Radio România Internațional

Tag: deterrence

  • Romania plays host to the Dacian Fall 2024 multinational exercise

    Romania plays host to the Dacian Fall 2024 multinational exercise

    Roughly 1,500 military from Belgium, France, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania and USA, for 17 days running carry activities in Romanian training ranges, in Cincu, Smârdan, Capu Midia and Bogata. The activities are integrated in the Dacian Fall 2024 multinational exercise.

    The exercise is planned and run by the DAFA 24 Headquarters Multinational South-East Division. It targets the integration, at division level, of NATO forces and capabilities stationed on Romanian territory, but also the enhancement of structures’ interoperability for the coordination of military operations. The exercise is a seasonal one, planned and implemented for the consolidation of NATO’s role as deterrent on the Eastern flank.

    Taking part in the exercise are forces of the Headquarters Multinational Brigade South-East, the French Task Force Brigade Headquarters, The Forward Command Element of the French Brigade, NATO Battle Group in Romania. Also taking part in the exercise are the 83rd Mixed Artillery Regiment and the 83rd Tactical Operative rocket-launching Battalion. Also involved in the exercise are elements of Romanian Air Forces, actually the IAR 330 Puma Socat and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircrafts of the 71st Airbase, and the Spanish Air Forces’ F-18 Hornet aircrafts, stationed in Romania to carry Enhanced Air Police Missions.

    In 2024, the training sequence is a preparatory stage ahead of the Dacian Spring 2025 exercise, meant to strengthen NATO’s rapid deployment capacity on the Eastern flank. As part of the exercise, as an absolute first, in 10 days’ time France will deploy brigade-level forces and capabilities. Deterrence is a key element of NATO’s general strategy in a bid to prevent conflicts, but also with a view to protecting the Allies and maintaining their freedom of decision.

    Three other F-16 Fighting Falcon aircrafts Romania purchased from Norway, on Thursday, October 24, landed in the 71st Airbase in Campia Turzii. The aircrafts will go to the 48th Fighter Squadron, being the fourth batch of three aircrafts that have arrived in the country. The reception of the entire batch will most likely be completed in a year.

    The fighter jets are delivered in an operational condition, the available resource ensuring their operation for a timeframe of at least 10 years, which is the transition period towards the 5th-generation aircrafts. The purchase of aircrafts and of the goods and services package ensures the enhancement of national security through the defense of Romania’s national space and the North Atlantic Alliance’s eastern flank.

    The Romanian National Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, held a meeting with Turkey’s Defense Industry Agency president, Haluk Görgü. Talks focused on the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the field of defense. Special emphasis was laid on industrial partnerships and technology transfer. Minister Tilvar highlighted the recent achievements in the field, that including the purchase of the Bayraktar TB2 systems and the cooperation with Otokar arms company.

    Two officers of the Sibiu-based “Nicolae Balcescu” Ground Forces Academy, in Madrid participated in the familiarization course focusing on the Sectorial Qualification Framework for the Profession of Army Officer. Organized under the aegis of the European Security and Defense College, the course focused on the formation of the basic skills required for the standardization of selected national military qualifications.

  • October 18, 2024 UPDATE

    October 18, 2024 UPDATE

    DEFENCE Romanian Defence Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, signed in Brussels on Friday a document on Romania’s accession to the letter of intent concerning the European Military Mobility Corridor 8 together with Albania, Bulgaria, Italy and North Macedonia. The document is aimed at simplifying and stepping up the movement of military equipment and forces both in time of peace and in situations of crisis or conflict. According to a communiqué by the Romanian Defence Ministry, Romania’s joining this corridor, besides the other two projects developed within NATO together with Bulgaria and Greece and with Turkey and Bulgaria, respectively, will contribute to the stepped up efforts aimed at ensuring the mobility of troops and military equipment as well as to the consolidation of the response capability in the Black Sea region. On Friday in the second day of the defence ministers meeting in Brussels, the Romanian minister participated in the North-Atlantic Council proceedings dedicated to the assessment and adjustment of NATO’s defence and deterrence posture. According to the same sources, the Romanian Defence Minister highlighted the importance of carrying on efforts aimed at stepping up the Alliance’s deterrence and defence posture. The meeting has underlined the firm commitment of the NATO members to ensuring the region’s stability and security.

     

    PLAN The European Commission had published Romania’s National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan for the period 2025-2040, the Energy Ministry announced on Friday. The document comprises 89 policies and additional measures aimed at increasing renewable energy sources, curbing greenhouse gas emissions and implementing some innovative solutions in all economic sectors. ‘This plan reflects our commitment to becoming climate neutral before 2045 and contributing to a safer, more competitive and greener future for Romania and Europe,’ Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja says in a communiqué.

     

    VOTE 3.3 million voters are expected to hit the polls on October 20 in the ex-Soviet, Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova for a historic ballot: a presidential election and a referendum on Moldova’s EU accession. According to the Central Election Commission, some 2,219 polls have been set up, and for the first time the ballots are printed in Romanian and 5 minority languages: Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Găgăuz, Russian and Romani. 231 stations are open in 37 countries, 60 in Italy, 26 in Germany, 20 in France and 17 in Great Britain. Moldovans can also vote in one of the 16 stations open in Romania, the same as in the United States. For security reasons, only two stations will be available in Russia, both in Moscow. 2 stations will be made available in Ukraine, in Kyiv and Odessa.

     

    EU On the sidelines of the European Council meeting in Brussels, Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, has called on the EU to convey a strong message of support for Moldova’s EU integration process, particularly ahead of this Sunday’s presidential election in Moldova, condemning Moscow’s interference and destabilization attempts. The list of topics on the two-day summit’s agenda includes the war in Ukraine, developments in the Middle East, EU competitiveness, migration, as well as prospects on Georgia, supporting the multilateral system and international rules-based order and energy tariffs. President Iohannis underlined the importance of ensuring affordable energy prices, the need to boost connectivity and do away with structural gridlocks at the level of energy transport networks.

    (bill)

  • NATO enhances deterrence against Russia

    NATO enhances deterrence against Russia

    As the Russian army carries on its aggression in
    Ukraine, in Brussels NATO defence ministers decided to strengthen the Alliance’s
    long-term posture, particularly in the eastern flank, including Romania.


    The grounds for the decision were summarised by the
    Alliance’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, as follows: Russia’s
    willingness to resort to force must not be underestimated, nor should one overlook
    the fact that the country has nuclear capabilities.


    Still, as NATO’s deputy secretary general Mircea
    Geoană explained, this is not an indication of an imminent conflict with the
    Russian Federation, but rather a deterrence move.


    NATO’s reset military positioning in the East will involve
    a substantial increase in the number of rapid response land forces with prepositioned
    equipment and supplies, more air power, strengthened integrated air and missile
    defence, carrier strike groups, submarines and significant numbers of combat
    ships. Cyber defence will also be enhanced.


    According to Stoltenberg, Allies are united when it
    comes to that NATO should not deploy forces on the ground or in the airspace of
    Ukraine, to make sure that Vladimir Putin’s war doesn’t spiral into a conflict
    between two nuclear blocs.


    Nonetheless, NATO defence ministers decided to
    continue providing financial, humanitarian and military assistance to Kyiv, as
    they have done so far, which helped make the Ukrainian resistance possible. As for
    discouraging Moscow’s possible plans to have the conflict escalate beyond Ukraine,
    NATO’s battlegroup in Romania will be fully operational shortly.


    With respect to the size or possible permanent status
    of the new battlegroups in the East, NATO’s deputy secretary general Mircea
    Geoană said a final decision would be taken in a summit in June. Meanwhile, given
    that the entire security situation in Europe has changed, Allies were urged to
    invest at least 2% of GDP in defence. Romania, which has done so for several
    years now, has recently decided to increase the GDP share earmarked for defence
    to 2.5%.


    In short, NATO does not anticipate a Russian attack on
    Allied territory, especially since 75% of Russia’s forces are deployed in
    Ukraine, without notable results. But, secretary general Jens Stoltenberg reiterated,
    NATO will not tolerate any attack on Allied sovereignty or territorial
    integrity. The NATO official also called on Russia’s president Putin to stop
    the war immediately and to engage in diplomacy in good faith.


    The huge disproportion between NATO and Russian forces
    favours the Allies, and this can be seen in Moscow as well, the participants in
    the extraordinary meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels agreed. (A.M.P.)

  • Supreme Defence Council discusses Ukraine crisis

    Supreme Defence Council discusses Ukraine crisis

    Romania’s
    Supreme Defence Council (CSAT) once again convened on Tuesday in the context of
    the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Measures have been decided in several
    respects. First among these were steps to substantially consolidate the
    deterrence and defence posture in the eastern flank in the forthcoming period,
    through the deployment of Allied forces and the accelerated set-up of the
    battlegroup in Romania.


    In
    the near future, Romania will host 2,300 US
    troops, 500 French, 300 Belgian and 170 Portuguese troops, as well as an
    enhanced police unit. Moreover, the number of NATO aircraft in the country is
    set to increase.


    The CSAT also decided to provide support to
    neighbouring Moldova, and to set up a logistics centre to
    collect and ship international donations to Ukraine.


    Klaus
    Iohannis: In the general context created by the regional security situation,
    support for the Republic of Moldova is necessary in several respects, because
    the country is facing significant refugee inflows and possibly other
    difficulties as well. In this respect, the CSAT decided Romania will take a
    number of support measures. As for Romania’s contribution to the international
    efforts to support Ukraine, we decided to set up a logistics facility, a hub for
    centralising and transporting international donations and humanitarian aid to
    Ukraine and to the Ukrainian people. We also decided to step up measures to
    help the refugees from Ukraine and to manage the massive inflow of people to
    Romania.


    The
    number of Ukrainian nationals coming into Romania is growing by the day. The authorities
    say they have ready accommodation, food and clothing for half a million people.
    Furthermore, based on an agreement among EU member states, Romania has shipped
    fuel, bulletproof vests, helmets, ammunition and military equipment, water,
    food and medicines to Ukraine.


    In
    the same CSAT meeting, the Romanian president said that in the current security
    context Romania must take new consolidated measures in at least 2 respects:


    Klaus
    Iohannis: We need to enhance the defence capacity of the Romanian state. To this
    end, we must increase the share of defence expenditure in the GDP from 2% at
    present to 2.5%. Secondly, Romania must secure its energy independence, mainly
    by developing renewable energy sources and civilian nuclear facilities.


    The
    president emphasised that for these strategic goals to be achieved, political
    decisions must be agreed on and concrete action plans must be implemented by
    relevant institutions. (A.M.P.)

  • February 18, 2021

    February 18, 2021

    VACCINE A new batch of over 163,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine reaches Romania today. This is the third COVID-19 vaccine available in EU member states, and was introduced in Romania this week. According to the National Vaccination Coordination Committee, since the start of the vaccination programme in Romania on December 27, over 1.2 million doses have been administered. Most people have received the Pfizer vaccine, and the others doses produced by Moderna, available in Romania since February 4. Meanwhile, 3,058 new SARS-CoV-2 cases were reported in the past 24 hours. 71 people died and 936 patients are in intensive care.



    DEFENCE The Romanian defence minister Nicolae Ciucă, taking part in a meeting of NATO defence ministers, pointed out Romanias commitment to covering defence expenditure. He reaffirmed Bucharests support for deepening and strengthening NATOs defence and deterrence posture, in line with medium and long-term security requirements. NATOs secretary general Jens Stoltenberg suggested the Alliance should increase funding for joint defence and deterrence activities. One of the reasons for suggesting increased NATO funding for deterrence and defence is that this will incentivise more Allies to provide more capabilities, especially in the Baltic and Black Sea regions, the NATO chief explained. Jens Stoltenberg also said the Alliance needs to invest more in new technologies, including artificial intelligence and quantum computing.



    BRANCUSI A number of events devoted to the Constantin Brâncuşi National Day, celebrated every year in Romania on February 19, are organised across the country this week, to mark 145 years since the great sculptors birth. On Friday, the “Tinerimea Română National Art Centre will host a special concert devoted to the occasion, and illustrated with images of Brancusis works on display at the National Museum of Art. Also on Friday, an exhibition entitled “Mirrors of Brâncuşi opens at the Romanian Peasant Museum. On Saturday, the National Library has an event entitled “Dialogues at the table of silence: 145 years since the birth of sculptor Constantin Brâncuşi. The event is held online, on Zoom platform, and can also be followed on the Youtube channel of the National Library of Romania. In turn, the Romanian Cultural Institutes in Bucharest, Brussels, Chişinău, Lisbon, London, Madrid and Paris have scheduled online events devoted to the world-famous Romanian artist.



    PROTESTS Over one hundred workers at the Lupeni coal mine in Valea Jiului (central-western Romania) are carrying on the sit-in protest initiated yesterday. Their salaries are nearly 10 days late although the union signed a protocol in this respect with the Hunedoara Power Compound management. Meanwhile, leaders of coal mining trade unions convene to find legal methods to step up salary payments. Yesterday, protests were staged by Cartel Alfa and Solidaritatea Sanitara trade unions, both in front of the government headquarters and of parties in the ruling coalition. Trade unions are unhappy with the 2021 state budget bill, which they say will extend the economic crisis and will drive down living standards. Railway workers also picketed the government head offices on Tuesday and Wednesday, demanding investments and salary increases in the railway sector.



    PANDEMIC The European Commission announced a deal was signed with Moderna for an additional 150 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, to be delivered this year, and confirmed a previous agreement on the purchase of another 200 million doses of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. On Wednesday, the Commission also unveiled plans to monitor SARS-CoV-2 variants, to step up the approval of vaccines against such variants and to strengthen vaccine production capabilities in Europe. The EC initiated a bio-defence preparedness plan called “Hera Incubator, targeting new coronavirus variants that threaten to reduce the efficacy of current vaccination campaigns. Moreover, the EC president Ursula von der Leyen announced the Commission boosts measures against the growing number of COVID-19 vaccine frauds. In turn, the UN secretary general Antonio Guterres called on G20 to set up a “global vaccination plan so that no country is left behind in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. (tr. A.M. Popescu)