Commitment to NATO’s values

15 years after becoming a NATO member, Romania reaffirms its commitment to the North-Atlantic Alliance.

Bogdan Matei, 03.04.2019, 13:12

Torn by the internal political
competition, the Romanian Parliament rarely reaches unanimity and then only on matters
of foreign policy. On Tuesday, 15 years since Romania joined NATO, all deputies
and senators attending a joint special meeting of the two chambers of
Parliament adopted a declaration reaffirming their commitment to this
alliance’s values and goals. They express concern about the diversification and
intensification of the security threats faced by the allies and support NATO’s
efforts in the areas of missile defence, cyber defence and the combating of
hybrid threats. The document also underlines the need to continue the
alliance’s open-door policy and hails the recent accessions of Montenegro and
North Macedonia.

Romania will continue to be a trusted
ally, a promoter of NATO values and a pillar of stability and security in the
Black Sea region, president Klaus Iohannis also said. Invited to attend the
Parliament’s meeting, he emphasised that Bucharest, which currently holds the
presidency of the Council of the European Union, pays special attention to the
cooperation between the Union and NATO in all areas of common interest. He also
promised that Romania would continue to support strengthened solidarity within
NATO, including through the consolidation of the transatlantic relationship.

NATO secretary general Jens
Stoltenberg sent a message to president Iohannis on the occasion of Romania’s
anniversary of its NATO accession. He welcomes Romania’s plans to spend 2% of
its GDP on defence and modernise its armed forces:

Romania is a strong and committed ally, you
contribute to our shared security and our collective defence, to our missions
and operations. In Afghanistan I met some professional Romanian troops, who
helped stabilise the country and deny safe heaven to international terrorists.
In Kosovo you helped maintain stability in the Western Balkans region. In
Poland, you helped deter aggression, as part of our international battle group.
You also host a site for NATO’s defensive ballistic missile system and make
essential contributions to security in the Black Sea region, on land, in the
air and at sea. This region is strategically important for the Euro-Atlantic
security and deserves our continued attention and presence.

887 Romanian military are currently involved in
NATO missions. Membership to the Euro-Atlantic Alliance, the strategic
partnership with the United States and membership of the European Union are the
fundamental elements of Romania’s foreign policy.