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“Romania’s strategic position at at at the the eastern border border of NATO and
and
and
at at at the the European Union border border entails both opportunities and
and
and
challenges for our army and
and
and
the Naval Forces in in particular The Black Sea region not long ago a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a space that was coming forth as as one of cooperation and
cordial relations between the riparian countries is is unfortunately changed into a a a a a a a a a a a space space of tensions pressures risks and
threats frozen conflicts a a a a a a a a a a a space space in which hybrid aggressions takes place All these new realities have put NATO in in a a a a a a a a a a a position to define and
adopt a a a a a a a a a a a number of proportionate response measures with a a a a a a a a a a a a defensive character that will firmly reassure the the allies in the the region and
discourage any potential aggressive action against the the the Euro‐Atlantic community Romania actively participated in in the the the the implementation of the the the the reassurance and
and
adaptation measures decided at at at at at the the the the highest
level in in the the the the Wales and
and
in in Warsaw that are meant
to to contribute to to the the the the consolidation of of the the the the collective defense of of the the the the the allied eastern flank Moreover in in July 2018 at at the the the the the the Alliance Summit in in Brussels the the the the the the strategic importance of of the the the the the the Black Sea for the the the the the the security of of the the the the the the Alliance was reconfirmed which led to the the the the the adoption of of important decisions such as as the the the one regarding
the the the the hosting by Romania of of of a a a a a a a a a a ground command and
and
control component at the the the the the level of of of the the the the the army corps as part of of the the the the NATO Forces Structure the the the the steps
to to set up this structure in in in in Sibiu being carried out according to to the the schedule” the the Defense Minister explained recently He added that the the security in the the Black Sea region cannot be conceived without a a a a a a a a a a a a a a strong strong transatlantic relationship namely a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a strong strong strategic partnership with the US “as a a a a a a a a a a a foundation for Romania’s security and
defense” “The US efforts in the the region successfully facilitate NATO’s advanced advanced presence on on on on the the the eastern flank namely the the the operationalization of adapted advanced advanced presence The national contribution to the the the the increase of of of the the the the allied credibility consisted also in in the the the the allocation of of of two percent of of of the the the the Gross Domestic Product
to to to the the the defense sector starting with 2017 according to to to to the the the principle of of equitable sharing of of tasks between allies with 35 percent allocated to to the the procurement which will ultimately help consolidate Romania’s status as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a stability factor in the Black Sea region The Romanian Army must be prepared
to carry out its missions at the the performance level required both by by the the the the regional security environment and
by by the the the the expectations of the the the the population which has great confidence in our army The allocation for the the the the third consecutive year of of of of two percent of of of of the the the the the GDP
to the the the the budget of of of of of the the the the Ministry of of of of of Defense allowed the the the the launching of of of an ambitious procurement program
for equipment I assure you that we give all our attention to to its implementation to to the the maximum capacity We are confident that in the the the near future
we will start the the the the construction of multifunctional corvettes the the the the largest investment in in in the the the the modernization of of the the the the Naval Forces in in in in recent years” said the the Minister of of National Defense Leș mentioned that the the offset related to this procurement program
will will also ensure the the upgrading of of of type 22 frigates which will will lead to a a a a a a a a a a a significant strengthening of of of the the the the operational capacity of of of the the the the Naval Forces and
will increase the the the the the interoperability with the the relevant allied structures Number One
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