October 25, Romanian Army Day

It is the Romanian Army Day, an event marked by numerous manifestations organized in the main garrisons in the country and in the military bases in the theaters of operations where the Romanian military is stationed. In Bucharest, the ceremonies took place at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where President Klaus Iohannis, the head of the Senate, Nicolae Ciuca, and Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu participated together. The head of state said that the army must continue to receive substantial funding, considerably more than 2% of GDP.

Oana Bala followed the speeches in Carol Park and has the details: "President Klaus Iohannis recalled in his speech that in recent years there has been significant progress in the Romanian army, especially in terms of equipping it with modern capabilities. The Head of State also mentioned that he had encouraged an increase in defense budget allocations to 2.5% of the Gross Domestic Product from 2023 onwards, amid changes in the security environment.

Klaus Iohannis: "The Romanian Army must continue to benefit from a solid financial base, considerably more than 2% of GDP, as we have undertaken at NATO level, in order to implement, as planned, the major short, medium and long-term armed forces equipment programs. At the same time, an important part of this substantial investment must be returned to the national defense industry as the process of reinvigorating this strategic sector moves forward."

For his part, Defense Minister Angel Tilvar emphasized that the army is in the process of equipping itself with modern technology and also referred to the investment in human resources.

Angel Tilvar: "No equipment, no matter how sophisticated it may be, cannot perform without high-performing people. The Romanian Army needs not only investment in equipping itself with the latest technology, but also generations of young soldiers who are as well trained and motivated as possible for the challenges of the future security environment. This is why we give top priority to identifying measures to increase the motivation and satisfaction of Romanian Army personnel, whether we are talking about the financial side or the equipment and working conditions.""

Translated by: Radu Matei