Romania's 2021-2024 Military Strategy, approved by Government

Romania's military strategy "Credible defensive capability, for a secure Romania, in a world marked by challenges" was approved at Wednesday's Government meeting, the Ministry of National Defence (MApN) announced, agerpres reports.

According to the Ministry of National Defence, the document reflects the security and defense guidelines of the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union, taking into account the risks and threats of a military nature to Romania, the Army's missions and the national military objectives set out in the Defence White Paper.

Achieving the objectives of the 2021 - 2024 Military Strategy calls for "a real capacity for deterrence and force projection, flexibly integrated into the structures of the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union".

For the continuation of the essential endowment programmes and transformation plans of the force structure, the strategy presents the operational concepts applied for the completion of the Programme on the transformation, development and endowment of the Romanian Army by 2026 and in perspective (Army 2026 programme), as the first stage in the carrying out of Army 2040 programme, emphasizes the Ministry of National Defence.

In this context, the allocation for the Ministry of National Defence of at least 2 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, of which at least 20 percent for endowment and modernization, respectively 2 percent for research, development and innovation, will ensure the continuation of the Romanian Army's transformation and modernization process, as well as the fulfillment of the planned objectives.

At the same time, the new strategy highlights "the need to innovate, adapt and implement achievable objectives, aimed at configuring the command structure and force structure, increasing the responsiveness of units, digitizing and using new technologies, modernizing the military and military-medical education system, as well as adapting the legal framework necessary for the fulfillment of the missions in times of peace, crisis and war".

According to the strategy, published on the website of the General Secretariat of the Government, "Romania strengthens its national defence and preserves its national interests in the Black Sea and the Danube River, with its own structures and capabilities, until the activation of the mutual defence clause under Article 5/NATO or the mutual assistance clause under Article 42/7/TEU, as well as through the development of cooperation with strategic partners, close allies and through regional military cooperation initiatives".

The Romanian Army "will be able to discourage and counteract a possible armed aggression on the national territory and to participate in the deterrence and rejection of an aggression in an allied context," the quoted source indicates.

At the same time, the document underscores, "The Romanian Army will participate in ensuring internal security in peacetime, in supporting central and local public administration bodies in civil emergencies and will contribute to promoting regional and Euro-Atlantic stability by participating in crisis response operations, under the command of NATO, the EU, the UN and the OSCE and within the coalitions".

"Developed on the basis of the provisions of the National Strategy for National Defence for the period 2020-2024, the 2021 Defense White Paper edition and taking into account the policies of the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union in the field of security and defence, the Military Strategy ensures conceptual continuity and the action synergy necessary for the fulfillment of the missions entrusted to the Army and the achievement of the objectives of the national defense policy," Minister of Defense Nicolae Ciuca specifies in the foreword to the document published on the Executive's website.