From a multinational brigade to the provisioning of the army
Romania seeks to establish a multinational brigade on its territory.
Articol de Radio România Internaţional, 29 Iulie 2016, 13:42
Romania's Supreme Defence Council agreed earlier this week to set up an inter-institutional working group for the creation of a multinational NATO brigade in Romania.
This a complicated process and involves, among others, ensuring the proper conditions, in keeping with allied standards, for receiving foreign soldiers, as well as intense military and diplomatic talks.
At least six NATO allies have responded favourably, but no concrete action has been taken. What is known so far is that Poland will send a company and Bulgaria around 400 soldiers. Romania's defence minister Mihnea Motoc provided some additional information on Thursday:
"The new multinational brigade will be based around an existing Romanian brigade. I cannot reveal where this is located, but it exists. Moreover, it is training at a high level in keeping with NATO standards and is equipped with modern combat technology. The brigade has more than 3,000 soldiers."
As stated by president Klaus Iohannis, the authorities in Bucharest have ambitious plans and the date proposed by the Romanian military for the creation of the multinational brigade is March or April next year.
The NATO concept for advanced security on its eastern flank, which was recently agreed on in Warsaw and which directly affects Romania, also provides for the consolidation of allied sea and air presence in the Black Sea area. The recognition of the Black Sea's increased strategic importance is a first, says Romania's foreign minister Lazar Comanescu:
"It is for the first time that the Baltic Sea, the North Atlantic area and the Black Sea are given the same treatment as areas of strategic importance for the security of the entire Alliance."
Aware of the need to tighten security in this extremely complicated geo-political climate, Romania will continue efforts to provide funding for its army. It plans, for example, to allocate 2% of its GDP to defence by 2017 and maintain this level of funding for the following ten years.
Almost a third of these funds are allocated this year to the provisioning and modernisation of the army.
A considerable amount of money will be poured into the naval forces, in particular the modernisation of Romania's two frigates and the possible purchase of multi-role corvettes.
There are also plans to launch a number of agreements on the purchase of different types of vehicles for the land forces, while continuing efforts to provide the latter with high-performing IT and communications systems.
