943, German-Romanian discussions and negotiations took place to materialize air collaboration in the west of the Black Sea. Finally, it was decided that Romania would participate with seven squadrons in the joint effort, especially in the Crimean Peninsula. The Romanian pilots remained in Crimea until April 1944, when they were evacuated to Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study analyses the position expressed between 1933 and 1944 by Gheorghe I. Brătianu regarding the Black Sea Straits Question. Through the works published during those years, he established himself as one of the greatest Romanian historians, his scientific interests focusing on the evolution of Romanians in the Middle Ages as well as on the role of the Black Sea in all international relations. In this context, as a Professor at the University of Bucharest, between 1941-1943, he taught a course at the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy on The Black Sea Question, in which he extensively developed his concepts. They can be summarized in the phrase according to which Romania has faced the Pontus Euxinus “Straits fatalism” throughout its existence. At the same time, as a politician and party leader, Gheorghe I. Brătianu opposed Nicolae Titulescu’s policy of envisaging a mutual assistance treaty with the Soviet Union, a country that had not recognised the unification of Basarabia with Romania. As such, he criticized the position adopted by Romania at the Montreux Conference (22 June-21 July 1936), which modified the status of the Bosporus and Dardanelles Straits, according to Moscow’s interests. By the Convention signed on 20 July 1936, the access of non-littoral military ships was severely restricted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study analyses the position expressed between 1933 and 1944 by Gheorghe I. Brătianu regarding the Black Sea Straits Question. Through the works published during those years, he established himself as one of the greatest Romanian historians, his scientific interests focusing on the evolution of Romanians in the Middle Ages as well as on the role of the Black Sea in all international relations. In this context, as a Professor at the University of Bucharest, between 1941-1943, he taught a course at the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy on The Black Sea Question, in which he extensively developed his concepts. They can be summarized in the phrase according to which Romania has faced the Pontus Euxinus "Straits fatalism" throughout its existence. At the same time, as a politician and party leader, Gheorghe I. Brătianu opposed Nicolae Titulescu's policy of envisaging a mutual assistance treaty with the Soviet Union, a country that had not recognised the unification of Bessarabia with Romania. As such, he criticized the position adopted by Romania at the Montreux Conference (22 June-21 July 1936), which modified the status of the Bosporus and Dardanelles Straits, according to Moscow's interests. By the Convention signed on 20 July 1936, the access of non-littoral military ships was severely restricted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]