At a ceremony on Wednesday organised by the General Staff of the Romanian Army at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in Carol Park, Bucharest, interim President Ilie Bolojan said that it is necessary to continue the modernisation of the Romanian Army.

The event was also attended by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.

„Today we pay tribute to the war veterans and commemorate all those who over time have given their lives in wars,” said Bolojan.

He mentioned the ongoing war in Ukraine that affects the security of Romania’s region.

„Apart from the acquisition programmes, we need to continue the modernisation of the Romanian Army.”

At the same time, Bolojan told the attending army officials, that „the human resource is the most valuable and must be treated as such.”

Thanks to the Romanian military, he said, Romania is a „pillar of stability” in its region.

„We are going through a complicated period generated by the war in Ukraine, which affects the security of our region, and the Army, together with the other branches of the Romanian Armed Forces and together with our allies, have a decisive role in deterring and defending the eastern flank,” Bolojan said.

He added that, apart from the programmes of defence acquisitions of combat means carried out so far, it is necessary to continue the process of modernisation of the Romanian Army „by gradually increasing defence spending and the acquisition of state-of-the-art military equipment, by strengthening the national defence industry and by increasing the level of training.”

Bolojan highlighted the importance of personnel training.

„A high degree of personnel training can be achieved both through training in military higher education institutions, and through military exercises carried out together with our allies. The human resource is the most valuable and must be treated as such.

Through the professionalism and dedication of the Army soldiers, Romania consolidates its status as a pillar of stability in a region strongly affected by the security crisis generated by the Russian Federation,” added Bolojan.

AGERPRES