Radio România Internațional

Tag: Defense Minister Angel Tilvar

  • Romania – almost two decades in NATO

    Romania – almost two decades in NATO

    It has been 19 years since Romania became a member of the North Atlantic Alliance, under whose protection has benefited from the strongest security guarantee. On March 29, 2004, the Romanian state joined NATO, by submitting the instruments of ratification to the US State Department, the depository of the North Atlantic Treaty. In the same year, on April 2, at the NATO headquarters, the ceremony of the official raising of the flag followed.



    This date has become NATO Day in Romania, and on April 4, the members celebrate 74 years since the foundations of the Organization were officially laid down. In this context, the Romanian head of state, Klaus Iohannis, has stated that Bucharest will promote the strengthening of the transatlantic relationship and the strategic partnership between the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union. We will remain involved in allied missions and commitments, and strengthening the national defense capacity will continue to be a priority for Romania, including by earmarking, starting this year, 2.5% of the GDP for Defense, Klaus Iohannis said.



    He added that, at the same time, the strengthening of the transatlantic relationship and the strategic partnership between NATO and the Community bloc will be promoted, as well as support for increasing the resilience of partners in the region, especially the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Today, when the European continent is facing the worst security crisis in recent decades, triggered by the illegal and unjustified war launched by Russia against Ukraine, NATO’s fundamental role in ensuring peace and defending freedom, common democratic values, security and prosperity for its members is more important than ever, the Romanian head of state also stressed. President Iohannis has also said that the Alliance proves, once again, its indispensable character and absolute relevance in terms of security, constituting one of the basic pillars on which the defense of all its members, including Romania, is based, along with the national effort.



    In turn, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă paid tribute to those who gave their lives for a safer world, under the protection of NATO, the strongest political-military alliance in history. Nicolae Ciucă said that Romania, through the overwhelming will of its population and the lucidity of its leaders, chose the path of democracy, freedom and European and Western vocation.



    The Minister of National Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, has also stated that, since its full accession to the Alliance, Romania has actively participated in the implementation of allied decisions through a consistent participation with troops and equipment in NATO missions in the Middle East and Western Balkans, as well as within the exercises and applications carried out in allied and partner countries. (MI)

  • A new minister of defense in Romania

    A new minister of defense in Romania

    The Social Democrat Angel Tilvar is the new Minister of Defense, appointed by the party leadership to take over the office left vacant last week, when Vasile Dincu resigned. The ministry is the responsibility of the Social Democratic Party, according to the agreement with the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians, together with which it formed the ruling coalition in Romania.



    I believe that right now, given the complicated situation at our borders, we need a balanced person, with a strong European and Euro-Atlantic vision, said the president of the Social Democratic Party, Marcel Ciolacu.



    Angel Tilvar, aged 60, has been a member of Romania’s Parliament since 2004. He is a teacher of English, but, according to the resume published on the Chamber of Deputies’ website, is a graduate of the National Defense College of the Mihai Viteazu National Intelligence Academy. In 2014, Angel Tilvar was appointed minister-delegate for the relations with Romanians around the world. Currently, he is chairman of the Senate’s European Affairs Committee and head of the Romanian Parliamentary Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.



    In a recent statement, Angel Tilvar stated that the priorities of his term are related to Russia’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine and the Romanian soldiers in theaters of operations abroad. Minister Tilvar:


    East of Romania we are faced with a security issue caused by Russia invading a sovereign state, without being provoked. This is our main concern at this point. On the other hand, we should not forget that there are Romanian military involved in maintaining peace in various parts of the world. They are equally important to us. Also, there is lots of talk about the fact that we will earmark 2.5% of the GDP for defense. We should not forget that the people involved in what we call the defense architecture are also extremely important.



    The Liberal Prime-Minister Nicolae Ciuca, who had taken over the interim defense office, wished the new minister good luck and said that Romania is a responsible and active contributor to promoting Euroatlantic security and stability. His experience as member of parliament and chairman of the Romanian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly is solid argument in favor of him holding this office, the PM said.



    On the opposition side, the president of Save Romania Union, Catalin Drula, claims that the new minister is not a happy choice for the defense ministry. In his opinion, given the current conditions, with a war underway very close to Romania’s borders, the Ministry of Defense should be headed by somebody that inspires trust. We recall that on October 24th, Vasile Dincu resigned from the office of Minister of Defense, after less than a year since he’d been appointed, invoking the impossibility to collaborate with Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis. (MI)