Romanians involved in international military operations
Next year the Romanian army will deploy a total of 1,311 soldiers to international military operations.
România Internațional, 18.12.2013, 13:21
Next year the Romanian army will deploy a total of 1,311 soldiers to international military operations, 725 less as compared to 2013. Also, the Romanian Interior Ministry will be involved in missions of the European Union, NATO or the OSCE with 791 military and police officers, 301 more than this year. XX has the details, in a report by Leyla Cheamil.
The Romanian Supreme Defense Council on Tuesday approved the plan under which Romanian troops will be deployed to military operations abroad. The Defense Council also decided that Romania would deploy 1,311 soldiers for international operations, 725 less than this year. The Romanian army are involved in two large-scale missions: on the one hand, defending Romanian territory while on the other defending its allies by taking part in joint defense operations and missions aimed at defending and ensuring regional and global security. One major effort continues to be Romania’s participation in ISAF peacemaking operations in Afghanistan. At the same time, Romania also deploys military in theatre of operations in the Balkans.
Afghanistan remains the world’s hottest sport, with most Romanian military currently being set up in the southern province of Zabul, considered a stronghold of Islamist rebels, and therefore one of the country’s high-risk zones. Over the last months Zabul has seen countless attacks by Taliban terrorists trying to take over the reigns of power in Afghanistan. Romania has paid a dear cost for its involvement in Afghanistan. No less than 23 Romanian military were killed and over 100 wounded in the course of 11 years of operations in Afghanistan. At the end of next year, NATO is due to put an end to military operations in that country, the longest since the establishment of the Alliance. NATO Member States intend to remain on the ground after the current mission has been completed.
The withdrawal of NATO troops has sparked concern over a possible surge of violence caused by Taliban rebels, currently engaged in an open armed conflict with Afghan security forces. The agreement sanctioning a Western military presence in Afghanistan, negotiated by Washington and Kabul authorities, has not yet been signed by Afghan president Hamid Karzai. The President estimates the agreement will be signed by the winner of the forthcoming presidential elections slated for April 2014. In another development, the Romanian Supreme Defense Council also decided that the Romanian Interior Ministry would deploy 791 military and police officers to missions coordinated by NATO, the EU, the UN and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. This number has gone up by 301 people as compared to 2013. Moreover, the Council meeting also adopted the multi-annual plan for restoring the military capabilities of the Romanian Army for the 2013-2016 period up to 2022. The program is based on an annual increase in the defense budget, which should stand at 2% of the country’s GDP by 2016.
