Radio România Internațional

Tag: security

  • July 30, 2017

    July 30, 2017

    DEFENCE – The Supreme Defence Council is to convene in Bucharest on Tuesday. The agenda of the meeting, chaired by President Klaus Iohannis, includes a presentation of the Plan of equipment procurement for the Romanian Army in 2017-2026. The plan provides for the implementation of a commitment made in 2015 by all political parties, with respect to earmarking 2% of the GDP for the defence sector for 10 years, starting in 2017. The latest Defence Council meeting was held on July 4, but at that time the Plan for army equipment procurement was withdrawn from the agenda of the meeting, in order to be adjusted to the politically agreed target of earmarking 2% of the GDP to this sector.





    HEALTHCARE – The Romanian Healthcare Minister, Florian Bodog, hopes Parliament will pass the new vaccination law quickly. He also welcomed the decision of Ludovic Orban, president of the National Liberal Party in opposition, to support compulsory vaccination. In turn, PM Mihai Tudose said in an interview on the public radio that the current situation requires the introduction of compulsory vaccination. On Thursday, the Cabinet discussed a draft law on vaccination, laying down responsibilities both for the authorities and healthcare staff, and for parents. The bill is designed to regulate the organisation and funding of vaccination in Romania, as well as to raise awareness on the benefits, safety, quality and possible adverse reactions to immunisation. The bill also provides for a national reserve stock covering at least the annual vaccine needs, with doses valid for at least one and a half years. The bill was drafted after the large number of measles cases and deaths caused by this disease prompted the World Health Organisation to include Romania in the 5 countries that total over 80% of the number of cases reported worldwide.




    SECURITY – The security challenges currently facing Romania and NATO member states will be discussed in an event taking place in Bucharest between July 31 and August 5 and entitled ‘Defence and Dialogue in Eastern Europe’ (DDEE). International experts and Romanian officials will talk about hybrid threats, recent misinformation campaigns and large-scale cyber-attacks. Attending the event organised by Euro Atlantic Diplomacy Society will be around 200 young people from 36 countries.




    NATO – A British destroyer and a Turkish frigate are in the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta for 2 days. They are part of the standing NATO group which, together with Ferdinand frigate of the Romanian Navy have taken part in joint training sessions and in sea traffic monitoring missions. On board the British destroyer, the commander of the standing NATO maritime group James Borley said the Alliance has a constant presence at the Black Sea because some riparian countries are also members of the Organisation.




    TERRORIST PLOT – The Australian security forces have foiled a presumably Islamist terror plan to detonate a bomb targeting an airplane, and four individuals have been arrested, PM Malcolm Turnbull has announced, according to AFP. He added that security was tightened in Australian airports. A total of 12 terrorist plots have been foiled in Australia and some 60 people have been sent to court since the alert level was raised in September 2014. Australia is taking part in the US-led international coalition conducting air raids against the Islamic State jihadist group in Iraq and Syria since the summer of 2014.




    SPORTS – Romania won 8 medals, 5 silver and 3 bronze, at the 2017 summer edition of the European Youth Olympics Festival, which came to an end on Saturday in Gyor (Hungary). On the last day of the competition the Romanian athletes won 3 more silver medals. The womens handball team lost the final to the host team, Hungary, 30-23, the tennis player Nicholas David Ionel was defeated in the final by the Italian Lorenzo Rottoli, and athlete Cristian Gabriel Voicu won the silver in the 800 m race. Romanias delegation in this edition of the Festival was made up of 77 athletes, competing in athletics, cycling, gymnastics, handball, swimming, judo, rowing and tennis.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • The Black Sea area and its emerging tensions

    The Black Sea area and its emerging tensions

    The extended Black Sea area has got the profile of a geopolitical center, a region of strategic economic interest and also an outpost of NATO and the EU. This happened against the background of increasingly diversified sources of insecurity that originate in plagues such as terrorism, proliferation of mass destruction weapons and technologies, of chemical and biological weapons, drugs and human trafficking as well as illegal migration.



    In this context, the fight against terrorism and organized crime alongside increased competition over energy resources and their means of transportation have turned the Black Sea into the focus of attention of European and Euro-Atlantic institutions. Starting from the idea that the Black Sea is a strategic axis, this issue has been recently approached at the Hudson Institute in the US, which, alongside the Romanian Research Institute, organized a conference on emergent tensions in the region, in terms of military and energy security. Radio Romania’s correspondent to Washington DC, Doina Saiciuc, describes the region’s geopolitical context as painted at the meeting:



    Doina Saiciuc: “During most of recorded history, the Black Sea has been a strategic axis, and it continues to be so. Today, in an area where Russia annexed Crimea and supports the insurgence in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow assists military and politically the breakaway regions of Transdniester in Moldova and Abkhazia in Georgia, where Russia consolidates its military fleet in the Black Sea and where Russian planes are harassing American ships, three NATO countries are also Black Sea countries and they must deal with Russia’s military presence. These countries are Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey.”



    Laurentiu Pachiu, one of the founders of a group for energy policy, talked about security at the Black Sea at a time when, after the annexation of Crimea, Romania was put into the situation of having a common Black Sea border with the Russian Federation.



    “If we look at the European continent from the perspective of today’s energy security, we see three security threats and challenges. The long-standing threats, aggravated today by terrorism, are the weapons of mass destruction, regional conflicts, government failures in Europe’s vicinity, and organized crime. Adding to that are climate change and threats to cyber security,” says Laurentiu Pachiu. Then, he went on to say, there is the domestic dimension of energy security, which in Europe is quite challenged. If we look at the EU countries, each of them has a different energy policy: some are based on coal, some on nuclear energy, some resort to huge natural gas imports.



    At the same time, a major energy security challenge is the fact that most EU countries depend on one natural gas supplier alone, which is Russia. Experts in international relations and diplomats discussed in Constanta in southeastern Romania at the “Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum 2017” the challenges facing the countries in the region among which energy and cyber security, intelligence war and the militarisation of the Black Sea. Ambassador Sorin Ducaru, assistant of the NATO Secretary General:



    Sorin Ducaru: “At the level of the Alliance, we are dealing with the most complex security context in one generation. There is a combination of classical, conventional threats that are related to the very reasons the Alliance was set up. There is another category of threats, the unconventional ones known as new threats, namely, the emergent threats to international security and to the Alliance, that include terrorist threats, cyber threats, hybrid threats combining conventional and unconventional forms as well as these tendencies targeting data manipulation.”



    As regards the measures to be taken to fight these threats, Sorin Ducaru says that NATO’s approach has two components:



    Sorin Ducaru: “The first component targets the defense of the allied territory and the member states, somehow related to the main reason for which the Alliance was created — that is collective defense. The second component refers to projecting stability beyond the Alliance’s territory and strengthening defense capabilities, especially in the fight against terrorism.”



    Bucharest’s foreign policy is built on the idea that the Western Balkans and the Black Sea must be considered as one when it comes to security threats.


    (translated by: Elena Enache)

  • June 23, 2017 UPDATE

    June 23, 2017 UPDATE

    EUROPEAN COUNCIL – The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, mentioned at a press conference after the summer meeting of the European Council in Brussels that highly important topics had been discussed, related to defence, security, migration, the digital agenda, economy and climate change. The Council approved the launch of PESCO, a collaborative defence structure, and decided to extend the economic sanctions against Russia by another 6 months. The European Council also agreed to work more closely with the online industry and called on social network owners to prevent the dissemination of content inciting to terrorism. As regards Brexit, President Klaus Iohannis said that both the EU 27, and the UK agreed on the need for sequenced approach in negotiations, meaning that talks on the future cooperation should only be held after the “separation issues, like citizens, money and Ireland, have been resolved. On behalf of Romania, President Klaus Iohannis pleaded for close cooperation between member states with respect to security, and for the creation of EU structures that are complementary to, rather than parallel with those of NATO.



    MOLDOVA – The strategic dialogue between the Republic of Moldova and the USA has been re-launched in Chişinău, 25 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations, announced at a joint briefing the Moldovan Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Galbuş, and the Deputy Assistant State Secretary Bridget Bring, who is on a visit to Moldova. In Brussels, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the situation in the Republic of Moldova should be closely monitored by the EU. She said that at a meeting of the European Peoples Party, where she discussed with the former presidential candidate Maia Sandu, a pro-European reformist defeated in last years election by the pro-Russian Socialist Igor Dodon. Also in Brussels, the Romanian MEP Andi Cristea said Dodons statements have nothing to do with reality and are an example of political irresponsibility. Co-chair of the EU-Moldova association committee in the European Parliament, Cristea denied Dodons statement that around half of the European funds earmarked for Moldova were stolen in Chişinău. Dodon wants the free trade and association agreements between the EU and Moldova cancelled, and pleads for his countrys joining the Eurasian Union.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • April 13, 2017

    April 13, 2017

    EU FUNDS – Romania currently has available for investments in the transport sector over 6.8 billion euro, of which 5.1 billion from EU funds, said the European Commissioner for regional policy Corina Cretu. According to a news release issued by the Representation of Romania to the EU, Creţu discussed in Brussels yesterday with the Romanian Transport Minister Răzvan Cuc, and emphasised the need to spend up the funds provided by the EU. Corina Creţu also mentioned the benefits entailed by the programmes in this sector, which allowed for the transport network in Romania to be extended and improved. In turn, Minister Răzvan Cuc presented the commitment of Romanian authorities to finalising the current investments and start new projects.




    EXPORTS – Romanian exports to Syria were 80% lower in 2016 than in 2011, when civil war broke out in that country. In 5 years, Romania has lost at least 500 million euros in exports, the daily Ziarul Financiar reports. Syria mostly imported livestock from Romania, sheep and goats, as well as dairy, eggs and fish. The daily also mentions that Romania has stayed uninvolved in the conflict in Syria, and in 2012 the then President Traian Băsescu would not close the Romanian diplomatic mission in Damascus, arguing that the country hosted a large Romanian community. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, 10,000-12,000 Romanians live in Syria, mostly women married to Syrian citizens. The Embassy of Romania also provides consular assistance to citizens from other countries, like Canada, France and Australia.




    BORDER SECURITY – Romanian check points are getting crowded, because of a new European regulation tightening border checks, which took effect last week, and because of increased traffic ahead of the Easter holidays, the General Border Police Inspectorate reports. Waiting times for the trucks entering Romania at the Siret checkpoint in the north-east reach 10 hours. Problems are also reported at Giurgiu in the south and Petea in the north-west, where waiting times are around 90 and 60 minutes, respectively, while in Albiţa, in the north-east and Ostrov, in the south-east, those who want to cross the border have to wait for at least 30 minutes. The longest automobile queues are reported in Giurgiu and Petea. Border police say they are trying to strike a balance between citizen security and smooth traffic.




    DECENTRALISATION – The Government of Romania endorsed yesterday a Decentralisation Strategy, aimed at bringing all public services closer to the citizens. The sectors targeted by the process are agriculture, education, healthcare, culture, environment, youth, sports and tourism. Until November, the relevant ministries will conduct impact analyses and will draw up sector-specific regulations for each field subject to decentralisation.




    FINANCE – The Parliament of Romania will initiate the procedures to dismiss the management of the Financial Oversight Authority. The announcement, made by Liviu Dragnea, the president of the ruling Social Democratic Party, comes following a scandal involving the alleged nationalisation of private pension funds. Liviu Dragnea claims the head of the Financial Oversight Authority Mişu Negriţoiu started the rumours regarding the nationalisation, and denies that such a scenario is being considered. Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry is working on changes in the Fiscal Code to the effect of introducing a tax on household incomes. Suggestions include the introduction of the concept of household as an entity for tax purposes, a 10% flat tax rate as of January 2018 and tax deductions. At present, the income tax in Romania is calculated on an individual basis and the flat tax rate is 16% per month.




    HOLY THURSDAY – Christians around the world, including in mostly Orthodox Romania, commemorate Holy Thursday today, when the Last Supper was followed by the arrest and trial of Christ. Tonight, Orthodox Christians attend the Matins of the 12 Gospels, when they listen to 12 biblical texts about the last moments in the life of Jesus. On Saturday night Christians will celebrate Easter, the Resurrection of Christ. This year, the Orthodox and Catholic Christians celebrate Easter on the same day.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Britain and security in the Black Sea

    Britain and security in the Black Sea

    Security in the Black Sea area, which in the past years has had a dynamics imposed mainly by Russia’s military actions, continues to be NATO’s priority. Romania, that has been a member of this alliance since 2004, is strongly committed to supporting NATO in this respect. “The Black Sea is a bridge that connects two continents. It is strategically important and hotly contested. For NATO, having a strong presence in the region is perhaps more important now than ever.”



    This is how the Alliance explained its stand as regards this region in a post on its official Facebook page a year ago, also mentioning the challenging and tensioned context marked by security imbalances and hybrid threats. Back then Bucharest assumed a daring strategic initiative — a project providing for the deployment of a NATO fleet at the Black Sea. “Its purpose would be one of defence and deterrence. It’s all about naturally beefing up an allied ground presence, which we conceive as part of a defence and deterrence stance,” Romania’s Defence Ministry Mihnea Motoc explained at the time. Only Romania, Turkey and Bulgaria, all NATO members and Black Sea riparian, could be part of this fleet, in keeping with the Montreux Convention which stipulates that a foreign warship cannot station more than 21 days in the Black Sea waters.



    Besides this initiative, Romania is getting more actively involved in an increasing number of military drills – several hundreds — aimed at boosting interoperability among allied forces. Such a drill is the one underway this month in Cape Midia, southern Romania, which has brought together 12 hundred troops from Romania and the US. During the exercise, ground, sea and airborne troops simulated the liberation of a military base in southeastern Romania, which according to the scenario had been attacked by paramilitary groups.



    Britain’s decision to send four Typhoon fighter jets to Romania for air police missions on NATO’s southern flank is part of the measures aimed at increasing security in the area. According to the British Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, the fighter jets are to be stationed for 4 months at the Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase in southern Romania and will patrol the Black Sea alongside local jets.


    (Translated by Daniel Bilt)

  • Global Cooperation and Security Plan

    Global Cooperation and Security Plan

    Having seen its presence and influence significantly reduced in the international community, following the economic and financial crisis, the European Union seems to be trying to adapt to the times, including in terms of defence. Two months ago, it established an external border monitoring and control agency, with extended powers, to replace Frontex, and now, with the endorsement of its global strategy on the security and defence policy, the Union has made a further step in this direction. The implementation plan on security and defence is the outcome of an older initiative, which the European foreign and defence ministers convening in Brussels on Monday turned into an operational project. Here is the Radio Romania correspondent in the Belgian capital city, Claudia Marcu, with details:



    Claudia Marcu: “The EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini described the implementation plan on security and defence as ambitious, pragmatic, substantial, concrete, and prepared in a record time with the full involvement of the 28 member states. The EUs High Representative for foreign policy and security pointed out, first and foremost, that this plan meant neither the establishment of a European army, nor the competition or duplication of NATO. The implementation plan is about providing the EU with all the instruments it needs to fulfil its ambitions, and outlines 3 key tasks for Europe: responding to external conflicts and crises, working with partners in building their security and defence capabilities, and protecting the Union and its citizens.



    In other words, the project is not a threat to the contribution undertaken by EU member states within NATO, but rather complementary to the current actions and future objectives of the North Atlantic Alliance.



    On the other hand, the Plan may be seen as a natural response of the Union to an unpredictable international context, in which the geopolitical element plays a key role. Russias aggressive foreign policy, pursued even at a military level, with the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and with Moscows active involvement in the secessionist conflict in east Ukraine, the instability in north Africa, following the Arab spring, the growing tensions straining the relations with Turkey and, above all, the insecurity engendered by terrorism, are all unsettling elements for the EU. Furthermore, a number of foreign policy analysts argue that Europes economic power must be accompanied by a matching military potential, even if this comes against the paradigm embraced after World War II.

  • Security and Terrorism

    Security and Terrorism

    Romania does not need to raise its security alert level, in spite of the growing frequency of terror attacks in Europe, President Klaus Iohannis said after Tuesdays meeting of the Higher Defence Council. According to the Romanian Intelligence Service, the blue alert level in force in Romania at present means that judging by the information available and the recent developments, the risks of a terrorist attack in the country are low.



    Klaus Iohannis: “An assessment report has been presented, of the security situation in Romania in terms of terrorist risks and threats. All the public institutions having responsibilities in this field have assured me that for the time being there are no reasons to raise the terror alert level above its current level, which is ‘guarded.



    Klaus Iohannis also announced that a task force has become operational in Bucharest, which will be in charge with the preparations for the establishment of the NATO multi-national brigade under Romanian command. The decision to set up the brigade was taken at the NATO Summit recently held in Warsaw. The unit will be operational as of next spring, and will be made up of troops from 6 Allied countries. According to the Romanian official, the decisions made in Poland must be implemented fully, efficiently and quickly, and all the relevant Romanian institutions have been informed of their responsibilities.



    The President also announced that Romania is waiting for the suggestions of the NATO planning structures with respect to the Black Sea region. As Klaus Iohannis put it, “we stay in touch with all the Allies involved, in view of the implementation of what we may call the historic decisions made in Warsaw. All these measures and Romanias efforts also contribute to the implementation of the National Defence Strategy and the consolidation of our countrys position.



    As regards Turkey, Iohannis said that the Higher Defence Council assessed the situation in that country further to the attempted coup and added that Turkey would remain a strategic partner of Romania, a crucial ally for NATO and a key partner of the European Union. As a NATO member state, Romania has an interest in ensuring the security and stability of the region, as well as the respect for the principles of democracy and the rule of law. Romania has clearly expressed its position with respect to the attempted coup, and firmly condemned all actions coming against constitutional order and jeopardising the democratic institutions of Turkey. The Romanian President also voiced his confidence that authorities in Ankara are aware of the importance of respecting democratic institutions and values and the fundamental human rights and freedoms.

  • June 8, 2016 UPDATE

    June 8, 2016 UPDATE

    Official visit – The Prime Minister of Romania, Dacian Ciolos, will be on an official visit to France on Thursday and Friday. According to a Government news release, on Thursday the Romanian PM will address the Council of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. On Friday Ciolos is to meet his French counterpart, Manuel Valls, and sign an updated roadmap for the Romanian-French strategic partnership, and he will also be received by the President of France François Hollande. Ciolos and Hollande will attend together on Friday night in Paris the football match between France and Romania, which opens the 2016 European Championship.




    Parliament – The Chamber of Deputies Wednesday endorsed a simple motion against the Agriculture Minister Achim Irimescu tabled by the leftist Social Democratic Party and the right-of-centre Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. The Deputies made this decision with 189 votes in favour and 11 against, while 89 MPs abstained from voting. According to the authors, the document penalises, among other things, the failure to pay farmers subsidies and to use EU funds and the flawed management of the Ministry and the subordinated units. The motion was discussed in the Chamber of Deputies 3 weeks ago, in the presence of Minister Irimescu, who said he had nothing to feel guilty about.





    Salaries – The Government of Romania Wednesday passed a draft bill on salaries in the public sector for 2016. The bill is designed to address dysfunctions and inequities in the system, by introducing a bonus system based on performance criteria and working on the principle of equal pay for equal jobs and seniority. The Labour Minister, Dragoş Pîslaru, said that 50% of the benefits in the new system will be available as of August, and the entire system will be applicable starting the end of 2017. The draft bill will be submitted to Parliament for discussion and approval, and the law is to take effect in September.





    Medal – The Romanian National Anti-Corruption Directorates Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruţa Kövesi has been awarded the French highest civilian decoration, that of Knight of the Legion of Honour. It was awarded by the French Ambassador to Bucharest, François Saint Paul. At the award ceremony, the French Ambassador highlighted the fact that the Romanian anti-corruption agencys results were outstanding. In confirmation of that came a European Union report, ranking the National Anti-Corruption Directorate among Europes top five such institutions. The French Ambassador went on to say the head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate was an epitome of professionalism, integrity and probity. In turn, Laura Codruta Kovesi stated that the fight against corruption was central to safeguarding the rule of law in Romania.

  • NATO and Security in South-Eastern Europe

    NATO and Security in South-Eastern Europe

    Russia’s rhetoric against Romania has become increasingly aggressive. President Vladimir Putin has recently warned Romania and Poland that they could find themselves in the sights of Russian missiles because they are hosting elements of a U.S. missile defence shield that Moscow sees as a threat to its security. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has deemed Putin’s statements as incorrect, saying they prove that Romania’s contribution to the consolidation of NATO’s security is justified.



    Klaus Iohannis: “The Russian Federation’s recent statements regarding the anti-ballistic defence shield are incorrect, as the system has nothing to do with Russia. Such statements cannot intimidate us.”



    Iohannis has reiterated Romania’s strategic priorities in terms of foreign policy and security, such as strengthening its Strategic Partnership with the US and also its position within NATO and the EU. In his turn, the US Ambassador to Bucharest, Hans Klemm, has warned over a possible threat that Moscow might represent. It is clear that Russia is aggressive, Hans Klemm said, giving as an example what happened in Ukraine in 2012 and 2013 and also in 2008, when it aggressively intervened in Georgia. Russian aggression, Klemm went on to say, was mainly directed against countries on its western border or NATO’s eastern flank, while Moscow’s military presence in the Black Sea and Crimea is very aggressive and very obvious. That is why Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey have good reasons for concern, Ambassador Klemm concluded.



    The American official has also mentioned the importance of the Constanta Port for NATO security and for the Romanian-American strategic partnership, as the Romanian Naval Forces are headquartered there, the American presence at the Mihail Kogalniceanu military base is significant and there are many training grounds in Babadag and some other places in eastern Romania. Constanta is located on the Black Sea coast, Crimea is only 300 kilometres away and the number of Russian troops there is growing, Klemm has explained. So Constanta plays a very important role for NATO security and for the bilateral strategic partnership, the US Ambassador to Romania has also said.



    Romania is the United States’ outpost closest to Russia, a former empire that is now trying to regain its former glory. Moscow’s propaganda continues but, according to analysts, it should not be taken seriously as Russia’s discontent with Romania is by no means recent, it started back in 2004 when Romania joined NATO.

  • Romania – a safe country

    Romania – a safe country

    In a world faced with many security threats,
    Romania has not had to cope with any security problems, thanks to the Romanian
    Intelligence Service, which has ensured the security of Romanians, president
    Klaus Iohannis has said:




    Romania is a safe country, having been spared security incidents and terrorism threats.




    According to the 2015 activity
    report of the Romanian Intelligence Service, over 340 people who posed
    terrorist threats have been denied entry into the country or have been forced
    out of the country. Another 9,000 people have been red-flagged and banned entry
    into Romania. Over 3,800 notifications have been submitted to law-enforcement
    authorities and nearly 10,000 documents to decision-makers, all regarding
    potential security risks.




    On the other hand, president
    Iohannis highlighted the Romanian Intelligence Service’s key contribution to
    the fight against corruption:




    The Romanian Intelligence Service
    has had an important contribution in fighting corruption, which remains a
    delicate issue.




    The Romanian Intelligence Service has
    also contributed to efforts to combat tax evasion, organised crime and cyber
    crime, dealing with some 550 cyber threats. Last but not least, the Service is
    a respected and trusted partner of NATO’s intelligence network, contributing to
    consolidating Romania’s role as a provider of security in the region. Here is
    the director of the Romanian Intelligence Service, Eduard Hellvig:




    We are doing well, because we have
    prevented all potential terrorist attacks in Romania. We have constantly
    supported the judiciary in its efforts to combat top-level corruption. We have
    kept extremism and organised crime in check. We have built an adequate level of
    cyber security.




    And since there’s always room for
    improvement, Eduard Hellvig said the Service will continue to improve its
    activity:




    We are not perfect. There is still
    a lot to be done concerning the transparency of our activity, because there is
    still work to be done in terms of resource management.




    The Romanian Intelligence Service is
    expected to remain consistent in its actions and results. Against the backdrop
    of a growing terrorist threat in Europe, cooperation among intelligence
    services across Europe is of paramount importance. Given the deterioration of
    the security context in the Middle East and the shift in Balkan migration
    routes, Romania must be ready to face a potential migration risk, also keeping
    an eye on security challenges in the East, such as Russia’s aggression, the
    instability in Ukraine and the lack of predictability of the Republic of
    Moldova. On a domestic level, the Service has the crucial duty to safeguard the
    rule of law and to fight corruption, while respecting citizen’s rights and
    liberties. The legislation in the field of national security also needs
    reforming, a process the authorities are unwilling to delay any further.

  • NATO and Romania’s Security

    NATO and Romania’s Security

    After joining NATO in 2004, Romania undertook to support the Alliance’s joint defense efforts, especially in the new regional context. Romania’s decision to host on its territory, at the Deveselu base, some elements of the American anti-missile shield in Europe, developed under NATO’s umbrella, has more than once triggered Russia’s criticism, in spite of NATO officials and Romanian authorities having repeatedly assured Moscow that the purpose of the shield is purely defensive.



    On Thursday, Russia responded to the announcement made on Monday in Bucharest by the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, US General Philip Breedlove, regarding the Alliance’s intention to deploy heavy weaponry on Romanian soil and increase the NATO and US military presence in Romania. The spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Alexandr Lukashevici, warned, in a statement for the public radio station, that Romania must be aware of the responsibility and consequences of increasing the NATO presence on its territory. Strengthening the NATO presence in Eastern Europe is an unprecedented decision, which breaches all agreements in force, Lukashevici has said.



    According to the Russian official, NATO and Russia have agreed not to mobilize additional military capabilities, insisting on the principle of mutual dissuasion. Lukashevici has pointed out that if the information is correct, Russia has the right to include this important element in its military planning.



    Shortly before Moscow’s warning, Bucharest approved on Thursday a bill revising the Law on the access, stationing and deployment of foreign military forces in Romania and their transiting Romanian territory. The bill, which is still to be green lighted by the country’s Supreme Defense Council, legislates solutions that would allow NATO to implement, on Romanian territory, reassurance and adaptation measures addressing new challenges, risks and threats to the international security environment, as stipulated by the Alliance’s recently adopted plan to increase NATO’s operational capability.



    Prime Minister Victor Ponta has said that the Government is aware that it is taking the best decisions for Romania and its partners. Ponta has also said that the bill approved by the Government regards mainly the access and stationing of troops and weapons for the two NATO command centers to be set up in Bucharest. Romania’s contribution to the Alliance’s defence and Europe’s security has been praised, on several occasions, by both NATO and US officials.

  • Romania’s Defence Policy

    Romania’s Defence Policy

    It was to be expected that Russia’s fresh appetite for territorial expansion and the aggressive way in which it pursues its expansionist inclinations would also influence the Romanian defence policy.



    Following the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis last year, the activity of the Romanian defence ministry was determined by a change in the security environment in the larger Black Sea area and the growing instability on NATO’s southern borders, said defence minister Mircea Dusa at a meeting to present his ministry’s activity report for 2014.



    National training for the Romanian military increased by 25% compared to the previous year, and regional and international training as part of NATO by 133%. In 2014, the Romanian army, together with its US partners, took part in its most complex exercise in the last five years. Training using live ammunition, bombs, air-to-air missiles and anti-tank missiles was conducted again after a long time. A total of 1,200 Romanian military took part in operations and missions outside Romania’s borders.



    Also in 2014, Romania reinvigorated its strategic partnership with France and consolidated a special relationship with Germany, by means of permanent consultations. An integral part of the security of the free world, Romania reiterated its willingness to place a multinational command unit at NATO’s disposal and to host an integrated multinational structure, both of which will become operational within the next few years. President Klaus Iohannis, who attended the presentation of the defence ministry’s report for the first time, emphasised that complying with these commitments was vital, particularly within the current security context:



    Klaus Iohannis: “In the short run, it is mandatory for us to comply with the commitments we made at the latest summit of the North Atlantic Alliance, in particular with regard to making the two new command structures operational. We must also make the base in Deveselu operational, in keeping with the calendar agreed with our strategic partner, the US. Last but not least, I would like to emphasise the need for a more active presence in the development of the European Union’s common security and defence policy, given that the process to revise the European Security Strategy will begin soon.”



    The supreme commander of the armed forces as part of his presidential responsibilities, the president also said he would present Parliament with a new National Defence Strategy. The document will assess the international situation and present new lines of action to ensure the country’s long-term security. At the president’s initiative, a political agreement with the parliamentary parties was signed in January on the provision of at least 2% of the GDP to the defence budget by 2017.